new member / klr vs. transalp

[Guest]

any opinion on the this method of gauging chain tension? W/ stock gearing. Tighten chain until I can push it w/ moderate pressure within 1/4 in. of siwngarm. Right there closer toward the front sprocket on bottom of swingarm where the chain rub gaurd is. With a good amount of force w/ my thumb I can make the chain touch the runb gaurd. Then my thumb is sore. It always seems to measure out to ~2.25 slack at the center point of the chain.

[Guest]

Ktm prescribes a similar method for the LC4.: squeeze the bottom run and the swingarm at about the middle of the run. the top run should just draw tight as the bottom run touches the swingarm. I like that method for the KLR as well. Sounds to me like your chain could be an RCH looser, but it's your chain. --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "klr6501995 " wrote:

> any opinion on the this method of gauging chain tension? > > W/ stock gearing. > > Tighten chain until I can push it w/ moderate pressure within

1/4 in.

> of siwngarm. Right there closer toward the front sprocket on

bottom

> of swingarm where the chain rub gaurd is. > With a good amount of force w/ my thumb I can make the chain

touch

> the runb gaurd. Then my thumb is sore. > > It always seems to measure out to ~2.25 slack at the center

point of

> the chain.

[Dave Jakeman]

This might get you started: http://www.sagebrushmachine.com/howeye/chain.html Jake

[Mike Peplinski]

I recently removed and cleaned my chain. I'm adjusting the tension and have a "Q". I've read that the chain should just touch the chaini guide, that plastic strip on the top of the swingarm. Mine rubs it pretty firmly. Its got a nice groove worn into it. Not through, but definitely a groove. I have exactly 2 inches of movement half-way between sprockets (while up on the jackstand) so I think the tension is right. I just greased the entire swingarm and the bearings are fine, no slop anywhere. I've got 10,000 miles on the original chain and its just fine, as are the sprockets. "Am I doing the measurement correctly, and is this rubbing OK? I"m thinking that this is why the plastic piece is on there.

[Doug Herr]

On Wed, 1 Mar 2006, Mike Peplinski wrote:

> I recently removed and cleaned my chain. I'm adjusting the tension and have > a "Q". I've read that the chain should just touch the chaini guide, that > plastic strip on the top of the swingarm. Mine rubs it pretty firmly. Its > got a nice groove worn into it. Not through, but definitely a groove. I have > exactly 2 inches of movement half-way between sprockets (while up on the > jackstand) so I think the tension is right. I just greased the entire > swingarm and the bearings are fine, no slop anywhere. I've got 10,000 miles > on the original chain and its just fine, as are the sprockets. "Am I doing > the measurement correctly, and is this rubbing OK? I"m thinking that this is > why the plastic piece is on there.

Should that be on the jack or resting on the kick stand? Time to check that manual. Other then that it sounds like you are doing it right unless you have lowering links. They change the geometry and change the way you need to check the tension. -- Doug Herr doug@...

[scarysharkface]

It's entirely possible I'm entirely wrong, but I thought you were supposed to adjust the chain tension with a rider (or equivalent weight) on the bike. John

[Mike Peplinski]

OK, you made me look in the damn manual. The Kawa book says to measure with the bike on its side stand, so I'm doing it wrong. Mine is fully suspended. However, by placing it on the side stand I'll have to loosen it more, which will cause it to drag on the top guide even more. This just doesn't seem right, but maybe it is. Regarding the weighted method you mention, I read somewhere that you can also fully compress the suspension and measure sag but I don't remember the amount of sag. Its substantially less than 2 inches.

>From: "scarysharkface" >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Chain tension >Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2006 15:26:28 -0000 > >It's entirely possible I'm entirely wrong, but I thought you were >supposed to adjust the chain tension with a rider (or equivalent >weight) on the bike. > >John > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > >

[Arden Kysely]

The rule of thumb for KLR chain adjustment is to have enough slack on the bottom run that you can push the chain up to just touch the swingarm. The slop you're worrying about on top is normal and goes away quickly when you apply power. The grooves are also normal as the chain bounces around quite a bit during normal operation. Ride next to a buddy sometime on a rough road and watch his chain. Replace the top plastic guard when you can see metal in the grooves. __Arden --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Peplinski" wrote:

> > I recently removed and cleaned my chain. I'm adjusting the tension

and have

> a "Q". I've read that the chain should just touch the chaini guide,

that

> plastic strip on the top of the swingarm. Mine rubs it pretty

firmly. Its

> got a nice groove worn into it. Not through, but definitely a

groove. I have

> exactly 2 inches of movement half-way between sprockets (while up

on the

> jackstand) so I think the tension is right. I just greased the

entire

> swingarm and the bearings are fine, no slop anywhere. I've got

10,000 miles

> on the original chain and its just fine, as are the sprockets. "Am

I doing

> the measurement correctly, and is this rubbing OK? I"m thinking

that this is

> why the plastic piece is on there. >

[Bogdan Swider]

> The rule of thumb for KLR chain adjustment is to have enough slack on > the bottom run that you can push the chain up to just touch the > swingarm.

That's right, Arden. Also..in my experience it doesn't matter enough to count it the bike is loaded or unloaded if you err on the loose side. There's enough tolerance in the system. Bogdan, who these days avoids getting too loose.

[Jeff Saline]

Mike, When the chain is under tension like acceleration... theoretically the top portion will be tight and the bottom will be loose. In practice the chain tension fluctuates. I think all KLRs have a bit of grooving on the top rubber. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT On Wed, 01 Mar 2006 09:37:00 -0600 "Mike Peplinski" writes:

> OK, you made me look in the damn manual. The Kawa book says to > measure with > the bike on its side stand, so I'm doing it wrong. Mine is fully > suspended. > However, by placing it on the side stand I'll have to loosen it > more, which > will cause it to drag on the top guide even more. This just doesn't > seem > right, but maybe it is. Regarding the weighted method you mention, I > read > somewhere that you can also fully compress the suspension and > measure sag > but I don't remember the amount of sag. Its substantially less than > 2 > inches. > > > >From: "scarysharkface" > >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Chain tension > >Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2006 15:26:28 -0000 > > > >It's entirely possible I'm entirely wrong, but I thought you were > >supposed to adjust the chain tension with a rider (or equivalent > >weight) on the bike. > > > >John > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: > >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Archive Quicksearch at: > http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > >