690 Enduro Forum
Technical => General Maintenance => Topic started by: GSP on June 12, 2014, 08:49:37 am
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How tight do you run your chain? The specification seems very tight to me.
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I have mine about 3/4 inch to the slide guard. The manual says 1.8 inches, but that didn't look right to me. I have yet to talk to a KTM expert about it.
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it says 0.2", very tight
http://www.ktm.com/uploads/tx_ktmproduct/techdocs/14_3213101_en_OM.pdf
(http://www.finitesite.com/partong/chain.jpg)
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I run mine fairly tight. The older the chain the quicker it starts slopping around. If I went back to more offroad riding I'd probably loosen it. But as for now doing the whole street thing predominantly, I'll stay with a tight chain.
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Here's my $.02
Ideally what you want to do is check the tension with the counter-shaft, swing-arm pivot bolt and axle in syzygy (i.e. a straight line). In this position you should have a small amount of play 1/2" or so. This will be the point at which your chain will be the tightest. This is the point that a tight chain will cause problems.
When I was changing the spring on my rear KLR shock I lined up the swing-arm while I had the shock out. I then adjusted the chain to the tension I was ok with. After putting the bike back together and setting the sag I then checked the chain tension on the side stand as per the manual. It was definitely looser than recommended.
I'm not saying this will be the case with the 690 but until someone checks it at syzygy I will be running mine a bit loose. I have a few parts coming in this week so if it doesn't look to hard I'll do it and let you guys know how it turns out.
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Hi Guys,
It's always interesting deciphering European manuals, isn't it? My 2 cents, at 30 mm back from underside chain guard, push chain up and it should almost touch (.2"?) the swing arm. On a new chain, it's less important to rotate the rear wheel and check multiple locations, but you might as well develop good habits from the start.
My issue is that the factory chain has no master link. That's got to be changed.
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Aloha 690 Enduro Forum, this is my first post here:
I've got a fairly new Husky 701E and now after lowering it with a Koubalink(-1.25"), chopping the sidestand(-2.5") and setting up a heavier shock spring(110) Of course, now I need to tension the chain. I too, thought the factory spec. (.20") was very, very tight. I think that they could only be imagining a bike in a pristine showroom, delivery state. The assumption that your counter balancer, swingarm and rear axle will be in alignment whilst the bike sits on its sidestand could only be accurate on a new, unmodified bike. Any changes to preload,tires, sidestand, spring or cargo would throw their basic assumptions out the window.
- The danger in operating your bike with too much tension is that you destroy the chain, sprockets and the counter balancer bearings...perhaps more. The cost to repair this would be $500-$5000.
The danger in operating your chain too loose, assuming not ridiculously loose, is that you prematurely wear out some plastic guards that were meant to be worn out. Cost $30-$100
I intend to reestablish the correct tension as follows. Assuming that KTM's idea behind the .20" slack was that the balancer, swing arm and axle would all be in a direct line; I will use a ratchet strap and make crank it until those elements are directly aligned. Then I'll adjust the chain as directed by the manual. After that I'll release the strap resting on the side stand and I'll measure the chain deflection at the prescribed point with my caliper. This new number will become my setting for my bike as it is actually modified, equipped and adjusted.
I am new in here and I would like to hear what you old timers think about this logic. Mahalo
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Pasomonte, check out the Youtube channel for Slavens Racing. He has a good video on chain tension. If you are going to change your shock spring, you can take care of both at the same time.
Drew
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:D :D