Primary Chain Adjustment
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Joined: Sep 2010
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Primary Chain Adjustment
I have searched these threads over the last few days and cant find anything on this. I have not needed to adjust my primary chain before but now I think it is a little loose and when I checked it my book says that its allowance should be 3/8 - 1/2 inch with the bike cold. The silly part of this is does HD mean from the bottom of the chain or the top? because the variance is different because of the chain width. If I measure from the top of the chain it seems to be in spec, but from the bottom of the chain I can move it up around 1 inch. I have an 89 sports Delux so I dont have the new adjustment style its just the old adjustment beside the clutch.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Johnson City, TN
If there is a load on the drivetrain then it is quite possible.
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Not pulling your leg, lol. I know it sounds nutty. I didnt get a chance to lift the rear tire up as indicated so I will try that. But HotLap brought up a good point there, is the single link suppose to move up and down with an over all variance of 3/8 to 1/2 inch? because then i suspect my chain is loose and that probably explains some of the jerky-ness slowing down with the throttle closed at low speeds.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Marana, Arizona
I think he's asking if the chain is measured, first by pushing chain down until taught, then pressing the chain up, measuring the total distance of play, observed from the inspection cover. The manual doesn't specify if you do it this way or if you just lift the chain and measure the play from the chain's resting position and pressing up until taught. I have wondered about this too. I measured the total distance of play from pressing the chain down to pressing the chain up. I figured this was the right way but it's only a guess.
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Joined: Sep 2010
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Thanks, That is exactlly what i was looking for and my service manual didnt say anything about it. So, all i have to do now is lift the rear tire and check it again. But I suspect that I am getting to much play in the chain.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 147
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From: USA
A lot of people have had minor problems adjusting the chain using HD specs, some say it's too loose, and others have said it's too tight. Personally (and my method might be shunned) I use the "whine" technique. I start the bike in neutral and tighten the chain until I can hear it whine, indicating that it's too tight. I back it off until the whine stops (occasionally revving the motor to make sure it's no longer whining) and then another 1/4 turn and call it good. That always does the trick.
On another note, how often does everyone have to tighten their primary chain? Every few thousand? Does riding it hard mean more frequent adjustments?
