Primary chain tension?
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 565
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From: Palmyra Missouri
Primary chain tension?
Primary chain when I first start in morning or just cold in general sounds and is loose, makes alot of noise, but after it warms up it is ok, Indy said was normal but just check'n with you guys and your thoughts on this, I did put an SE compensator in bout 10,000 miles ago...
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
Ah! Perhaps not, but it might be worth checking chain tension, just in case something in there is not right.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: New England
On a cold bike, I open the derby cover and take a look at the top section of the chain. Usually I find more slack then is recommended.
Sometimes I can push the tensioner to take up slack and other times I have to remove the primary cover to access it.
FWIW, I have a Hayden tensioner on order and will replace the stock one with it. Maybe that will help and maybe not
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 565
Likes: 2
From: Palmyra Missouri
Thanks guy's, All replies makes since, Like I said it does tighten back up when it gets going down road but sounds like it is backing off when it sits, I'll keep an ear on it (it does not whine, gets quite after it tightens up) or might even check on the Hayden tensioner...BTW would rolling it foward and backwards cause this cuz I do push it in the shed and pull it back out without engine running prolly 20 ft. or so...
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 609
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From: Mount Airy, MD
The stock chain tensioner, IMHO, isn't a tensioner, it's a tightener and it has the ability to get too tight.
I replaced my stocker when I did the SE Compensator because the tightener shoe already showed excessive wear at 9K miles. More evidence that it is truly a tightener than a tensioner.
I haven't been in there since 9k but I'm at 19,500 miles so when it's time for my 20k service I will replacing it with the Hayden unit which I already have.
I have to say since replacing the stocker at 9k, all has been quiet in the primary but I over fill mine with Formula+ intentionally to keep the tightener shoe below the primary oil. I put in about 6oz. extra Formula+ which brings the oil level over the shoe and about half way up the side of the chain where it sits on the shoe. Doing this has greatly reduced the noise coming out of the primary and it has had no side effects after 10k of hard cross country riding.
I would probably have gone with the Baker route if the bike had a Primary Inspection cover but it doesn't and I am not going to take the primary cover off every 5k to see what's going on.
Hayden says their unit needs to be checked every 20k to see if it's still proper adjusted. I figure I'll check it every 15k.
I replaced my stocker when I did the SE Compensator because the tightener shoe already showed excessive wear at 9K miles. More evidence that it is truly a tightener than a tensioner.
I haven't been in there since 9k but I'm at 19,500 miles so when it's time for my 20k service I will replacing it with the Hayden unit which I already have.
I have to say since replacing the stocker at 9k, all has been quiet in the primary but I over fill mine with Formula+ intentionally to keep the tightener shoe below the primary oil. I put in about 6oz. extra Formula+ which brings the oil level over the shoe and about half way up the side of the chain where it sits on the shoe. Doing this has greatly reduced the noise coming out of the primary and it has had no side effects after 10k of hard cross country riding.
I would probably have gone with the Baker route if the bike had a Primary Inspection cover but it doesn't and I am not going to take the primary cover off every 5k to see what's going on.
Hayden says their unit needs to be checked every 20k to see if it's still proper adjusted. I figure I'll check it every 15k.
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 565
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From: Palmyra Missouri
Yeah I to changed the comp at 7,000 and tensioner shoe looked good still, I also put in 6oz more oil cuz I sanded the burm out to get old comp out and new in without removing inner primary, and if I don't comp makes noises going down road, But once chain gets tight everything is quite, now to the original ? about indy saying it won't hurt nuthn and at least chain ain't gettn too tight to take seals and bearings out is he right by saying that as long as chain does retighten everytime it's not going to hurt anything??
BTW where did you guy's get your Hayden tightners?
BTW where did you guy's get your Hayden tightners?
Last edited by Reaper22; Aug 16, 2012 at 10:50 AM.
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From: New England
The other is, as the chain begins to stretch, it stretches both in length and side-to-side. Most are quite surprised at the amount of side-to-side slack in a chain. And that too can cause some ugly things to happen especially if the sprockets are not well aligned.
I ordered mine directly from Hayden...should get it next week.