Chain just broke

[Guest]

That sucks, but I'm glad you're ok. A guy I know had a clip type master link come apart in the Holland tunnel. Talk about excitement......Regarding the chain- my first GS came to me with an el cheapo non o ring chain. I had to adjust it weekly. It pays to get a good chain.

I've always had my reservations about (clip) master links. Which is why I've never had one. I get the best chain I can afford and peen it (rivet type) over myself.

 

[tkent02]

Not if it breaks first. Too tight is especilly bad with worn sprockets. The tooth shape will never be repaired, nor the link spacing. It will wear fast and it will soon break. A normal person could use a used chain temporary, keep it loose, take it easy and keep an eye on it. Not this guy.

 

[Steve]

You're the most negative guy on here. But...I have learned something from you ...

No, he is actually quite FAR from "negative". :-k

He can be described as "brutally honest".

You may have learned something from him, hopefully it was something about adjusting chain tension. :-\\\



Now, you want to learn a little bit more?

Chains don't stretch.

There is nothing in the metal that allows it to stretch, and there is not enough power in our bike engines to cause any stretch. The reason adjustment becomes necessary is because excess tension will wear out the holes around the pins. Where does this excess tension come from? A mis-adjusted chain.

There are three points of interest regarding proper chain adjustment: 1. The transmission output shaft (the front sprocket). 2. The swingarm pivot. 3. The rear axle. Simple trigonometry will tell you that the distance from the output shaft to the rear axle is greatest when the three are in a straight line. If you adjust your chain tension to your snug preferences when the three are NOT in a line, tension will increase considerably when you sit on the bike and line up the three points. This just might be why your chain failed.

To find the ideal amount of slack for your chain, find a way to line up the three points. Use a ratchet strap around the top of the bike and through the wheel to pull it up or you can make it easier by removing the shocks and put some blocks under the wheel to raise it to the proper height. Now you can adjust your chain to your snug preferences, knowing that this is the tightest it will ever be. Put the bike back to "normal". Put the shocks back on, release the ratchet straps, whatever. Put it on the centerstand, if it's not there already, and measure your slack. Use THAT as your proper amount of slack.

.

 

[Nessism]

 

[posplayr]

Now, for the technical opinions. Chef is sending me a 96-link 630 chain (I know, I should go 530). Being that the one I just left on the side of the road was a 96-link 630, I was thinking I could install the replacement without removing the foot peg, shift linkage and front sprocket cover.

Thoughts?

I know everybody has been recommending to not go to dealer to have work done, but that was not to avoid doing maintenance and also not to suggest using USED replacements on high criticality parts.

 

[Rob S.]

Remember when your mom wouldn't let you have that tricyle whe you were eleven?

She knew. Quit while you're ahead.

Spell check, dude. Or at least "Preview Post".

My chain and sprockets came with this used motorcycle six months ago. So, yeah, I guess you could say the chain was used. The sprockets were not mismatched, but you always assume the negative.

Why don't we call it even and we both quit?

 

[Rob S.]

Fixed .

Are there any rules here against misquoting somebody? That is, making up a statement and posting it as a "Quote"?

Because that is what tkent02 has just done.

 

[Rob S.]

Yeah, I know I'm arrogant and negative.

You like being misquoted?

BTW, I'm not the only one who feels this way about you.

Now, I apologize for everything negative I've said about you.

Can we let it drop and be friends, or will you answer with another snide comment?

 

[tkent02]

Ok .

 

[GSXR7ED]

630 Chain

630 Chain

Thanks for this...

As for OP, glad you're okay.

Back to the chain...I just received a 630 from MrBill. We couldn't get my "T's" front sprocket hub nut loosened and my 630 was in terrible shape so he offered me his relatively new 630 chain (that was't going back on his bike).

Anyway, I heard mention of this link ring and remembered Bill said the open part of the link should be pointed towards the rear tire as it may come off if put in the wrong direction.

Thanks to Bill, I now know how to adjust my chain accordingly (based on the graph too)



Ed

 

[Rob S.]

Hey Rob...will you post a pic of the position of the rear wheel in the swing arm? Looking at the adjusters in your photo, chain was toast a few inches ago.

Twelve lines on the adjusters, first towards the front of the bike, twelfth towards the rear. Both adjusters are on #9.

You passed the eye test.

 

[GSX1000E]

Glad to hear that you did not get killed. Chains do not like to be stretched beyond their limits for extended periods of time before they break. Try for some slack with the next one.

 

[Rob S.]

When I bought it, there was so much slack I heard this loud clanking from the left rear. Look what that hulking 630 did to my beautiful swing arm.

 

[Rob S.]

Of the 12 marks on the adjusters, at which one would you say the chain is toast?

 

[dorkburger]

Rob,

Since everyone else has beaten you up about your chain, I'll just chip in and advise you to obtain some roadside assistance coverage

I can get a free tow (actually a flatbed ride) here with a AAA Plus membership, up to 100 miles. You won't always be 3 miles from home. Worth every penny

So true. When my stator cooked 200 miles from home, a guy in our group had AAA. I was towed the full 200 miles after some creative finageling by the towtruck driver.

I've always had my reservations about (clip) master links. Which is why I've never had one. I get the best chain I can afford and peen it (rivet type) over myself.

In all my years of street and offroad riding, Iive never lost a clip type masterlink.....I do carry a spare though.

 

[Guest]

Inall my riding years I have never broke a 630 chain, i have however broke 530's and 525's a few 520's.All I can say is that 630 must have been pretty trashed and had to be noisey. And I believe that the chain is in the replace zone of your marks about# 7. They also have a little replace sticker on the side of the adjuster itself

 

[Steve]

Of the 12 marks on the adjusters, at which one would you say the chain is toast?

That would depend on where it was when it was NEW.

It has been over 35 years since I have had the "pleasure" of riding a chain-driven bike and had to deal with chain maintenance, so I don't know how much they "stretch" during their life. Besides, everyone is saying how much better chains are nowadays and how little maintenance they really need, so whatever I remember about it has probably changed.

.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

I drag raced a GPz 750 Turbo and an FZ1 for years and never had a chain break. Proper maintenance, attention to detail, replacing things as they wear past tolerances, it all adds up to being able to rely on your bike.

 

[Guest]

Other times they lock up until you get sideways, then let go for the biggest highside you can ever imagine.

See Barry Sheene, Daytona, 1975.

 

[tkent02]

An hour spent reading about chains, why and how they wear, why and how they fail, and what happens when they do will save you some grief in the future. You got lucky, your wheel stayed free to turn. Just like pulling in the clutch, you roll to a stop. Sometimes the chain jams against the case and your engine is ruined. Often they jam, lock up the wheel and your rear wheel skids until you stop moving. Other times they lock up until you get sideways, then let go for the biggest highside you can imagine. This is the one that kills more riders than any other mechanical malfunction. Don't push your luck on old chains. Don't mismatch them. Two new sprockets and a quality new chain, all at the same time. If you can't afford all three, don't get a motorcycle. Don't ignore it when they make noise or need too many adjustments. Lube it once in a while if you wish, all that effects is replacement intervals, but when it's done it's done. Replace the whole set. With modern chains it's very easy to do it right, they really should last a long long time between adjustments, getting 30,000 miles on a chain is common, without even pushing it on the far end.

Check chain wear by how well the chain fits the sprockets, and how symetrically the sprockets wear, the tight - loose - tight as the wheel goes around. If you can pull the chain away from the sprocket at the back, halfway around the rear sprocket, it's wearing. They wear faster and faster as the pin to pin distance of the chain (which increases with wear) no longer matches the tooth to tooth distance of the sprockets (which decreases with wear). Once this happens the engine forces are hitting one tooth at a time as each link comes off the rear sprocket, or as it goes on the front sprocket, instead of pulling evenly on all of the teeth in contact with the sprocket. Much more stress on any given point on the chain as it goes around, much more stress on each tooth in turn. At this point the wear drastically increases, it's time to start thinking about the next chain and sprockets. Then as the forces hit the teeth one at a time, the sprocket teeth bend over into hooks, the holes or valleys between teeth get out of round. This is when the tight loose tight thing gets going, adjustment becomes difficult, chain noise starts to get noticeable.
After that it's a fool's mission to run them any longer. You could perhaps get more miles with constant adjustment, but it can also break at any time.

Above all, don't run them too tight. Too tight puts literally tons of additional force on the chain, many times the normal load the chain was designed for, allows the chain to break at any time with no warning, or ruin a countershaft bearing or wheel bearing, as they are not designed for this additional stress.