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Chain Noise

J

JMHJ

Forum Mentor
Super Site Supporter
Prob not something specific to my "other" bike, but. '97 ZX-11 - I've recently noticed a light "bumping" sound that seems associated with the chain when I roll the bike slowly or turn the rear wheel slowly on the center stand. It's definitely something new.

Tension seems fine, adjustment marks on both sides look the same, and I don't see anything obviously wrong with the sprocket or chain.

I think it's coming from the rear, and I was even wondering about wheel bearings maybe. I can see the chain give a little jolt every time I hear the sound though.

If I spin the wheel faster I don't hear it and it sounds "normal", unless I'm missing something subtle, to me at least. It's quite frequent if I spin it slowly though, like every few links.

My method of oiling it has just been 30W engine oil on an old sock, for what that's worth; on all surfaces of it, but not heavy.

I haven't taken the chain guard off yet, or accessed the front sprocket.
 
i am assuming it has a center stand. Take off the chain guard and sprocket cover and eyeball down the top of the chain. Should be dead straight from sprocket to sprocket. Roll tie and watch chain isnt shifting to a side as it rolls over the sprockets.. side hitting on the sprockets.
Next roll the tire and FEEL for the spot theres a catch. And repeat at both sprockets.. MARK the link that seems to bind so you can keep track of it. Ten watch the chain as the suspect link just begins to mesh with a tooth. See if it raises up a bit then falls into the sprocket notch. Im suspecting a stretched chain and or worn sprocket just enough to throw off the meshing. That or a frozen link in the chain.
Its my belief that chain and sprockets should all be changed together to assure good meshing of sprockets and chain. While tires off the ground try moving it side to side and up and down to detect if the bearings may be bad. Also slowly roll it and listen to the hub for noises.
 
Thanks for the reply, Chuck. It's more or less continuous (but pretty mild as I listen to it this morning), if I turn the rear wheel at a rate of say 6" a second or so. Bop-ba-dop, bump-du-dump, bop. Like that (lol).

Rear wheel seems pretty solid.

I noticed it a week or few ago and felt both sides of the axle and that, to see if anything was warm, but it wasn't. Heard it pushing the bike into the garage yesterday, and thought, I probably should park this 'til I find out and fix it...

I don't think the sprockets and chain had all that much time on them when I got the bike 2 1/2 years ago. The father and then son for a few years that had it took REAL good care of it, so I'm pretty sure they were done together and quality stuff. I've put 10k + on it since then.

I might be making it sound worse than it is; it isn't as distinct this morning as it was the couple of times I've noticed it, and when I was looking at it last night. Maybe being completely cold has something do with that.

I'll investigate further, and post the findings when I have them.
 
You said "I can see the chain give a little jolt every time I hear the sound". If you can count the # of links between the jolts, If appx 13, I'd look at and around the front sprocket. If appx 38 links I'd look around the rear sprocket. If appx. 106 links I'd be looking for a tight link in the chain... Maybe, maybe not.
 
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