Replaced clutch cable, now chain / sprocket noise

[scott]

My clutch cable broke this weekend and I replaced it (I think successfully). I have only ridden it the 5 minutes home after replacing the cable on the side of the road. Today, I was pushing it around in the garage (engine off) and noticed a noise coming from the left side of the bike, near the front sprocket area. I took the sprocket cover off and rotated the rear wheel - it seems like the noise is coming from the front sprocket or maybe behind it. Not sure if it will show anything useful but I took a pic of the front sprocket:

Is this related to my clutch cable change? It seems like too much of a coincidence that it developed a new noise right where I was just working.

I quickly checked the chain slack and it seemed to be within the 20-30mm spec.

 

[tom203]

Side of the road repairs-with spare clutch cable- I'm impressed! Is this bike idling better, or have you just surrendered to its ways? Anyways, is this chain noise a continuous clicking or just in one area of chain?

 

[john82q]

Clean and a lube woud hurt!

 

[scott]

Side of the road repairs-with spare clutch cable- I'm impressed! Is this bike idling better, or have you just surrendered to its ways?

I don't think the "stalling at idle when hot" issue has been completely solved. The carb re-cleaning and re-synch helped. Keeping the idle set higher than normal 1400-1500 seems to help as well. The fact that it hasn't been extremely hot lately probably has something to do with it too. I decided it was working well enough to make the drive to get new tires mounted but since then the bike's had other issues ...

Anyways, is this chain noise a continuous clicking or just in one area of chain?

It seems pretty continuous. I made a video to try to show what it's doing. It's not a really loud noise but it wasn't doing that before - it may be a rattle more than a click ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzpShdYdfXw

Clean and a lube woud hurt!

I have been lubing it but I guess it could use a cleaning. It does look pretty nasty, especially in the close up.

 

[Guest]

Is that rust on the chain?

 

[scott]

Is that rust on the chain?

It does kind of look like it. I cleaned off a link and it doesn't seem like it's rusted after cleaning though.

The sprocket, on the other hand, does look rusted.

 

[hampshirehog]

I watched the video. Your chain needs a bloody good clean and lube plus it looks as if it's too tight. It's just the chain clicking that's making the noise.

 

[tom203]

I watched the video. Your chain needs a bloody good clean and lube plus it looks as if it's too tight. It's just the chain clicking that's making the noise.

My computer doesn't like youtube, but it looks like some of my old dirt bike chains with my youthful benign neglect.

Scott said... "but since then the bike's had other issues ". Like what?

 

[scott]

I watched the video. Your chain needs a bloody good clean and lube plus it looks as if it's too tight.

I'll work on cleaning the chain and rechecking the slack.

It's just the chain clicking that's making the noise.

There's a lower pitched rattle/noise than the regular chain click. It wasn't doing that before. It may not be clear in the video.

My computer doesn't like youtube, but it looks like some of my old dirt bike chains with my youthful benign neglect.

Yeah - seeing it next to a clean link really shows how dirty it is.

Scott said... "but since then the bike's had other issues ". Like what?

I have another thread about problems with the tire mounting.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=180383
Summary: It turns out the shop did a poor job and didn't put the front tire back on correctly. It wasn't aligned correctly, was missing bolts and the speedometer mechanism wasn't straight causing the speedometer cable to snap on the way home.

 

[tom203]

I'll work on cleaning the chain and rechecking the slack.


There's a lower pitched rattle/noise than the regular chain click. It wasn't doing that before. It may not be clear in the video.


Yeah - seeing it next to a clean link really shows how dirty it is.


I have another thread about problems with the tire mounting.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=180383
Summary: It turns out the shop did a poor job and didn't put the front tire back on correctly. It wasn't aligned correctly, was missing bolts and the speedometer mechanism wasn't straight causing the speedometer cable to snap on the way home.

Wow, that's quite a tire saga! very sloppy, careless work. definitely give them your pics of their handiwork, so maybe they don't kill someone, if they haven't already. When you get time, take nessism's advice and flush front brake lines and replace pads. I have a spare speedo drive if you find yours is damaged.

 

[scott]

Well I cleaned up the chain but that hasn't made any difference with the noise.

I've read about clutch rattle, could that be what I'm hearing? The noise seems to be on the left side of the bike though and it's happening with the engine off, in neutral.

Could the jolt of the clutch cable breaking or me downshifting with the broken clutch cable have caused a problem? Did I bend something in the transmission?

Or should I just try riding the bike with this noise? Maybe things will rattle back into place and it will stop.

 

[tom203]

"Or should I just try riding the bike with this noise? Maybe things will rattle back into place and it will stop. "

I often use this technique, but it has poor rate of success! Maybe your old clutch cable was too tight and masked this rattle .

 

[scott]

"Or should I just try riding the bike with this noise? Maybe things will rattle back into place and it will stop. "

I often use this technique, but it has poor rate of success! Maybe your old clutch cable was too tight and masked this rattle .

I took it for a ride - it didn't explode or anything. Maybe I'm just being paranoid about that noise.

The new clutch cable does feel a lot lighter / easier to pull than the old one so maybe you're right about the old clutch cable being too tight. It also seems to engage later - in other words, I have to let out the clutch lever further before it starts moving. I'm not sure I like that but I'll get used to it.

I still have a noise from the rear when I go over bumps but I'll have to look into that more closely. My fear is that it's related to the rear tire mounting (they messed up the front, no reason to assume they didn't mess up the rear). I forget exactly what the shop guy said but it was something about it taking longer than he expected because he had to remove something to get the rear wheel off. If I find anything I'll put that in my tire mounting issue thread.

 

[tom203]

Can't you just adjust play of clutch at lever so it starts grabbing earlier? Rear tire noise with bumps.... yeah, i'd be concerned about those tire idiots too. Obviously, check tightness of all stuff, especially shock mounts and gear.

 

[scott]

Can't you just adjust play of clutch at lever so it starts grabbing earlier?

I was thinking that reducing the amount of play at the lever would cause the clutch to grab earlier. I have the free play fairly low now (around 2.25mm I think) so I don't think I can make it much tighter. I'll double-check that though.

 

[TheCafeKid]

Jeez man.

This is gonna sound like I'm busting your balls a bit maybe but I only say it because I don't want to see another GS brother hurt.

One, that sprocket is trash. And because of that so is the rear sprocket and the chain. Pitch it and get a new set (you can get a 530 sprocket set and chain from Z1 for around $150 shipped last I bought one)
Two, if those shop idiots couldnt install your front tire correctly, chances are better than good that they didn't do the rear right either.
This can cause mis-alignment of your chain, and will ruin a sprocket set and chain pretty quick. Again, pitch it all and buy a new set-up. A thrown chain can cause a lot of trouble, the least of which is being stuck on the side of the road.

Three: proper chain care requires that you clean and lube the chain every 400-600 miles. If you ride much, that's basically two or three times a month at least. And you need to learn how to align your chain correctly. Failure to do so, as I said, will make trash out of the whole lot in short order. There are lots of threads on the subject, and all over the web. Do a search.
Use wd40 or kerosene to clean the chain, and a proper wax/grease made for chains to lube it.

Lastly, quit taking your bike to a bloody shop. Those ass hats are going to get you killed!

 

[tom203]

I was thinking that reducing the amount of play at the lever would cause the clutch to grab earlier. I have the free play fairly low now (around 2.25mm I think) so I don't think I can make it much tighter. I'll double-check that though.

I misread your freeplay- my setup is different at clutch end- but there must be some adjustment at clutch end to effect engagenent point. Heed theCafeKid's advice regarding chain/ sprocket- you can get away with some sad looking parts on dirt bikes (and I did), but 70 mph on street is more demanding.

 

[scott]

Jeez man.

This is gonna sound like I'm busting your balls a bit maybe but I only say it because I don't want to see another GS brother hurt.

One, that sprocket is trash. And because of that so is the rear sprocket and the chain. Pitch it and get a new set (you can get a 530 sprocket set and chain from Z1 for around $150 shipped last I bought one)
Two, if those shop idiots couldnt install your front tire correctly, chances are better than good that they didn't do the rear right either.
This can cause mis-alignment of your chain, and will ruin a sprocket set and chain pretty quick. Again, pitch it all and buy a new set-up. A thrown chain can cause a lot of trouble, the least of which is being stuck on the side of the road.

Three: proper chain care requires that you clean and lube the chain every 400-600 miles. If you ride much, that's basically two or three times a month at least. And you need to learn how to align your chain correctly. Failure to do so, as I said, will make trash out of the whole lot in short order. There are lots of threads on the subject, and all over the web. Do a search.
Use wd40 or kerosene to clean the chain, and a proper wax/grease made for chains to lube it.

Lastly, quit taking your bike to a bloody shop. Those ass hats are going to get you killed!

Ha - I appreciate the advice - if it seems like I don't know any better, I probably don't. I thought the front sprocket looked pretty bad but I wasn't sure where to put it on the priority list - it sounds like at the top with the brake overhaul. Is this in the severity level of "don't ride the bike until addressed"?

I misread your freeplay- my setup is different at clutch end- but there must be some adjustment at clutch end to effect engagenent point.

On my bike there's 3 adjustments - at the lever, at the sprocket cover and a helix screw under a small cover on the sprocket cover. I guess it may be the helix screw adjustment I need to look at - instructions say "screw in until resistance is felt, then back out 1/4 - 1/2 turn". I'm not sure whether turned in more or less would result in an earlier engagement point but I would assume turned in more.

 

[Guest]

Actually the teeth on that sprocket look pretty good. It's the rust that got my attention.
Josh brought up a good point about alignment. Make sure the marks on the swingarm match on both sides.

 

[TheCafeKid]

Actually the teeth on that sprocket look pretty good. It's the rust that got my attention.
Josh brought up a good point about alignment. Make sure the marks on the swingarm match on both sides.

Yeah I'll agree from thy pic the teeth don't look bad, but keep in mind that the traditional "shark" tooth look isn't the only sign of a bad sprocket. Often, especially when they've been mis-aligned, you'll get a high, hooked or twisted tooth or teeth. Plus, rust, dirt, grime etc, left on the chain and sprockets act as tiny little files. They get between the links, between the peens on the chain and work back and forth, wearing on both the chain and sprockets. Links get stiff, loose, bind... It's just a whole lotta not good for it. With the amount of rust you have going on there, I'd seriously look into replacement. That's not to say you can't ride it till then, clean it all up and see what it feels like. (after a good cleaning and lube, and after assurig the alignment is correct, spin the back wheel slowly, and feel with your hand on the wheel if there are any spots where it doesn't feel smooth... If so, I'd reconsider riding it at all. I had a chain fall apart in my hand after riding on a bad one thinking I could get some more miles out of it. I was very lucky). Replaced, and properly maintained, you should get easily 10-15000 miles out of a modern Oring chain and sprockets. But you gotta keep it clean brutha.