Chain noise?

[bwarbiany]

Hey all,
I just removed my rear wheel to get a new tire. Got the tire, replaced the wheel, and now my chain makes a rattling noise... Kinda like canastas, that noise of ball bearings rattling... It seems to have the same sag as before in the chain, but I'm confused as to what I might have done. Is this normal?

Also, when I did put the wheel on, I tightened the chain, but realized there was almost no slack, then loosened back to correct slack. Would this tighten/loosen job cause it?

TIA,
Brad

[linp]

ca·nas·ta n.
A card game for two to six players, related to rummy and requiring two decks of cards.

Mine rattled in the beginning when I changed the tire, and it's fine now. Probably because I didn't align it very accurately. When I had it on the rear stand lubing the chain, it seems fine, no rattles, so I didn't worry.

[Setter32]

Just put on new chains and tyres. My alignment is near perfect............. so I think anyway................ I took her out for a test spin and I'm hearing weird sound from the chains also. It sounds like that "tak tak tak tak" sound a bicycle makes.............know what I mean?..........except alot louder. The sound seems to ease off with time though. Towards the end of the test ride, it was only half as loud as in the begining. Maybe it goes away when the chain is warmed up. Don't know................. I'll find out tomorrow when I take her out for a longer ride.

:D

[bwarbiany]

So far it seems better after a spin to work today... Of course, my little test ride (< 15 mph) around the block Saturday, I didn't have a helmet, so maybe that made me able to hear the sound...

:squid:

Brad

[91Vette]

Thanks to this forum, I now know what the ticking I hear from my bike is (cam belt tensioner).

I have another question. Do you folks get a lot of chain noise? My bike does. The bulk of the noise seems to come from the rear sproket, but the front sproket eminates the sound, too.

I checked my chain slack. It seems fine (not to slack, not too tight). I lubed the chain. That reduced some of the noise, but it's still present.

I should mention that there is only 440 miles on the bike now. Anyway, I know I am probably being paranoid about this, but the bike is new to me and I want to take good care of it.

I appreciate any info/ideas.

Thanks

[91Vette]

Hmmn. My chain is pretty loud, too. I lubed it and the noise is not as bad, but it is still there. I am waiting to see if the noise is still present when I take it in for the 600 mile service.

[Gmoney]

Mines loud to and i notice it has a little drag when i coast. soon im going to get the AFAM #520 conversion kit with the aluminum sprocket. I had one on a old bike and i could tell the difference in the drag between the two chains.

You can lose 5% of your rear wheel horsepower with the stock chain. I want that 5% back. 520 here i come. I just need some more money.

[Burst]

Check two things.... Make ABSOLUTELY sure the chain is not too tight. Check and double check. Not only will this make some noise it will stretch your chain out wayy before it normally would.
Also make sure your rear wheel is straight, if the rear sprocket is binding it could produce some funny sounds. You may try putting the bike up on a rearstand and spinning the wheel. See if you can find the source of the noise.

[bwarbiany]

Yes, check the rear wheel alignment... I need to do this as well... BTW those little marks on the swingarm aren't really accurate... Here's a link to how to check it...

http://www.turborick.com/gsxr1127/whelalin.html

Brad

[iboozer]

Wow....



Am I a retard or did that link not make much sense? It sounds like he's saying tape the middle of the 14 ft string to the middle of the rear tire, pull the two ends forward toward the front tire, and if one side is longer than the other your back wheel isn't straight...

:eek: :confused: :sad:

[Reddog99]

Originally posted by iboozer
Wow.... Am I a retard or did that link not make much sense? It sounds like he's saying tape the middle of the 14 ft string to the middle of the rear tire, pull the two ends forward toward the front tire, and if one side is longer than the other your back wheel isn't straight...
:eek: :confused: :sad:
It makes plenty of sense if you're not a retard. :) You're not supposed to see if one side is longer. You're supposed to see if the front tire looks closer to the string on one side than the other. Read it again, slowly...

But that procedure won't check the chain alignment marks on the swingarm. It's meant to check that the front & rear wheels are tracking in the same line. That is, that one wheel isn't offset sideways from the other.

Pat

[Punkbrad]

Originally posted by Reddog99
It makes plenty of sense if you're not a retard.


Ouch!! easy fella..

but that did make me laugh!!

thanks Pat!

[Vicelike]

Retard , Motard,

It is all greek to me:confused:

[iboozer]

Ah ok I see what it meant now. I'm no genious by any means but compare what he said:

Stoop in front of the front tire and, while pulling each string forward to straighten it, adjust the string to where it just contacts the rear tire's shoulder on the forward section of the rear tire. Turn the front tire until its shoulders are parallel with the string you are pulling to either side of it. You now have a plane projected foward to the front tire on both sides allowing you to measure lateral alignment. Any misalignment is simply the dimensional difference from each string to the front tire shoulder. It's very important that your measurement not be influenced by the string touching anything else, such as mufflers, stands, etc.


With what I like to call english:

"Tape the middle of the string to the middle of the back tire. Pull each side of the string towards the front of the bike so that the strings touches the edges of the back tire, and is parallel to the tire. If the string is not parallel to the body of the bike, turn the front tire to match the angle of the string. This is the angle of your back tire. Grab a wrench and fix it pronto. " ;)

[iboozer]

Ok ok ok...


So I re-read the info at that link again, and now that I can picture what the hell he's talking about I suppose it does make sense.

I think we need a diagram for this! PB? :p

[Danny]

That tatatat sound is telling you your chain is working properly and not all gunked up and/or stiff. It's more prevelant with certain chains, sprockets and lubes. As for alignment, I find measuring from axle to pivot easier and more precise than string method, assuming your frame and fork are straight. Regardless, you'll know if it's way off - bike will favor one side and you'll be doing some nice crossed up wheelies:D

[Reddog99]

This is the angle of your back tire. Grab a wrench and fix it pronto
The angle doesn't enter into it. At least, it shouldn't. The instructions make the assumption that the "angle" of the rear tire is already correct. The instructions are meant to give a somewhat crude method to check the tracking, not wheel angle.

If you want to check that the rear axle is properly located (not at an angle), measure the distance from the swingarm pivot to the axle on each side.

Sorry if I sounded rude in my last post. It was a lame attempt at humor. Besides, you asked for it! :p

Pat