Chain Troubles

Rob Thigpen · October 21, 2011

My chain has about 4 or 5 of these "knots" in the chain and they make the engine feel like there's no bolt in the front motor mount and "bumps" But I have replaced all of the bolts connecting the engine to the frame and I have dwindled the possibilities down to this. I have tried bending it straight but It just goes back. I was wondering if there is a way to fix it or if i need to get a new chain ? Thanks.

MNkayaker · October 21, 2011

Best thing would replace the chain and sprockets. If that is not possible flex the chain sideways back and forth a few times and it will loosen up. And get some good chain lube on there.

Rob Thigpen · October 21, 2011

The sprockets should be fine I just replaced both of them about 3 weeks ago and Haven't really ridden hard on them but I try the other thing said, Thanks.

BDubb106 · October 21, 2011

Just replace the chain... if its fubared at all theres no sense in ruining your new sprockets for the price of a chain.

Rob Thigpen · October 21, 2011

I just WD-40'd the crap out of it and set it up on a milk crate and let in run in neutral and whenever I saw a knot i just straightened it out and put more wd-40 on and now it runs like new ? :worthy:

Rob Thigpen · October 21, 2011

The chain had a lot of coal dust stuck in there (I ride in pottsville a lot) so the lube did the trick Just had to loosen it up, oh yeah the chain was new also.

MNkayaker · October 21, 2011

WD-40 is not chain lube! Get a good chain lube on it, Lucas, bel-ray whatever, just no WD-40.

BDubb106 · October 21, 2011

WD-40 is not chain lube! Get a good chain lube on it, Lucas, bel-ray whatever, just no WD-40.

Correct... WD-40 will just evaporate. It does a good job at cleaning the chain temporarily up but will do nothing to lube it long term. Just go to the dealer and pick up whatever chain lube they have in stock. I try to stay away from the chain "wax" as it is too messy and gets everywhere no matter how well you try to clean off the excess before you ride it.

EDIT: FWIW, after each ride I spray my chain down with WD-40 and scrub it top and bottom with an old tooth brush to clean it, then give it a good coat of lube, followed by a wipe down with a towel to get rid of the excess. Which Ive noticed since I have started doing this to my chain it has really increased longevity.

Rob Thigpen · October 21, 2011

I like the tooth brush idea ? Ill go pick up some chain lube today.

Mark6299 · October 21, 2011

I bought an x-chain in the spring. As long as I keep it loose it does not seam to wear or stretch or add wear to the sprockets. I heard several times people not lubing at all. Don't forget that lube picks up dirt. I don't really think that picking up dirt is very good for wear. WD-40 is basically a water displacer. I think it serves a purpose in the chain cleaning. It gets rid of water. Most people use water when they wash their bikes. Some will say that they will ride their bikes around and generate heat in the chain thus removing the water. Really? It this true? One thing that is true is that water will speed up rust, which I think is harmful to chains. Actually, all I do for my o-ring type chains is to clean them and very lightly lubricate them to keep the rubber from hardening. That's it. I don't even know how many hours my chain received on it this year, but what I do know is that I made ZERO adjustments to it and it is exactly where it was from day one. The sprockets look new as well. I am certain that what destroys chains and sprockets more than the lack of lube is being adjusted too tight. If a chain is too tight, it will stretch to a new pitch the first time you bottom it out. Once that happens the new chain pitch will fight with the sprocket pitch and then you have wear on all three. This will kill a chain sprocket combo very fast. There needs to be some slack in the chain when the centers of the front sprocket, the swing arm pivot and the rear sprocket are all directly in line with each other. The manual will tell you what the correct slack should be based on this theory but most people will not interpret what it means and get it wrong. I am a believer that a looser chain is way better than a tighter chain.

Slackkinhard · October 21, 2011

WD-40 is not chain lube! Get a good chain lube on it, Lucas, bel-ray whatever, just no WD-40.

There's some experience talking.... ?

All the old timers using WD40 for decades are completely wrong.

79yamdt · October 21, 2011

Do a search on here about chain lubes. I would go with a kind that does not get all tacky. I think people were using farm equipment chain lube that does not collect dust so bad. Stay away from silkolene chain lube that stuff is so tacky and collects dust quickly.

BDubb106 · October 21, 2011

There's some experience talking....

All the old timers using WD40 for decades are completely wrong.

No not completely wrong but when you run O-Ring chains... WD-40 will dry out the seals/ o rings in fairly quick time!? On a normal chain I dont see any harm in it.

94cr rider · October 21, 2011

ive used 90wtr gear lube is that ok

BDubb106 · October 21, 2011

ive used 90wtr gear lube is that ok

Should work just fine! Thats what I used for a long time until I could find a chain lube that I actually liked, one that wouldnt get all nasty and make a huge mess.

LittleRedToyota · October 21, 2011

No not completely wrong but when you run O-Ring chains... WD-40 will dry out the seals/ o rings in fairly quick

hasn't for me. same goes for many others.

probably depends on exactly what kind of rubber the o-rings in a particular chain are made of, though.

(only time i put anything on my chain is after washing my bike. i hose it down with WD-40 to displace the water and then take a quick spin to finish drying everything out.)

BDubb106 · October 21, 2011

hasn't for me. same goes for many others.
probably depends on exactly what kind of rubber the o-rings in a particular chain are made of, though.

(only time i put anything on my chain is after washing my bike. i hose it down with WD-40 to displace the water and then take a quick spin to finish drying everything out.)

True, never thought about that... personally dont know anyone else that has tried it other than myself. Ruined two chains because the rubber dried out. Never used it again as lube. I do use it to clean my chains however, I then blow them out with compressed air and apply "lube". Works for me. ?

JJMILLER1 · October 21, 2011

Menards has a great non-sling,unsticky chain lube in their garage door opener aisle. I love the stuff. ?

Rob Thigpen · October 22, 2011

I know what You mean my friend has a raptor 250 and the chain was too tight and from all the wear he broke his frame in 7 different spots including all of the motor mounts except one. I noticed it too haha, he would have had one shitty day if it weren't for me but thankfully he's been with yamaha for a number of years and they dicided to give him a new frame ?

Rob Thigpen · October 22, 2011

hmm gear oil I have A LOT of gear oil haha I thought it was too thick to use on a chain ?

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