adam valentine
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rolls fine backwards and forwards with clutch in
newbee first build
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adam valentine
Member
- Local time
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- Sep 30, 2010
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chris you may be right i thought i had it fixed but a block down the road bam the chain link thing went flying off so im going to buy a new one break out my lock tight and put both rubber gaskets on the inside and the sprocket against the spokes. is that how you guys have them????
motorpsycho
Active Member
look at the chain and both sprockets from the rear of the bike. Follow the chain line with your eye. the chain should be perfectly straight. If the chian veers to the left or right while making it's way up to the engine sprocket, the chain is out of line.
if this is the case, you can try flipping the rear sprocket around but this depends on which way you have the sprocket on now. one way will move the chain in towards the rear wheel, flipping it the other way will move the chain further away from the rear wheel.
you can take a link out of the chian to shorten it is you can't get it any tighter, but you do not want the chain to be super tight. you meed a little bit of up & down play in the chain.
If you shorten the engine chain you might run into a problem with the pedal chain becoming too loose. this is common and it is difficult to get the pedal chain and the engine chain both tight. this is where 1/2 links come into play, but you have a chain tensioner. you shoudl be able to shorten the engine chain one link and then adjust the tightness with the tensioner. the chain tensioner that comes with the kit is not the best and i have not used one on any of the bikes i've built. getting both chains tight is trial and error, but it can be done with a little patience.
looking at your picture, you seem to have the engine chain way too loose, so i would guess that your chain came off because it's too loose. can you move the rear wheel back to tighten the chain? this is where i'm going to guess that you can't move the rear wheel back anymore because the pedal chain is already tight.
getting both chains tight can and will be frustrating, but it can be done.
you really don't need to put both rubber peices on the inside, one will be fine.
did you get some better bolts, washers, nuts and lockwashers? the ones that come with the kit will break really easy when trying to tighten them.
On one of my bikes, i have the sprocket directly against the spokes on the outside, and one rubber peice on the inside of the spokes. a lot of people have said that doing it this way will cause the spokes to break, but i have been running my bike that way for 2 years, and my spokes are fine. I swapped from a 44 tooth to a 41 tooth rear sprocket this summer, and i had been riding it since august 2008 with the sprocket right against the spokes, when i took the 44 tooth sprocket off, the spokes were fine. I put the 41 tooth back on the exact same way and it's still fine. there are no signs of wear on my spokes at all.
if this is the case, you can try flipping the rear sprocket around but this depends on which way you have the sprocket on now. one way will move the chain in towards the rear wheel, flipping it the other way will move the chain further away from the rear wheel.
you can take a link out of the chian to shorten it is you can't get it any tighter, but you do not want the chain to be super tight. you meed a little bit of up & down play in the chain.
If you shorten the engine chain you might run into a problem with the pedal chain becoming too loose. this is common and it is difficult to get the pedal chain and the engine chain both tight. this is where 1/2 links come into play, but you have a chain tensioner. you shoudl be able to shorten the engine chain one link and then adjust the tightness with the tensioner. the chain tensioner that comes with the kit is not the best and i have not used one on any of the bikes i've built. getting both chains tight is trial and error, but it can be done with a little patience.
looking at your picture, you seem to have the engine chain way too loose, so i would guess that your chain came off because it's too loose. can you move the rear wheel back to tighten the chain? this is where i'm going to guess that you can't move the rear wheel back anymore because the pedal chain is already tight.
getting both chains tight can and will be frustrating, but it can be done.
you really don't need to put both rubber peices on the inside, one will be fine.
did you get some better bolts, washers, nuts and lockwashers? the ones that come with the kit will break really easy when trying to tighten them.
On one of my bikes, i have the sprocket directly against the spokes on the outside, and one rubber peice on the inside of the spokes. a lot of people have said that doing it this way will cause the spokes to break, but i have been running my bike that way for 2 years, and my spokes are fine. I swapped from a 44 tooth to a 41 tooth rear sprocket this summer, and i had been riding it since august 2008 with the sprocket right against the spokes, when i took the 44 tooth sprocket off, the spokes were fine. I put the 41 tooth back on the exact same way and it's still fine. there are no signs of wear on my spokes at all.
Last edited:
adam valentine
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i think i may have it right now but the chain is very tight is that bad? i figured it will loosen as i drive it. tonight when i parked it i leaned it up against a pole locked it up and noticed gas pouring out of the multiple leftover tubes that are coming off the piece of **** unadjustable cns carburetor is this bike ever going to work right? does everyone go through these horrors
gearhead222
Member
Dear Sir-I STRONGLY suggest going with a larger beefier chain, such as those used on BMX bikes. I had problems with stretching with my stock POS chain and ALL problems went away with a bigger and beefier chain! The beefier chains can also run a little looser. HTH-Gearhead
-Gearhead
machiasmort
Active Member
One chain is called 415 and the other 410. I think 410 is the one you want (thicker)?
Trial and error my friend. I'd get rid of the fenders tho, alot of disasters with them!
Trial and error my friend. I'd get rid of the fenders tho, alot of disasters with them!
Hammond Egger
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By the looks of where your tensioner is positioned it looks like you need to take a link out of the chain.
motorpsycho
Active Member
the engine chain should be much heavier than a bmx bike chain. if your engine chain is as small as a regular bicycle chain you need to get a heavier one.
I thought all kits came with the heavier chain....both of mine did.
I thought all kits came with the heavier chain....both of mine did.
adam valentine
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nope its at the tightest possible if i took out one link it wouldn't work cant try it out today it decided to snow and the wind is howling. has anyone here been crazy enough to try out the studded snow tires for bicycles
