Chain keeps breaking

[Freddy Snottgrass]

So my mag wheels came in yesterday and I slapped them on. The chain keeps breaking. The new sprocket is a 36t. I shortened the chain but it has loose spot, bad loose spots. My spring tensioner won't work and the regular tensioner seems like it doesn't help with that slack spot. Why such a big slack? Hmm.... While typing I had a thought. Maybe the clamshell was off center and the chain stretched / wore to compensate and now it manifests as a big loose spot. . I'll try a new chain when I get home from work. I need to get some half links. With a half link my spring tensioner will become functional again. Crazy, I remove a link and my wheel won't slide into the dropouts and with that link the chain is too long for the spring tensioner to work. One damn link.

 

[gary55]

What does the sprocket look like when you spin the wheel? does it have a hop in it like it was stamped or drilled off center?

 

[Freddy Snottgrass]

I'll take a look at that when I get home. I did check for side to side wobble and chain alignment. I did not check for roundness. My daughter races BMX, I've had issues with sprockets stamped out of round so I know what you mean.

 

[extremeodd]

Sounds like you need a half link or a fresh chain (and maybe still a half link).

It would be worth it to upgrade to a #41 chain as it is a fair bit stronger and far more forgiving on alignment with its extra width. For most people it'll work out of the box without any modifications needed for clearance. If you swapped your 10t output sprocket with an 11t you'll need to grind away a little of the case for clearance.

 

[Freddy Snottgrass]

I didn't change the drive sprocket. Thanks for the info about the 41 chain. When I get home I'm gonna make sure the hole is centered. I'll go from there. I also saw a spring tensioner shaped like a T. I might make something like that as well tonight and try that out.

 

[Greg58]

Zak I know it's hard to check the wheel on a bike that already has the engine, and fuel in the tank. If you're like me I have a regular pedal bike that I can turn over and install my wheel in to spin it and true the sprocket, depending what the front fork is like you can even use it. Makes trueing much easier.

 

[Freddy Snottgrass]

It is a mag wheel with the sprocket mounted to the wheel where the disc brake would normally mount. I'm almost home. I'll update within the hour.

 

[Greg58]

Got it, can still spin it to see if is true.

 

[Greg58]

Take your chain and lay it flat stretched out, holds the end links and push and pull back and forth to see if you have slack in the links

 

[Freddy Snottgrass]

The main thing I'm upset about is that right now those bikes are my only means of transportation. One is down due to bicycle failure, waiting on a new bike to come in., and this one... All the parts came in sooner than expected, and honestly they were to build the other bike. My grown up brain told me to be patient and wait until Saturday but my little boy brain couldn't wait. I'm just gonna put my original wheels back on and get the kinks worked out with the rebuild. Is slapping a kit from an old bike onto a new bike a rebuild, or is this going to be build number 3? Man... Philosophy and motorized bicycles... We are going to need a new section.