5 Things to Know About Drive Chain and Maintenance
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The most common form of final drive found on power sports motorcycle these days is a metallic Roller Chain drive. An overlooked chain breaks down eventually hence degrading the smooth functioning of your motorcycle.
Out of the two main types of chains: O-Rings chains retains the lubricant inside the chain while Non-O-Ring chains do not hence the former one provides less drag, requires less maintenance, and lasts longer.
So, if you have a chain-driven motorcycle, maintaining your chain should be your most frequently performed task. Here are those 5 simple key points to do it-
1. Lubricating
2. Cleaning
For the high impedance results, clean your chain about every 4800 kms or along with regular oil change. Use a rag, a toothbrush, and kerosene to remove gunk, debris and built up lube off your chain. Never clean your chain while the engine is running.
3. Adjusting
You will find all the information needed to tighten/loosen your chain for proper adjustment in the owner’s manual, but it is always better to take your bike to an expert mechanic or the service centre.
Though, you can check the slack in the chain by opening a black rubber cover on your chain guard (if it is a covered chain) by pushing the chain up and down with your index finger and comparing the travel with the sticker pasted on the suspension arm of the bike or on the cover itself.
There are chances of rapid wear of chain and sprockets if the wheel is twisted inside the swing-arm.
4. Aligning
There are two ways to measure alignment.
5. Replacing
The question is when to replace the chain?
Lubricate often! A well oiled chain is less noisy & dragging and so the motor can easily spin the rear wheel.
Read more servicing tips for your motorcycle engine here.
Image Courtesy: Cyclepedia.com
Ruchika Jain