Why am I adjusting my chain every 100 miles?

I have a 2012 WRR with 3,700 miles. I'm still on my first set of (bald) trail wings and have the stock 13 front sprocket with a Renthal 46 rear and a Renthal 520 oller chain. According to my maintenance record I purchased a larger chain and reduced it to 111 links to fit my larger sprocket but I don't recall the exact number of links. I'd like to start off by saying that I had zero adjustment problems with the stock chain and sprocket.

Ever since I put my first few hundred miles on the new sprocket and chain I have noticed that it gets really loose fast. I adjust the chain per the manual requrements far too often, and within a day or two of riding it's already way too loose. I'll adjust it so it has just a little movement (0.30 to 0.50 inches?). After a ride or two, I'll check back on the chain tension and it has like 2 inches of play!

I'm not sure what I'm doing to cause this - how should I adjust the sliders? I currently loosen the 27mm axle bolt, then loosen the larger adjustment nut, then tweak the smaller adjustment bolt to the proper slack. I check that both sides are on the same tick mark which is usually close to 3 tick marks from the farthest setting, and I tighten the slider nut. I'll then kick the rear tire to make sure it's forward, then tighten the axle 27mm nut. I'll take it around the block then check the tension again and it's within manual spec. Of course when I check after a long ride on the streets it's back to 2" (+/- 0.50") slack and slapping the heck out of the swing arm. I seem to tighten the bolts down pretty tight so I don't really see why it would work it's way back forward and loosen up..

Is it my adjustment method?
Is it the fact that I have the adjustment nut all the way out (pretty much the last 2 or 3 tick marks on the block)

I'm guessing that your Renthal chain is not a sealed O-ring or X-ring chain since you called it a roller chain.
If this is the case, that right there would be a contributor.

However, my first guess is that you're running too little chain slack.
After you adjust your slack the way you like to run it, how much slack do you have when you compress the rear suspension by sitting on the seat?

You're correct, no o/x rings on my chain. These kind of chains need more frequent adjustments? Why is that?

When I sit on the bike and check tension it moves a little...no more than a half inch but it's not too tight for sure. I just dont understand why it can loosen up so dramatically from a short ride. This is annoying!

YZEtc wrote:

I'm guessing that your Renthal chain is not a sealed O-ring or X-ring chain since you called it a roller chain.
If this is the case, that right there would be a contributor.

However, my first guess is that you're running too little chain slack.
After you adjust your slack the way you like to run it, how much slack do you have when you compress the rear suspension by sitting on the seat?

The non-sealed chains don't have the rubber rings that seal grease in and dirt out of the joint where the pin goes through the bushing.
When a chain "stretches", it is this joint that is wearing out, and it's the reason the bike came with a sealed chain.

i'm assuming your checking the tension with the rear wheel in the air.

instead of kicking the tyre to make sure its in, put a spanner or screwdriver on the chain and wind it into the sprocket. will lock it in tight and make it easier to tighten without moving.

Are you setting your chain slack properly to begin with?

I'm guessing you're setting it too tight. So it's stretching because it's too tight.

There's a "sticky" you should read that outlines how much slack should be in chain.

It's going to look too loose if you're coming from a mostly street bike world.

On the underside of the swingarm, about half-way between sprockets, push up on chain.
Have the bike on it's side stand when you're doing this.
The chain should come to within about a half inch of touching the swing arm.

If you're making your chain too tight I'd advise you check your "chain slider" wear too. Actually I'd advise you check that part out regardless of how tight or loose your chain is.

I bought an X-ring chain, and after initial break-in adjustments, I bet I've put in 3000 miles without feeling a need to re-adjust chain.

>"You're correct, no o/x rings on my chain."

Yup, it will last 40% (or so) as long as an O or X ring chain and require pretty constant adjustment.

Back (I mean way back) in the day, we often ran a couple chains.
Usually 1 chain was soaking in gas/cleaning/soaking in oil... or whatever. In from the weekend,
the extra chain went on the bike and the other went into the cleaning/oiling bin.

Heh... I put a chain in a pie tin (in grease) in the oven, baked it for nice grease penetration...
however, I'm afraid my mom wasn't really impressed by that. It was the last time for that trick.

Main application for non-0 ring chains is racing... the non o-ring chain moves more freely and robs
less horsepower. Ride a couple motos and you just throw the chain out. ($)

Is the rear sprocket alumium?
They wear super fast and once worn wear the chain out.
This combined with a non sealed chain would need adjusting every ride.

Yep it's a Renthal 46T aluminum sprocket. I knew the sprocket and chain would wear relatively fast but I didn't think I'd be adjusting the chain every day. I've adjusted it so many times that the bolts are all stripping....

Thanks for the good info everyone I'll buy a steel sprocket and o/x ring chain next time. I bought a roller chain because I ride off road a lot, especially in mud and sand.

Biglake wrote:

Is the rear sprocket alumium?
They wear super fast and once worn wear the chain out.
This combined with a non sealed chain would need adjusting every ride.

I think by your description that you're adjusting your chain way too tight. Loose is better than too tight. This is a dirt bike with a lot of suspension travel. Too tight causes all kinds of problems. There seems to be a lot of confusion about chains with this bike and I think most of it stems from people trying to adjust their chain to streetbike specs. Run it a little loose....be happy.

NathanWiley wrote:

I think by your description that you're adjusting your chain way too tight. Loose is better than too tight. This is a dirt bike with a lot of suspension travel. Too tight causes all kinds of problems. There seems to be a lot of confusion about chains with this bike and I think most of it stems from people trying to adjust their chain to streetbike specs. Run it a little loose....be happy.

Agreed.
Even most motorcycle mechanics (in my experience) will tend to do this.
It's easy not to see the geometry involved and how the distance between the two sprockets increases as the swingarm swings upward through it's arc.

NathanWiley wrote:

I think by your description that you're adjusting your chain way too tight. Loose is better than too tight. This is a dirt bike with a lot of suspension travel. Too tight causes all kinds of problems. There seems to be a lot of confusion about chains with this bike and I think most of it stems from people trying to adjust their chain to streetbike specs. Run it a little loose....be happy.

Yep!!