How do you tighten the chain on a single sided swingarm?

[Coyote]

As the title sugests. It's not a problem yet on my bike, it looks fine to me. Just I want to know for when it needs to be done. It's probably really basic, I know they're meant to be easier than standard swingarms, just I don't want to loosen anything and find the whole thing falls apart

[Sketchy_Racer]

I think you'll find that the Axel sits inside an eccentric cam which you rotate moving the wheel back and fowad.. Normally

[sAsLEX]

The rear axle sits, on the NC30 I guess your talking about, inside an eccentric hub.

There is a 17mm bolt near the rear of the swingarm on top that clamps this to stop it moving normally.

Loosen this a bit.

Then with your C spanner....... or a big drift and a hammer if you don't like your bike, move the castellated ?think thats the right saying? washer you can see on the left hand side of the wheel.

When the chain is tensioned right do the bolt back up.

[Coyote]

I think you'll find that the Axel sits inside an eccentric cam which you rotate moving the wheel back and fowad.. Normally


The rear axle sits, on the NC30 I guess your talking about, inside an eccentric hub.

There is a 17mm bolt near the rear of the swingarm on top that clamps this to stop it moving normally.

Loosen this a bit.

Then with your C spanner....... or a big drift and a hammer if you don't like your bike, move the castellated ?think thats the right saying? washer you can see on the left hand side of the wheel.

When the chain is tensioned right do the bolt back up.
Cheers, sounds like something I would've been able to figure out :p

[FROSTY]

Theres a special c spanner to turn the castilated nut.Theres a universal c spanner you can buy fow steering head bearings that might do the job

[merv]

Did you get the tool kit with your bike it should have the proper c spanner in there?

[sAsLEX]

Did you get the tool kit with your bike it should have the proper c spanner in there?

How many 89-93? bikes would you expect to still have there tool kits after a few owners........ not a dig but unless it was a single owner I doubt it would be there....


A big drift and hammer works.......

[merv]

Mate even when I sold a 26 year old bike I handed over the tool kit and owners manual with it. This is a Honda you're talking about the tools don't get used for much.

[vifferman]

My '85 VF500 still had all its tools when I sold it in 2000.
My '97 VTR1000 still had its tools AND the owner's handbook after three owners.

[yod]

Mate even when I sold a 26 year old bike I handed over the tool kit and owners manual with it. This is a Honda you're talking about the tools don't get used for much.

:laugh: good answer:niceone:


My '85 VF500 still had all its tools when I sold it in 2000.
My '97 VTR1000 still had its tools AND the owner's handbook after three owners.

my 97 RF still had the toolkit in it too

[Marmoot]

As the title sugests. It's not a problem yet on my bike, it looks fine to me. Just I want to know for when it needs to be done. It's probably really basic, I know they're meant to be easier than standard swingarms, just I don't want to loosen anything and find the whole thing falls apart

You seen how your single-sided swingarm curves slightly?

Well, it started as a 90degree bend on manufacturing, then the bike manufacturer straightened it a little to tighten the chain as we all know a straightened piece of metal would give longer distance between the ends than one that is bent.

Every now and then when your chain is slack, you'd have to slightly tap the swingarm with rubber mallet until it straightens just enough to make the chain tightness better.

Eventually your swingarm will be straight and you can't tighten your chain no more. That's where a replacement swingarm comes in and this is how bike manufacturers make money. That's also why Ducati performs well in world race as they have the fundings (see how they make their 748/916 line with single swingarms?). That's also why people always moan that maintaining ducatis are expensive.

And that is why not many jap bikes are fitted with single sided swingarms. They are just that expensive to maintain....

[Fatjim]

Remember to find out whether the bike should be on the side stand, centrestand or a paddock stand when adjusting.

[vifferman]

Remember to find out whether the bike should be on the side stand, centrestand or a paddock stand when adjusting.
... and remember to measure the slack like this:
1. Measure the slack when the chain is clean, lubed, and warm (after a ride).
2. Measure it at the point midway between the front and back sprockets.
3. Measure it at the tightest part of the chain (a worn chain will have some throws of chain that are tighter or looser than others).
4. Pull the chain down till the upper length moves up slightly - this is the lowest point.
5. Push the chain up towards the swingarm until the upper length moves up slightly - this is the highest point.
6. The total slack is the distance between these two points, and should be (depending on your bike) about 25-30mm. It's better to err on the slightly loose side, if anything.
7. Check the slack again after turning the rear wheel a few times.

[Coyote]

Did you get the tool kit with your bike it should have the proper c spanner in there?
It does have a toolkit underneath the pillion seat with screwdriver, pliars, 17 and 19 mm spanners and some weird thing named R32.5, otherwise I see no spanners that'll fit the axle bolt (unless you use that R32.5 somehow)

[riffer]

Come over to my place and borrow my C-spanner Daniel. I'm home any time after 4.00 today.

[Coyote]

Come over to my place and borrow my C-spanner Daniel. I'm home any time after 4.00 today.
Another time if that's ok, bit busy (already deviating enough being on KB). I'll PM you sometime, School holidays the next 2 weeks so I'll have time to tidy up the bike.

[merv]

It does have a toolkit underneath the pillion seat with screwdriver, pliars, 17 and 19 mm spanners and some weird thing named R32.5, otherwise I see no spanners that'll fit the axle bolt (unless you use that R32.5 somehow)

Does the weird thing look like this http://www.hondaspares.com/newparts/details/default.asp?prodID=103150&mydep=99 because that is the C-spanner and you should have a tube handle to slip over it.

Don't touch any axle bolts.

As sAsLEX has said what you do have to do is loosen the bolt on the back of swing arm just in from where the sprocket is - they call it the bearing holder pinch bolt - you fit the handle onto the C-spanner and then use the C-spanner to rotate the big castle nut - you push the handle down to tighten the chain, upwards direction to loosen it. Simple as and no worries about keeping the wheel aligned. When you get your chain right, tighten the pinch bolt up.

[puddytat]

Dunno if the swingarms exactly the same as on my Bros(rc30) , but tightening the chain on the singlesided Hondas is a bit of an art...from what Ive read on the net you should have a real fat bugger sit on it while you adjust it, as if you adjust it on its stand with no weight on it, then the swingarm is not at the longest point of its pivot arc,so that when its compressed under load (especially under harder cornering)it'll be too tight....
What Ive heard is that you crank the arse down so that if you put a string from the centre of the front sprocket thru the center of the swingarm bolt & thru to to centre of youre hub nut, then youre s/arm is at its longest point of the arc...& adjust youre chain to the right looking tension then. It'll look a bit sloppy when its on its stand (I always get folk saying my chains loose) but tightens up under load, & in the end I got an after market tensioner off the net.Im sure somewhere out there on the net there'll be "the" site for youre bike,I found out heaps 'bout me Bros as there are alot of folk out there who spend many hours & billions of dollars on these brilliant little Hondas.Good luck & give it shit!!:niceone:

[Coyote]

Does the weird thing look like this http://www.hondaspares.com/newparts/details/default.asp?prodID=103150&mydep=99 because that is the C-spanner and you should have a tube handle to slip over it.

Don't touch any axle bolts.

As sAsLEX has said what you do have to do is loosen the bolt on the back of swing arm just in from where the sprocket is - they call it the bearing holder pinch bolt - you fit the handle onto the C-spanner and then use the C-spanner to rotate the big castle nut - you push the handle down to tighten the chain, upwards direction to loosen it. Simple as and no worries about keeping the wheel aligned. When you get your chain right, tighten the pinch bolt up.
That's the one. And I do have the metal sleeve

I'll give that a shot when I get the chance. Cheers

Dunno if the swingarms exactly the same as on my Bros(rc30) , but tightening the chain on the singlesided Hondas is a bit of an art...from what Ive read on the net you should have a real fat bugger sit on it while you adjust it, as if you adjust it on its stand with no weight on it, then the swingarm is not at the longest point of its pivot arc,so that when its compressed under load (especially under harder cornering)it'll be too tight....
What Ive heard is that you crank the arse down so that if you put a string from the centre of the front sprocket thru the center of the swingarm bolt & thru to to centre of youre hub nut, then youre s/arm is at its longest point of the arc...& adjust youre chain to the right looking tension then. It'll look a bit sloppy when its on its stand (I always get folk saying my chains loose) but tightens up under load, & in the end I got an after market tensioner off the net.Im sure somewhere out there on the net there'll be "the" site for youre bike,I found out heaps 'bout me Bros as there are alot of folk out there who spend many hours & billions of dollars on these brilliant little Hondas.Good luck & give it shit!!:niceone:
All good, I understand some of this from my brother setting up his Motocross bike. I always have to sit on it when he tightens the chain (as I'm heavier than he is and the shock is set at his weight)

[merv]

Nah to puddytat if you've got a centrestand just do it on that and make sure you adjust the chain to the right tension which for my 750 is around 25mm slack and book says up to 40mm max. That still gives you plenty when the suspension is compressed and the guys at Honda know that when they specify the slack. Probably still the easiest adjustment there is in the biking world.

I gather the argument against single sided swingarms and this kind of eccentric adjustment is that it actually alters the axle position and hence ride height. For a git like me I'd never notice the difference for the small adjustments I've ever had to make.

[merv]

That's the one. And I do have the metal sleeve

I'll give that a shot when I get the chance. Cheers


Great that you have the tool kit because those are all you need for this job.

[sAsLEX]

ummm NC30s lack a centre stand........ as do most sprot bikes.

Bit of wood works though
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=25934&d=1139715458