Another "How To" on adjusting the chain

[cassecou]

This "how to" is not from me but from Thumperman.
 

 
If you don't have a torque wrench, you can always use a marker to mark the position of the axle bolt in relation to the bike.
When tightening back the axle bolt, you just have to match the marks.
 

[nmucat]

That guy needs too sign up already

[howlinhoss]

I usually put a tape measure on the ground then extend the tape to the swing arm. Push down on the chain and take note of where the top of the chain is. Then I push up on the chain and take note to see if total distance traveled measured again from the top of the chain is within spec. If not I tighten or loosen as necessary.
 

[foxtrotzulu07]

I would not trust the marks on each side of the swingarm for wheel alignment unless I have verified, via motion pro tool, lazer light, or measurement from the swingarm pivot points to the axle, that the alignment marks are correct.

[mjh937]

I wonder if the dealer uses those marks when they set up the bike (I know there is at least one guy here who works for a dealership, maybe he can comment). I have no reason to believe they are not correct, and if they are what the dealer uses they seem to be working. Nobody here has had a complaint about wheel alignment that I have seen.

[YZEtc]

I'm willing to bet that 99% of the FZ-07s that get sold in the USA don't have the chain adjustment touched by the dealer since the bike comes out of the shipping crate with the rear wheel already in place.
Luckily, all of the FZ-07s I've seen on the showroom have what looks to be proper chain slack, and mine did, too.

[cassecou]

I always used the marks on each side of the frame to adjust the chain on all my bikes. I never had any issue. I would trust the japs for 99% of their engineering, except for that darn positive wire that placed my bike on hold at sale time, as I say, 99% of good engineering.
 

[fzyurkoc]

Awesome Video!
 

[cndnmax]

Which part do you guys measure from? Swing arm to chain or chain guide to chain?

[yamahaha]

I have a piece of wood cut I can place between the chain and swingarm for correct slack. Better to error on the loose side than the too tight side. Overtightened chain is very bad.
 
Proper rear axle torque is  *** 76 *** foot lbs. Not 47 shown in the video.
 
 

[cndnmax]

Yeah but the thickness of the chain guide underneath the swing arm is thicker than the chain slack tolerance. If u measure from swingarm to chain or chain guide to chain will give u around 10mm or so difference which isn't much but considering the tolerance for slack is 4mm.

[vodapas]

That guy needs too sign up already

I remember reading in one of his comments on one of his videos that he had either left or been kicked off of a FZ-07 forum.  Can't remember if it was this one or another forum though.  Regardless, his comment seemed to say he was kind of over forums in general.  It seems this happens with a lot of moto-vlogers.  They tend to build their own community through the comments sections of their vids or they subscribe to smaller regional forums or the mega forums like advrider/thumpertalk/etc.  Not sure why.  More anonymity maybe? 

[bmwpowere36m3]

That guy needs too sign up already

I remember reading in one of his comments on one of his videos that he had either left or been kicked off of a FZ-07 forum.  Can't remember if it was this one or another forum though.  Regardless, his comment seemed to say he was kind of over forums in general.  It seems this happens with a lot of moto-vlogers.  They tend to build their own community through the comments sections of their vids or they subscribe to smaller regional forums or the mega forums like advrider/thumpertalk/etc.  Not sure why.  More anonymity maybe?

Comes down to personal preference as you mention.  For example, I'm a member on TT and ADVrider.  TT has a WEALTH of info on dirt bikes and specifically the DRZ-400 (which I own).  ADVrider has good info as well on the DRZ (many DRZ owners on TT are on ADV as well), but has a lot more info geared to adventure riding (hence the name).
 
On the other hand, TT or ADV have almost NO info on the FZ-07… since they're not really geared to that bike or bike segment.
 
Sometimes you need to be a member of multiple forums to get the info you want.  Eventually you're a member of a LOT of forums and your involvement weans as time goes on (only so much time right ) or you are no longer involved in that hobby/sport/product.

[vodapas]

@bmwpowere36m3
 
Couldn't agree more. I divvy up my time between TT/ADVrider for my DRZ400, a forum for my NC700, obviously this forum and to smaller extent a Ninja 300 forum. How much time really depends, for me, on which bike I am currently the most focused on working on. But, I'm just your "average joe". What I was referring to in my last post is that it seems that as moto-vloggers become more well known you see them less and less on the forums they originally frequented.
 
I don't know if it's because they start fending off a lot of criticism about their vlogs on the forum or if because people always want to talk to them about a vid rather than the topic they are posting on. I really don't know. For example there's a guy named on cagerontwowheels. He's Portuguese and as his name implies was a newb rider when he started vlogging. Good guy, makes funny videos. Up until recently he rode an NC700X. So, originally he was a member of the NC700 forum I frequent. It was amazing. People acted like his word was the word of god himself. Remember this is a guy who had just recently started riding and yet because he is a very minor youtube celebrity he knows all. Eventually he just kind of vanished from the forums and I've always kind of wondered why that seems to happen with the guys who become pretty well known vlogging.
 
Ok, sorry didn't mean to take this thread wildly OT.

[bmwpowere36m3]

@bmwpowere36m3 
Couldn't agree more. I divvy up my time between TT/ADVrider for my DRZ400, a forum for my NC700, obviously this forum and to smaller extent a Ninja 300 forum. How much time really depends, for me, on which bike I am currently the most focused on working on. But, I'm just your "average joe". What I was referring to in my last post is that it seems that as moto-vloggers become more well known you see them less and less on the forums they originally frequented.
 
I don't know if it's because they start fending off a lot of criticism about their vlogs on the forum or if because people always want to talk to them about a vid rather than the topic they are posting on. I really don't know. For example there's a guy named on cagerontwowheels. He's Portuguese and as his name implies was a newb rider when he started vlogging. Good guy, makes funny videos. Up until recently he rode an NC700X. So, originally he was a member of the NC700 forum I frequent. It was amazing. People acted like his word was the word of god himself. Remember this is a guy who had just recently started riding and yet because he is a very minor youtube celebrity he knows all. Eventually he just kind of vanished from the forums and I've always kind of wondered why that seems to happen with the guys who become pretty well known vlogging.
 
Ok, sorry didn't mean to take this thread wildly OT.

 
Agree 100%... what I find interesting is the newbness-level of this forum is quite high, I hope I don't get banned.  Some of the stuff I read here.... a lot of new, young riders.  But yeah, we all started somewhere.
 

[wscraig76]

Hearing a buzzing from the general chain area after clean lube and adjust. + sync and oil change.
 
Adjusted to 51.51mm measured down from the flat spot at the back of the chain guide to the top of chain under downward pressure.
 
Both of the rear swingarm tick marks are 3.
 
Buzzing is most noticeable getting up to speed, pulling clutch and coasting.
 
while in motion I would swear it sounds like the chain is rubbing across the chain guide on top of the swingarm.
 
was this there before is this operation normal did I just not catch this in the first several miles?
 
Also... I disconnected the shift linkage arm and dropped the washer and the bolt.... when reassembling it what is the correct order?

[yamahaha]

Chain adjustment is a major gripe of mine about this bike. I've had many a chain driven bike but none with such a poor adjusting setup. Those marks are really chicken sh*t and the right side piece likes to cock to one side when tightening the axle. I can see how people can misalign the chain. I've also noticed some up and down movement in the axle with the rear end jacked up. This may also present a misalignment problem. Its pretty important to get it bang on. You can measure from the center of the axle housings to the end of the swingarm for reference as well.
 
Thankfully, after a couple adjustments, lots of cleaning and lube, the chain should not see too many adjustments.

[bmwpowere36m3]

The spec is to the center of the chain, not top… probably not a big deal, but you should subtract ~7 mm from the spec if you're measuring to the top of the chain. On my chain, light pressure on the lower chain run and it won't touch the chain slider rib (close), but apply more pressure and it will just.
 
Correct order for what? Which part of the linkage arm? The splined "clamp" that goes over the shift shaft? IIRC, its just an allen bolt that tightens the clamp.

[bmwpowere36m3]

Chain adjustment is a major gripe of mine about this bike. I've had many a chain driven bike but none with such a poor adjusting setup. Those marks are really chicken sh*t and the right side piece likes to cock to one side when tightening the axle. I can see how people can misalign the chain. I've also noticed some up and down movement in the axle with the rear end jacked up. This may also present a misalignment problem. Its pretty important to get it bang on. You can measure from the center of the axle housings to the end of the swingarm for reference as well. 
Thankfully, after a couple adjustments, lots of cleaning and lube, the chain should not see too many adjustments.

That's assuming the swingarm "ends" are the same length… not saying they aren't.  I verified the chain/wheel alignment using the string method (around the tires).  When I get a chance, I'll verify the axle-to-end of swingarm measurement.
 
 
The threaded portion of the adjuster that sticks past the nuts isn't even on my bike and I know people use those for reference as well… i.e., have the same amount protruding.  With my wheels aligned… the hash marks are off ~ 1/2 a hash mark side-to-side.
 

[wscraig76]

..... 
Correct order for what? Which part of the linkage arm? The splined "clamp" that goes over the shift shaft? IIRC, its just an allen bolt that tightens the clamp.

 
 
Allen bolt.
 
Top of the silver arm. Behind the rubber boot. Allen bolt passes through an eye in the silver arm, a 5?mm spacer or washer, and threads in.

[yamahaha]

 

With my wheels aligned… the hash marks are off ~ 1/2 a hash mark side-to-side.

Holy crap.
 
 

When I get a chance, I'll verify the axle-to-end of swingarm measurement.

Thanks. That would be really helpful.
 
 
 

[avanti]

IF it (alignment was correct from the dealer and no one has screwed it up, it is simple enough to keep it aligned. Simply mark the top of each adjuster nut with a Sharpie and note how many turns (or partial turn) on either side you chose to start with and do the SAME number of turns (or partial turn) on the opposite side. Since nuts have six points it is easy to reference partial turns. I'd suggest doing this in steps, side-to-side, and also note where you started from on the marks on each side of the swing-arm as a secondary check. When done the change in distance from the reference mark on each side of the swing-arm to the indicators should be the same. No need for measuring bolt length (which may or may not be the same side to side), etc. It took me a matter of minutes to adjust my chain this afternoon doing it in this fashion. ALL THE BEST!!!
 
Btw, the Owners Manual says to measure sag from the bottom of the guide to the CENTER of the chain, not the top of the chain, etc. (Oops, I see someone else pointed this out above.)
 

[kanchanj88]

I am having the same trouble that user yamahaha mentioned in his response.
 
Today while adjusting my bike's chain, I noticed the issue on my bike too. This picture was taken after tightening the axle nut. Prior to tightening the axle nut, I made sure that the covers were on the same distance from the 4th mark. But the photo has a red line to show where the left side axle nut cover (don't know exact term for it) is just behind the 4th mark. But in this picture of the right side the right side cover has cocked up and looks misaligned. I tried to get them both at the same mark, but that keeps cocking up. But when I loosen the axle nut, it goes back to the same distance as the left side. I rode for a few miles and haven't noticed any kind of difference. Your advice would be greatly helpful.
 
 
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah164/kanchanj88/Screenshot_2016-07-26-22-13-50_zpsxaogkthe.jpg

[Guest ChicagoAJ]

I am having the same trouble that user yamahaha mentioned in his response. 
Today while adjusting my bike's chain, I noticed the issue on my bike too. This picture was taken after tightening the axle nut. Prior to tightening the axle nut, I made sure that the covers were on the same distance from the 4th mark. But the photo has a red line to show where the left side axle nut cover (don't know exact term for it) is just behind the 4th mark. But in this picture of the right side the right side cover has cocked up and looks misaligned. I tried to get them both at the same mark, but that keeps cocking up. But when I loosen the axle nut, it goes back to the same distance as the left side. I rode for a few miles and haven't noticed any kind of difference. Your advice would be greatly helpful.
 
 
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah164/kanchanj88/Screenshot_2016-07-26-22-13-50_zpsxaogkthe.jpg

Same thing happened to mine. I left it and I'm at 2,500 miles after the fact. The left side of mine is at the 4th dash, the right is slanted upwards just poking out ahead of the 4th dash. Close enough is good enough, for me anyway. 

[mattcase09]

Yep. Same here. Using chain alignment tool shows how "awesome" our swing arm notches are. Just wait until that rear locking axle nut gets stuck and you have to cut it off and replace the rear axle. I really like my bike, but the more you work on it, the more you notice that they really cut some corners to save money.