Chain guide rubbing.

[motocr 33]

I apparently let my chain get out of spec for a 100 miles or so without noticing during a trip to the mountains last weekend and I have put it back in spec no noticeable damage to the sprockets however my chain guide is now rubbing, the one on top of the swing arm not bottom of swing arm. Any ideas on why or how to fix this?   Or any issues this could cause? 
 

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[sorkyah 1,491]

Cant see the pics... but i'm assuming here that your rear wheel/chain alignment is correct ..
If not then theres your cause...

[motocr 33]

Cant see the pics... but i'm assuming here that your rear wheel/chain alignment is correct .. If not then theres your cause...

 
 
 
Right click open in new tab for the images. That's the thing by the swing arm marks it was still aligned when it was out of spec but thats when it was rubbing now it'd dead on the 5th mark and chain is now at 2 and 1/16 slack within spec, I noticed Chain noise which led me to the put of spec chain back in still slight noise though.

[Guest Ralph]

Thought they all do that it's why it's there it would chew through the swinging arm without it
will look at mine but think it may be normal.

[rick 872]

What do you mean by "out of spec"?
 
The top run of the chain will have tension while yer riding along so, even if the chain has too much slack, it really shouldn't grind away on that guard quite like that - unless yer going backwards. Almost looks from the picts that it's halfway worn thru. Is that the case or just my misread of the picts?
 
And yeah, those guards are there to prevent the chain from slapping against the swinger. In that respect,they are consumable parts, but after 10s of thousands of miles, not after "100 miles of out of spec"

[thomascrown 163]

Yeap, had to replace mine at 30k miles. Some sand got between the guard and the swingarm, and wore through the paint. You'll want to keep an eye on that.

[motocr 33]

What do you mean by "out of spec"?  
The top run of the chain will have tension while yer riding along so, even if the chain has too much slack, it really shouldn't grind away on that guard quite like that - unless yer going backwards. Almost looks from the picts that it's halfway worn thru. Is that the case or just my misread of the picts?
 
And yeah, those guards are there to prevent the chain from slapping against the swinger. In that respect,they are consumable parts, but after 10s of thousands of miles, not after "100 miles of out of spec"

 
 
I'm not exactly sure why but the side of the chain guide it rubbing against the chain itself hence the lone on the side of the chain links, when it was *out of spec* I meant it was too lose, the guide lines showed the same number of lines on each side so I'm not sure what has caused this. If the chain was to lose and it rubbed into the guide I can understand the line being there but now that it's tightened back it should not be rubbing still but it is. Ill take a video to night to document what the chains doing and the guide.
 
Forgive the late reply working 12 hrs day this week and past weeks kept me busy.

[bmwpowere36m3 315]

That's not normal… I can't tell if the chain is digging into the slider or rubbing elsewhere. The swingarm slider has a molded rib along its length that the center of the chain (roller, NOT side plates) will slide on. How did you adjust the chain for tension? Having the same number of lines on each side of the swingarm/chain adjustor block is important (though they can be slightly off).
 
With the bike on the side stand, push up on the chain at the end of the chain slider (where the manual calls for ~2" or so of chain slack) it should just touch (the slider) with slight finger pressure.
 
I'd also take off the front sprocket cover and have a look in their for rubbing… you wouldn't believe how much crud accumulates in there.  Best to clean it out and the plastic slider surrounding the front sprocket (it simply pulls out).

[Guest Ralph]

Maybe some more pics give people a better look if possible.

[bmwpowere36m3 315]

Any updates?

[motocr 33]

Any updates?

Here is a video of the chain and guide, I have been working 56+ hrs a week so its been crazy and raining most days so I haven't had much time to ride unfortunately but this video shows the chain guide itself anyone notice anything wrong here let me know. 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRLGmwJL0Ic

[motocr 33]

Maybe some more pics give people a better look if possible.

Here is a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRLGmwJL0Ic

[bmwpowere36m3 315]

Hard to tell…. but it just seems like accumulated lube/grit on the slider. The slider has a molded in rib in the center, so maybe it just appears its wearing grooves into it. Clean up that mess and post back a better pic or vid of the slider.
 
With no weight on the motorcycle, the upper run of the chain will rest against the slider (normal). When you're riding the chain, for the most part, should not touch the slider.

[Guest Ralph]

Doesn't look much different to mine,
If you get chance try to get a look
at another 07 will try to get pics of
mine.
 
 
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/G7ied/Bikes/72e9ae70-fbe9-46ac-91f5-ce5534c1f0d1_zpsvltc5lnt.jpg
 
 
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/G7ied/Bikes/362b63a3-3f3b-4b6e-a3ff-345fcbeb0468_zpsmh0kxxxn.jpg
 
 
First one is how it normally sits the second the chain is raised so you can see the guide
my chain is as far as I can tell to spec and as not been adjusted for over 8000 miles
yours looks a touch loose but my pics are taken on a center stand  and that may make a
small difference.

[rick 872]

I have virtually no wear on my guide.
 
My chain is also never dry like that. I use a mix of gear oil and white lithium grease to lube my chains. Are you using chain lube? You might consider giving that guide a coat of something - even just a spray of Dupont Teflon.

[motocr 33]

I have virtually no wear on my guide.  
My chain is also never dry like that. I use a mix of gear oil and white lithium grease to lube my chains. Are you using chain lube? You might consider giving that guide a coat of something - even just a spray of Dupont Teflon.

 
 
I usually use motul chain lube gonna try chain wax, I am going to lube it up today as I finally have a day off and ride see if it's still doing it after I clean everything off on the chain system, guide, sprocket cover, sprocket,.

[gregjet 934]

Modern chain lubes have properties that make them stick and not fling off as much ( wierd physics), so it stays stuck to the chain and don't get as much crap everywhere . Some have embedding solid lubricants like Moly disulphide and teflon. You don't need much for them to work if you keep you clain reasonably clean.
Good chains have sealed pins and lubricated seals so the internals are not lubricated by anything you add to the outside ( unless you wash it in petrol which will swell and degenerate the seals ). The chain lube is for the surfaces between the sprockets and the chain rollers primarily.
If you are running an unsealed race chain ( or super cheap one) then oil/melted wax/ grease will help lubricate the pins and roller internals as well.

[motocr 33]

Doesn't look much different to mine, If you get chance try to get a look
at another 07 will try to get pics of
mine.
 
 
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/G7ied/Bikes/72e9ae70-fbe9-46ac-91f5-ce5534c1f0d1_zpsvltc5lnt.jpg
 
 
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/G7ied/Bikes/362b63a3-3f3b-4b6e-a3ff-345fcbeb0468_zpsmh0kxxxn.jpg
 
 
First one is how it normally sits the second the chain is raised so you can see the guide
my chain is as far as I can tell to spec and as not been adjusted for over 8000 miles
yours looks a touch loose but my pics are taken on a center stand  and that may make a
small difference.

 
 
Your chain is sitting higher than mine which seems to be either mine has been eating the chain guide or weirdness with the slack. if anything my chain would be too tight.here is another video and look at the chain guide itself, maybe I am just screwing up chain slack? 0.o
 
 

[motocr 33]

UPDATE: I have cleaned and relubed everything it is still rubbing however does not appear to be rubbing all the lube off like before and leaving a large line. I only rode a few miles so I will have to check it out however I have recorded a video of the chain so we can see what it is doing, in doing so I noticed a noise during acceleration which seems to come from the chain is this normal? I know the chain is loud but this is a bit of a different noise as it is more whinny and I never really heard it till recently. 
 
 

[Guest Ralph]

I set my chain on the side stand so I can just make the chain touch the rear end of guide
under the swinging arm both times it's been service by a dealer it as come back tighter
and I have loosened it slightly but it's not been adjusted for thousands of miles, it
does look tighter than yours.
I don't notice any noise but many seem to but the engine is so quiet that you may notice
noises you would not hear on a noisy bike. I do notice when I don't ware ear plugs noise
from the front I think it's tyre and brake noise and it seems to be amplified by the tupperware
tank cover this hasn't been as noticeable since fitting a new tyre but with ear plugs I don't
notice any thing I would not expect mostly wind noise.

[rick 872]

Keep in mind that when you are rolling along and off the gas, the chain will be tight on the bottom run as the wheel pulls the chain backwards. The slack then moves to the top run. W/o that guard, the chain would dig into the swinger.
 
I hear a noise that sounds a bit like a vibration right around 3k in the 1st 3 gears when I accelerate slowly. I've learned from my Rotax that noises that sound like something is about to blow up will sound exactly the same 30k miles from now. Sometimes ya just have to ignore them.
 
As to why your chain has eaten into that guard, dunno. A too tight chain would not cause this. Maybe one that's way too loose would.
 
The guard on mine can be moved, but maybe not quite so much as yours. Can't tell from the video, but is yours fixed to the swinger at the front? It should be.

[Guest Ralph]

You haven't got a longer shock have you that may push the arm down further and may lead to the chain
rubbing more.

[Guest ChicagoAJ]

Keep in mind that when you are rolling along and off the gas, the chain will be tight on the bottom run as the wheel pulls the chain backwards. The slack then moves to the top run. W/o that guard, the chain would dig into the swinger.  
I hear a noise that sounds a bit like a vibration right around 3k in the 1st 3 gears when I accelerate slowly. I've learned from my Rotax that noises that sound like something is about to blow up will sound exactly the same 30k miles from now. Sometimes ya just have to ignore them.
 
As to why your chain has eaten into that guard, dunno. A too tight chain would not cause this. Maybe one that's way too loose would.
 
The guard on mine can be moved, but maybe not quite so much as yours. Can't tell from the video, but is yours fixed to the swinger at the front? It should be.

I feel that. When I first picked up my FZ I thought the chain sounded horrible. It's all I hear when I ride next to anything that the sound can bounce off of. Even when I turn my head left to check my blind spot all I hear is chain noise. I went and test rode a used one at a dealer not too far from me and it sounded exactly the same so I just shrugged it off. It's in spec and it's aligned.  
As far as my chain and guide, looks exactly like what @Ralph posted. Mine rests on the guide and there's chain lube all over the guide, but it's not eaten up. 

[norcal616 877]

My chain is just tight enough to fit my 2 fingers between top chain slider and chain with a little effort, i know the owners book says a diffrent  way to check chain slack, i use my 2 fingers as a quick way to see if my chain slack changed...I only see a few wear marks on the top chain slider at the far end of it towards the rear tire...maybe less than a 1/2 inch will show slight wear marks from the chain links...only adjusted chain 2 times in last 12k miles...I give chain a light spray of Maxima gold chain lube once every 2 weeks or just before a long ride...

[rick 872]

I actually use a pice of hardboard, that's 2" wide by about 3" long and use it as a gauge between the lower run of the chain and the motto of the swinger. It it fits in there nice w/o falling out easily, the chain is adjusted properly. My experience with chains over the last 15 years - set it and forget it for at least 10k if not 20k miles. I lube every 200 or so miles, but check play - almost never.
 
And that noise I'm hearing is motor speed dependent, not wheel speed. And it's coming from the front somewhere. If I accelerate briskly, I'll not hear it. I suspect it's some resonance created by the balancer inside the motor. My Aprilia makes noises at about the same motor speeds that are attributed to the balance attached to the rear cylinder timing gear.