Motorcycle Chain Replacement
This guide is written to assist you in understanding, evaluating the condition of, and replacing the chain on your motorcycle using the RK Heavy Duty Chain Replacement Tool. The text is supplemented with numerous pictures from RK?s instruction sheet and an actual motorcycle chain replacement. The following are the major sections:
Motorcycle Chain Cleaning
Motorcycle Chain Inspection
Motorcycle Sprocket Inspection
Motorcycle Chain replacement
Motorcycle Chain adjustment
This guide is supplemented with:
Tips which provide suggestions you may find useful when performing the work described.
Warnings contain information which can cause damage to the motorcycle and possible injury to the rider.
A motorcycle chain is an efficient method of transmitting engine power to the wheel resulting in forward motion (fun!). Typically, motorcycle chains require the most frequent maintenance of any part of your motorcycle. It is rewarding in both mileage and security to buy quality components for the drive system: the chain and sprockets. There are two main types of chains available for motorcycles: the O-ring chain and the non-O-ring chains. Most modern motorcycles come with O-ring chains. The designation refers to the fact there is a little O-ring (X-ring or Y-ring, etc) seal between the side plates of the chain and the roller pins (The pins going through the chain). The purpose of this O-ring is to keep the grease (or other lubricant) sealed in and the dirt out: effectively providing superior lubrication and reduced wear over the life of the chain. Care must be exercised when deciding which cleaning methods used. O-ring chains provide the longest life for the least amount of care. In spite of this advance, chains still require a certain amount of attention to provide trouble free riding.
Let?s examine the components of a chain as well as what actually "wears" to understand why a chain and/or sprockets require replacement.
A chain is a continuous assembly of roller links and pin links. The roller links contain the rollers which engage the sprockets
and creates the driving force. The pin links hold the roller links in place. The pins are surrounded bu a bushing on the roller
link which allows the chain the freedom to flex as necessary. When operating, the outer surface of the pin and inner surface of
the bushing rub against one another creating wear. (Frequent cleaning and lubrication reduce the wear, but will not eliminate it).
This wear of the pins is the major component in the aging of the motorcycle chain. As the pin is worn away from contact with the bushing
the strength of the pin is decreased and eventually fatigue failure may result. The typical failure is a broken motorcycle chain which can
wrap around the drive sprocket damaging engine casings ($$$$) or get caught in the rear sprocket causing an immediate (and dangerous) rear
wheel skid. A third result of failure is when the chain just falls off and the motorcycle coasts to a stop leaving you stranded. Nothing
good results from the motorcycle chain failing.Other parts of the chain are moving and wearing at the same time. The roller is moving against the bushing from contact with the sprockets and the side plates (roller link plate and pin link plate) are moving against each other. While components wear, cleaning and lubrication are far easier due to their accessibility. Getting the lubricant into the area between the pin and the bushing is more difficult. The breakthrough of the O-ring Motorcycle Chain is that the lubricant is sealed in the pin/bushing area by the O-ring. Therefore care in cleaning is important: the wrong solvent used can deteriorate the O-ring and deplete the lubricant thus accelerating wear.
For street riding, an O-ring chain and steel sprockets will give maximum service life for the least amount of effort. Keeping a chain clean and lubricated is the simple way to get 15k miles or more out of your chain. A worn chain will accelerate the wearing of the sprockets and the reverse is true: worn sprockets will accelerate the wearing of the chain.
A chain should be cleaned and lubricated
about every 200 miles or so. Some of the newer motorcycle swingarm designs make changing a motorcycle chain a very laborious process,
so it pays to keep the chain clean and lubricated to help make it last as long as possible. Correct chain adjustment is also crucial
to the longevity of your motorcycle's chain; this is covered in a later section. A clean motorcycle chain and sprockets are necessary
for proper inspection.What is the best way to clean a motorcycle chain? Many recommend using kerosene and a brush. Kerosene is one of many cleaners available; excellent results can be obtained using any of several spray chain cleaners. Gunk engine bright is a form of kerosene in a can and can be easily hosed off after several minutes during which dirt and grease are loosened and dissolved.
Choose your cleaner. It is a matter of personal choice so grab the one you?re comfortable with. In addition to your favorite cleaner an assortment of brushes and rags is essential. Pictured with the brushes is a cookie sheet to help contain the mess of cleaning a motorcycle chain. Newspaper is also a good way to catch the drips.
While the chain might appear clean, the "crud-line" on the sprocket reveals the truth: the buildup of dirt and dried lubricant acts as an abrasive on the metal components.
Start by wiping off the loose stuff. Pour a little Kerosene in a pan to dip the brush in or spray the chain and sprocket with your choice of cleaner Use the brush to apply the solvent and loosen the grime. Be patient and let the solvent do the work.
A Grunge Brush is terrific for getting the back-side and bottom of the chain. An old tooth brush can help in those hard-to-reach areas
Don?t forget to get the "crud-line" off the sprocket
The downside of using kerosene: a mess. The cookie sheet (or newspaper) can help contain the mess. Even with spray cleaners, it is easy to spray beyond the chain or sprocket and coat tires, wheels, and brakes with cleaner. Be sure to wipe it off of everything!
Now the chain is ready to wipe off. Some spray cleaners (Motrax and Motoul) can be rinsed off with a hose, but you still should wipe the chain down to complete the job
A clean chain and sprocket ready for inspection. Remember to let it dry before lubricating. Compressed air is handy for removing moisture from between the links.
Inspection is most effective after the components are clean. In many industries, cleaning is a form of inspection and regular cleaning helps make potential problems visible (worn cables, small leaks, loose fasteners, etc) before they leave you stranded, or worse, along the highway. Once the components are clean, inspection can help you determine if they require replacement or not. Unfortunately, these parts don?t last forever.
The life of motorcycle chains and sprockets is dependent on the environmental conditions (dirt, mud, rocks, etc), operating conditions, and care. Coupled with these in-use factors is the initial quality/durability of the components. Steel sprockets and O-ring chains will give you the longest lasting components with the least amount of maintenance. When cost and longevity are considerations, choose these components.
The question we often ask is how long does a chain last? How long do sprockets last? Or the reverse: how often should I change these things? Most manufacturers recommend changing the chain and sprockets at the same time. There is good reason for this. The manufacturers are concerned you have a great experience with their product and recommend new sprockets to go along with their chain to ensure satisfactory results. There is a more pragmatic approach: Change out the chain when it?s worn and change the sprockets when they?re worn since they don?t wear equally as a set.
Look for these things as indicators of a worn out chain: The first one is kinked links; this is a sign the chain is binding and not moving smoothly. It is robbing power and poses a potential for damage and /or disaster.
Another visible indicator is an excessively rusted chain. If it is rusted on the side plates you can bet it?s rusted between the pins and rollers as well. Replace before it causes more heartache.
If all visual indications are good, here is the definitive way to see if the chain is worn to the point of replacement. Place the motorcycle on the side stand or a paddock stand. The proper location to check is at the middle of the rear sprocket.
TIP: it helps to have a clean chain and sprocket to work with as it makes it so much easier to measure. Once clean, use a sharpie or other marker to trace and outline of the chain onto the sprocket; it makes measuring more accurate.
At the midpoint of the chain?s contact with the rear sprocket, pull the chain away from the sprocket.
If the distance the chain travels is over 1/8" it is time to replace the chain. Here you can see the distance is over ¼" of movement: this chain was long overdue for replacement.
Now you have determined if the chain needs replacing by looking for kinks, excessive rust and measuring the wear at the middle of the rear sprocket. Be honest here and replace the chain if it failed the inspection criteria. Once you have determined whether the chain does/does not require replacement inspect the sprockets.
Chains and sprockets wear at different rates. It is possible to wear out a chain and not wear the sprockets sufficiently to replace. How do you tell? Look at the sprockets "teeth". Worn sprocket teeth can fail causing the chain to jump which can lead to further damage. The countershaft sprocket can wear in a similar manner and also requires inspection periodically. Steel sprockets will give the longest service life when compared to alloy sprockets. Examine the picture comparing a new steel sprocket with an aluminum (alloy) sprocket with about 10,000 miles.
You can see the definite signs of wear on the aluminum sprocket: the teeth are pointed and the "shoulder" of the sprocket is non- existent. These sharks? teeth indicate this sprocket is worn out and has the potential to cause a failure. Another visual sign is "hooking" where the teeth start to have a hook on one side.
This picture shows a steel sprocket with 30,000 miles on the left and new one on the right. The wear isn?t as dramatic as the previous picture, but close inspection reveals the sprocket is worn and there is visible cross-hatched wear across the teeth. Arrows point to the worn area on the tooth of this sprocket. The sprocket should be replaced.
The purpose of replacing the chain is so you can ride thousands of trouble free miles without being stranded in the wild. Motorcycle chain replacement isn?t difficult, but must be accomplished correctly to ensure operator safety and reliable operation of the motorcycle. Here is the proper sequence of motorcycle chain replacement using the RK Heavy Duty Chain Tool (Rented from Ducatitoolrental.com). This is a heavy duty motorcycle chain tool and can easily accomplish the job and save you money over having a dealer replace your motorcycle chain. If you have decided to replace your motorcycle sprockets too, please refer to the service manual for your specific model for detailed motorcycle sprocket replacement instructions.
The following steps assume you?ve replaced the motorcycle sprockets or determined the existing ones are serviceable.
Here is a list of recommended items to have on hand prior to beginning:
- • RK Heavy Duty Motorcycle Chain Tool
- • Motorcycle Chain
- • Master link (rivet type strongly recommended)
- •Motorcycle chain cleaner (WD-40, Gunk, kerosene, or your favorite)
- • Rags/paper towels
- • Wrenches (for motorcycle chain tension adjustment)
- • Center stand, side stand, or paddock stand
- • 14MM Wrench or socket
- • 17MM Wrench or socket
Secure your bike on a paddock stand, a center stand or a side stand. It helps to put your bike in first gear to keep it secure for installing and using the RK Heavy Duty Motorcycle Chain Tool. Open the tool kit you?ve received and assemble the tool to "break" the chain.
1. Install the Large Pressure Bolt into the tool body.
2. Install the Chain Cutting Tailpiece into the opposite side of the tool body.
3. Position the chain to be cut (or position the tool onto the existing chain) and align the chain in the tool so the pin being pushed is centered in the Chain Cutting Tail Piece and the Large Pressure Bolt openings.
4. Using a 17mm wrench (or socket, snug up the large pressure bolt so that the chain is held firmly in place and the pin that is going to be pushed is centered in large pressure bolt and Chain Cutting Tool Tailpiece openings.
TIP: If you are cutting a new chain to length, be sure to remove the chain pin that will leave you with an inner side plate as the end of the chain. A connecting link can only be installed onto inner side plates.
5. Thread the Cutting Pin into the Large Pressure Bolt and tighten by hand until contact with the chain pin. Verify alignment of all parts.
DO NOT CUT THE MASTER LINK ON THE OLD CHAIN - This is how a Master Link appears. Do no try and cut this link as damage to the tool will result.
Using a 14mm wrench (or socket) tighten the Cutting Pin Pressure Bolt until the chain pin is pushed completely through the side plates and out of the cutting tool piece. Here is the pin being pushed through.
CAUTION: The first few turns will be very hard as the riveted edges on the chain pin are pushed through the side plate. If it seems exceptionally hard, check the alignment of the chain pin with the hole in the end of the large pressure bolt. You will feel tension initially as the chain tool begins to push the pin though the hole then it should continue to tighten smoothly. If the chain pin does not start to break free and the effort to turn the wrench increases to nearly impossible, back out the Large Pressure Bolt just enough to verify the Cutting Pin is correctly lined up with the chain pin. If the alignment is correct reset the Large Pressure Bolt and continue applying pressure. Do not use air tools or wrench extensions (cheater pipes) because you will damage and or break the tool.
CHAIN MEASUREMENT ]
When replacing an old chain with a new identical one (i.e. - a 525 with a 525) the simplest way to cut the new chain to the correct length is to place the new chain and the old chain side-by-side and cut the new one to the same length as the old one. Alternately, count the links on the chain you just removed by counting the side plates and multiply by 2 to get the total number of links in the chain and cut the new chain accordingly.
If for some reason this method isn?t applicable (you?ve changed chain size and sprocket sizes), here is an alternative.
Get some slack in the chain by loosening the tensioning bolts. Move the wheel forward in the carrier. Thread the new chain onto the sprockets and hold the ends of the new chain together. Pay attention to the inner end of the new chain will fit and remove the side plate (completely) so the ends of the chain look like this. Cut this pin The new connecting link will now fit and you?re ready to install the chain.
INSTALLATION AND PRESS FITTING OF SIDE PLATES
1. Route chain over and around the rear sprocket and the countershaft sprocket
TIP When installing a new chain, it is sometimes easier to tie the end of the old and the new together and pull the new chain into place.
Warning: Important! RK recommends using rivet type connecting links whenever possible for the most secure connection.
Connecting Link installation sequence -
a. Insert connecting link with O-rings into the open links of the new chain
b. Connecting link pushed through the chain with the pins extending beyond the chain
c. O-rings installed on the connecting pins after being inserted through the chain .
d. Side Plate installed onto the pins ready for "pressing" up tight to the chain.
2. Select the correct plate holder and slide it inside the large pressure bolt hole and position the connecting link side plate in the plate holder. The plate holders have different sized channels to allow the connecting pins adequate clearance as the side plate is pressed into place. For ease of identification the side plate for riveted style connecting links has a yellow dot in various places. The unpainted plate holder is to be used for clip type connecting links.
Plate Holder Selection:
Black - To press-fit Clip sideplates.
Yellow Dot - To press-fit Rivet sideplates.
3. Place the tool so the new side plate aligns with the pins on the connecting link and the pins will have clearance to extend into the channel cut in the side plate pressing tool.
4. Turn the Large Pressure Bolt by hand making sure to keep the pins and side plate holes aligned until snug.
5. Use a 17mm socket or a 17mm wrench to tighten the bolt. The side plate should press-fit (slide over the connecting pins) firmly, but without difficulty.
6. Tighten the pressure bolt to the correct depth allowed by the plate holder channel (do not over-torque). Once the side plate is in the correct position, loosen the pressure bolt and remove the tool.
7. The chain joined correctly with the connecting link installed and the side plate presses to the proper depth. The side plates from adjacent links should line up with the side plate of the connecting link. The connecting link is now ready to install the clip or rivet the pins, depending upon which type of connecting link you have.
Once the connecting link is installed and the chain pins are protruding past the side plate sufficiently, the pins must be "flared" to complete the chain installation.
2. Place the tool under the connecting link. Align the RIVET FLARE PIN with the hole in the end of the pin. Make sure the other end of the link pin is seated in the FLARE PIN TAIL PIECE. Tighten the bolt by hand so that the flare pin is snug against the link pin hole.
3. Use a 17mm wrench (or socket/ratchet) to tighten the bolt until the pin hole is flared out sufficiently to keep the side plate from coming off. Repeat this procedure for the second pin.
4. Warning!!! Tighten the bolt only until firm resistance is felt, then loosen the bolt and inspect the pin for complete, even flaring.
Do not over-tighten the bolt ? you may bend or damage the link pins or bind the link entirely. A pronounced, even flare will securely
connect the chain links together. 
If you are using
a clip type connecting link:1. Using thin-nose pliers, snap clip into pin grooves with closed end of clip facing rotational direction of chain (Figure 3A). 2. Warning!!! Make sure the clip is properly tension-seated in the groove of the pins. If the clip is loose, walk the side plate up the pins with pliers until it is snug against the clip. NEVER REUSE A CONNECTING LINK.
Proper tension insures safety for the rider and maximum service life for the components. When a chain is too tight it puts unnecessary loads on the sprockets, countershaft bearings and countershaft seals. A motorcycle chain that is too tight can stretch in places and lead to the kinking of links, which are a sign of a damaged/worn out chain.
A chain that is run too loose has the potential to fly off the sprockets, which doesn?t have good results for the bike or the rider. A loose chain can cause excessive free play (slop) in the drive line, which causes lurching under acceleration as the excess is taken up. Proper adjustment of the chain is something done infrequently yet is vitally important to long, trouble free operation.
If the rear wheel was loosened the chain is now too loose and requires proper adjustment. The next step is to adjust the tension on the chain and align it using the Profi-Laser alignment tool. A properly adjusted and aligned chain (rear wheel) will give maximum life and performance of your motorcycle. This is a continuous adjustment: you can?t adjust the tension independently of the alignment. So check the alignment frequently as you adjust the chain tension. As the slack comes out of the chain, it is a good idea to turn each adjuster ¼ turn at a time until the proper alignment and tension on the chain are reached.
Many motorcycles have alignment marks on the swing arm to help in this adjustment. The alignment bolts alternate on either side of the wheel will both tension the chain and align the wheel. The goal is to adjust the wheel (move it rearwards in the swing arm) evenly so the wheel remains aligned.
The proper amount of adjustment gives the chain with about 1" (32mm) of travel up and down at the midpoint between the drive sprocket and the rear wheel sprocket.
Remember to alternate between sides when tightening up the chain: the chain can get over tight very quickly.
As the chain approaches the proper amount of travel, start checking the alignment using the Profi Laser Alignment Tool.
Turn the Profi Laser Alignment Tool on and you will see a red laser light projecting out of one end. Set the base of the Profi Laser Alignment Tool flat against the sprocket (verify the base is FLAT against the sprocket). Note where the laser light lands on the chain: when the rear wheel and chain are properly aligned the laser light will hit on the same part of the chain all along the chain?s length.
While maintaining the base of the Profi Laser Alignment Tool flat against the sprocket, slowly rotate the tool so the laser light "walks" up the length of the chain. If the light from the Profi Laser Alignment Tool starts to land on other parts of the chain (moves right or left with respect to the chain), the wheel isn?t aligned. Slowly and carefully turn the adjusting bolts on the swing arm to bring the wheel into alignment.
Once the chain is aligned, verify the 1" (32mm) of free play in the chain. Check the slack after the first few hundred miles and every time the chain gets lubricated thereafter. Time to ride!
Keep the chain lubricated: even though there is grease sealed behind the O-ring, the other parts of the chain are in need of lubrication especially where the chain rollers make contact with the sprockets. Most of us have experience with using a particular lubricant from WD-40 to 90wt gear oil and everything in between, many methods are effective. I don?t use heavy oils because I don?t like the residue it flings on the wheel, the leg, or anything else in the "fling path". Chain Wax goes on easy, dries quickly and doesn?t leave the huge residue on other motorcycle (and human) parts. Other climates and riding conditions will require other lubricants.