chain tension questions..

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oldschoolsdime92

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For as long as I have owned this bike I have fought with chain tension, I always seem to have it too loose, or too tight.The manual isn't really clear. How do you adjust your chain?
 
I do it this way. Put the bike on the centerstand. Pull up and down on the lower section of chain. Move it 6 to 8 inches and do it again. Repeat until you go all the way around. You can always mark one link with magic marker so you know where you started. As you go along, you will find one section that is "tighter" than all the rest. That is where you'll stop, with that section on the bottom. That is the section that you will measure and set your chain tension against. Then I just loosen the axle nut enough that the wheel can be moved with a little force. Then I use the Adjustment bolts to set the tension. I forget offhand what the correct measurement was. It may be something like no more than 1.5 inches. Use a caliper to measure the same point on each side of the swingarm until the chain is at the right tension and the axle is the same on both sides. Once you have that good, slowly tighten the axle nut to the proper torque. Set your adjustment bolts to the back of the axle block, and tighten the lock nut down and your done.
 
I just checked my owner's manual and the chain slack for the GenI is 1.57" to 1.97" I know it may sound like alot but thats always been good for me. I usually go in between the two measurements and always had excellent chain wear.
 
it just seems like this thing makes alot of chain noise. At one time, I had my chain too tight. it whined like a super charger. I have only put about 750 miles on an fz1, but I have spent considerable amounts of time on an fz6. The chain just sounds like its rubbing something under load. When I pull the clutch in between gears, it quits. Any insight?
 
If you have a choice always err on the loose side......if it is too tight you put undue wear on chain and sprockets. The tendency is to make it too tight.
 
its pretty loose , but I am going to loosen it up more I suppose and see. My triumph was great on chain tension. You just tightened it up until the chain lifted off the top rubber chain guide!
 
Adjusted per pats site

From pats site

chainslackmeasurement.jpg


Mine

IMAG0652.jpg
 
1.6 is a pretty good medium. I will tell you that the FZI GenI's do have a lot of slack in the chain. I've ridden mine with more than 1.6" of slack with no issues. I usually go in between the two limits and is fine there.
 
oldschoolsdime92 said:
Maybe im over thinking things, but do you measure from the middle of the link or the.top of bottem? That could possibly make fairly big difference....I think
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I measure from the top of the chain link to the bottom of my swing arm, by moving my chain up and down, and I set the tension with the adjuster bolts until there is aprox 1 1/4"- 1 1/2" clearence between the bottom of the swing arm and the top of the chain link.

The chain will settle and tighten up once the bike is off the stand though, so check it again once its on the ground. You want to have about 1"- 1 1/4" between the top of the chain link and the bottom of the swing arm. If you have tight spots, or kinked links in the chain, and your having chain tension issues, it might be time for a new chain.
 
brand new chain. I have only put about 850 miles on the fz since I have owned it, and in that time, its had both a new chain and a new engine, so with that being said I really am just getting a feel for this bike. I have it set as I showed in the pics, and it got rid of the noise that was bothering me. Its still noisier than my triumph was but, I think its the nature of the beast. I hear lots more mechanical noises without all the body work to mask things.
 
oldschoolsdime92 said:
brand new chain. I have only put about 850 miles on the fz since I have owned it, and in that time, its had both a new chain and a new engine, so with that being said I really am just getting a feel for this bike. I have it set as I showed in the pics, and it got rid of the noise that was bothering me. Its still noisier than my triumph was but, I think its the nature of the beast. I hear lots more mechanical noises without all the body work to mask things.
Click to expand...

You'll get used to it Brandt, don't worry. It certainly isn't the quietest bike out there, and as you put more and more miles on her, you'll forget all about the mechanical noises that are bothering you now. With all it's quirks, it still is a damn good motor.
 
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