My chain is crunching...

[Taylor911]

Hi,

I need a hand.
My bike has started making a nasty grinding noise.
When i have my lid on, it sounds like the gear box, but going up and down my road with no lid, its definitely coming from the rear sprocket/chain.

Its making a rattly grinding noise, my chain was mega loose..

Tightened it up, its still there, if i flick my chain it makes a little chinking noise which i assume is normal.
But the grinding when i move surely cant be, well i know its not right.

Help please.
:D

Andy

[470four]

Rear wheel bearings / sprocket carrier bearing ;)

Just replaced one in my CBR4, the back wheel will spin normally (left and righthand bearings fine) but the outrigger bearing in the sprocket carrier will make all sorts of knocking banging crunching sounds (& a loose chain...) as it eats itself... :o

[Taylor911]

Ah. Ok thanks for that.
What are the chances of the bearings going on a 59' bike?
Or does age not matter?

[470four]

Depends largely on mileage done & the quality of the bearing?

On average a new bike or car will give you grief in the first two "shakedown" years, a few years of bliss where everything that was shoddy out of the box has broken & been replaced and then the later years, where everything starts to wear out... ;)

Even a tiny bit of grit trapped in the bearing will cause further Crunchy Bits to be made as the bearing whizzs around thousands of times per ride... the bearing balls will disintegrate until the problem is noticed, a large heavy bike wheel tending to keep rotating regardless of the apparent state of the bearings themselves??!

Drop your back wheel out and have a look - and DONT ride it until the problem is found! A locked wheel at speed will not be big, clever or even slightly desirable... :o

[silly_simon]

Andy,
What lube are you using ?
Is the chain at the correct tightness ?
As darren says what milage are we talking about here ?

I ask as I had a Clutch thrust bearing go on a Fazer 6 at 500 miles from new, changed under warrenty and fine then up till the day I sold the machine with 7-8 thou on it :)

[Taylor911]

The bike has just under 9,000 on the clock.

Doesnt sound nice.

This is what im using > http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_22 1443_langId_-1_categoryId_165742

If it is a bearing problem, should that be under warranty?

[470four]

Depends on the warrenty? If bought from new the bike may have a two year warrenty, in which case it is their problem ;)

Best check your paperwork? :)

[Mark_Able]

Chain and sprockets, and wheel bearings aren't covered under a warranty. They are classed as service items.

Sounds to me like the chain has been run dry of lube, and is now on it's last legs. Ask a proffesional to inspect it. :(

[470four]

The bike has just under 9,000 on the clock.

Doesnt sound nice.

This is what im using > http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_22 1443_langId_-1_categoryId_165742

If it is a bearing problem, should that be under warranty?

How often do you lube your chain? Has it been run extra tight?

[Mark_Able]

Or extra loose? :-?

[470four]

Im thinking extra tight would cause both premature sprocket carrier bearing wear & a stretched & knackered chain? Extra loose would put less stress on the chain?

[Taylor911]

Depends on the warrenty? If bought from new the bike may have a two year warrenty, in which case it is their problem ;)

Best check your paperwork? :)

Its 2 years, So will still be under.


Chain and sprockets, and wheel bearings aren't covered under a warranty. They are classed as service items.

Sounds to me like the chain has been run dry of lube, and is now on it's last legs. Ask a proffesional to inspect it. :(

Possibly, it was dry for a while.
Ive given it a HUGE coat of WD40 to last until wednesday.



No, hasn't been extra tight, I think it may have been loose this time 'cause my mate thought it would be funny to constantly bump into the back of me.
I shall ask an expert ASAP.
Thanks all!

[Snowy]

Depends on the warrenty? If bought from new the bike may have a two year warrenty, in which case it is their problem ;)

Best check your paperwork? :)

Its 2 years, So will still be under.


Chain and sprockets, and wheel bearings aren't covered under a warranty. They are classed as service items.

Sounds to me like the chain has been run dry of lube, and is now on it's last legs. Ask a proffesional to inspect it. :(

Possibly, it was dry for a while.
Ive given it a HUGE coat of WD40 to last until wednesday.



No, hasn't been extra tight, I think it may have been loose this time 'cause my mate thought it would be funny to constantly bump into the back of me.
I shall ask an expert ASAP.
Thanks all!

Might be better not to mention the last bit if you're making a warranty claim ;D

[470four]

Errrm...

WD40 will rinse off any chainlube that may have been left on the chain, its properties as a chainlube are minimal to say the least! Best get yourself some proper lube Pronto. ;)

P.S. what bike is this??

[Taylor911]

Depends on the warrenty? If bought from new the bike may have a two year warrenty, in which case it is their problem ;)

Best check your paperwork? :)

Its 2 years, So will still be under.


Chain and sprockets, and wheel bearings aren't covered under a warranty. They are classed as service items.

Sounds to me like the chain has been run dry of lube, and is now on it's last legs. Ask a proffesional to inspect it. :(

Possibly, it was dry for a while.
Ive given it a HUGE coat of WD40 to last until wednesday.



No, hasn't been extra tight, I think it may have been loose this time 'cause my mate thought it would be funny to constantly bump into the back of me.
I shall ask an expert ASAP.
Thanks all!

Might be better not to mention the last bit if you're making a warranty claim ;D

Definitely not!! :P

Oh will it?
Damn, I will. Ill get some tomorrow!

Its a Ninja 250R.

[470four]

Your "funny" mate may OWE you for new bearings and/or chain... ::)

Ride safe til its sorted...

[Taylor911]

Your "funny" mate may OWE you for new bearings and/or chain... ::)

Ride safe til its sorted...
Aye, Too right!
Very unfunny.

Cheers, mate.

[470four]

If somebody, mate or not - repeatedly rode their bike into the back of mine I would ziptie their hands & feet & let them see the humour content in me trying to run over their head. ;)

[jonnydangerous]

aaaaah, you need a can of "chain un-cruncher"...try searching on google...

no, seriously, where do you live? one of us grubby mechanic types could have a quick squint at it for you, theres a lot of helpful people on here.
im tidworth way, and green man has a very cheap business rate for WBers if youre more trowbridge way....
or better yet, turn up at one of the meets and youll be fighting us grubby types off!

[stretchie_]

Have you got a stand for it? I've not idea if that has a centre stand or if you have an Abba stand or a paddock stand.

Get the rear wheel off the floor and get one one side of the bike.

Spin the wheel by hand, do you hear the same noise? If so see if you can get a mate to spin it while you crawl along the length of the chain to see where the noise is coming from.

Grab the wheel at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions and try to rock it, do you feel any freeplay? Do the same in the 3 and 9 O'clock positions, do you feel any play?

Check the sprockets and see what condition they are in for wear and tear

[Squashed_Fly]

Grab the wheel at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions and try to rock it, do you feel any freeplay? Do the same in the 3 and 9 O'clock positions, do you feel any play?

Check the sprockets and see what condition they are in for wear and tear

This of course will be different, depending on what time of day you do the checks... 8-)

[jonnydangerous]

and if it is british summertime?....

what happens if hes only free to grab the wheel at quarter past four????....... ;D

good advice tho, hope you sort it out soon :-)

[Taylor911]

If somebody, mate or not - repeatedly rode their bike into the back of mine I would ziptie their hands & feet & let them see the humour content in me trying to run over their head. ;)

I wanted to... Was really hacking me off!


aaaaah, you need a can of "chain un-cruncher"...try searching on google...
no, seriously, where do you live? or better yet, turn up at one of the meets and youll be fighting us grubby types off!

Hahh, very funny.
Im not that stupid :P

Im in Leighton Buzzard, Beds.


No, i haven't got a stand.
Need one.
Thanks, ill give the shaking a go, see if it does anything it shouldn't.

[470four]

(Left to right) Sprocket, sprocket carrier bearing & sprocket carrier

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/santav10/DSC05035.jpg

The five plain studs on the back of the carrier bolt through the holes in the sprocket and then fit snugly into rubber bushes in the wheel like this:

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/santav10/DSC03905-2.jpg

The bearing balls & cage in my carrier had been nibbled by stoats and treefrogs eaten themselves either through wear & tear or strange & inconvienient loads through the bearing itself and needed renewing (& a beer, therapy & some cuddles)

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/santav10/DSC05037.jpg

Bless. To check bearing condition, stick a suitable sized digit in its orifice & rotate it backwards & forwards (its NOT illegal and you wont get reported.) It should feel buttery-slick due to the grease trapped inside the bearing, any notchiness, grittiness, free-play or other nastiness will mean the bearing needs renewal... ;)

Spinning the relevant wheel whilst it is still on the wheel will not necessarily show up any problems, the size & weight of the wheel itself overriding any defects in the comparatively small bearing?

[470four]

Did you get this sorted??

[Taylor911]

Yeah mate I did thanks.

It sort of resolved it's self.
I tightened the chain up perfectly, scrubbed the chain with a wire brush and completely re-lubed it with new lube.
Seems to have completely stopped now.

Cheers.

[470four]

Yeah mate I did thanks.

It sort of resolved it's self.
I tightened the chain up perfectly, scrubbed the chain with a wire brush and completely re-lubed it with new lube.
Seems to have completely stopped now.

Cheers.

Cool!

Dont let your mate do you from behind again, can lead to all sorts of complications... :D

[Taylor911]

Haha.
I won't!
::)

[Uber Dave]

Yeah mate I did thanks.

It sort of resolved it's self.
I tightened the chain up perfectly, scrubbed the chain with a wire brush and completely re-lubed it with new lube.
Seems to have completely stopped now.

Cheers.

Cool!

Dont let your mate do you from behind again, can lead to all sorts of complications... :D


Was not me for a change either! Not that I do that.