Crunching banging sounds

I thought that it was just gravel hitting the front fender/mud guard
extender until now.

My bike has been making crunching gravel sounds when I do anything
with the clutch in 1st or 2nd gear, I thought it was just gravel as I
only noticed it when I first set off and so didn't do anything
creative about it.

Over the last couple of days I've been doing a lot of low speed stuff
and manouvers (Stay tuned: 20th September) and today I realised that
it's still doing it, even when there's no gravel about.

I visited Sainsbury's car park so that I could have a play and see if
it did it in any other situations. Crunching/branging sound appears
in every gear. I tried it slowly while letting the clutch bite in 1-4
(Couldn't hear it after that due to engine noise while going slowly)
but it's most pronounced when going up hills in 1st or 2nd.

After a few minutes of playing in Sainsburys car park and leaning off
and listening at various angles it appears that the sound was coming
from the rear.

I hopped off and stuck it on its centre stand and plonked in 1st gear.
Rear zooms around as normal, even if I use the throttle. Even under
load (Lesson learned today: don't press on your rear tyre hard with
your foot if you want your leg attached still) it didn't do anything
unexpected. Up to 2nd gear while on the stand and crunching noise
appears again. After a quick look around the noise is coming from the
chain hitting the swingarm(?)

My rear tyre was replaced very recently so I assume that they could
have 'adjusted' the chain while they had the wheel off as I never
noticed it before. Another factor could be that I adjusted the rear
suspension (Thanks Robbo) to maximum recently (I suppose that could
make a difference with the chains slackness?)

Quest for tomorrow: Adjust chain - first time ever. I have both the
Kawasaki manual and the Book of Lies to hand. Now all I need is a
clue.

<fx. Crosses fingers>

 

BGN wrote

**** me do you ever.

Don't do that Nick, it *will* end in tears.

 

It's not *that* difficult if you have the HBoL to hand.

If you get stuck you have my mobile number and I am in/around Rye tomoz
during the day exercising the dog and having an easy day out at the beach
etc so feel free to call if assistance over the phone is required.
I know you are toward Folkestone/Dover way so we could call back that
direction if needed etc.


--


R o b b o

Trophy 1200 1998
BotaFOF #19. E.O.S.M 2001/2002/2003/2004.
B.O.S.M 2003, 2004, 2005
FURSWB#1 KotL..YTC449
PM#7
..

 

A word of caution if the chain's got a few miles on it: check the
slack, turn the wheel, check the slack, turn the wheel... ad boredom.
They rarely wear evenly and it's all too easy to adjust 'em on a slack
bit.

This reminds me: I haven't checked the TL's chain for a while...

 

It was changed at 10km just before I bought it. It's done 18.3k now.

I will check the slack, turn wheel, check slack... I don't have a
torque wrench though. Is one really, really important or can I just
tighten it by feel?

 

Get ready for "Hello Robbo dear, my wheel just fell off can you tell
me how to put it back on?" call later on.

 

10,000 miles 13,300

<sigh>

 

8

OHFUCKITI'MGOINGTOHAVEASHOWER.

 

Yes. Two grunts.

 

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 10:52:20 +0100,

Fuckit. It's worse now that it was before I started.

The Book of Lies instructs me to do this:

""
Rotate the rear wheel until the chain is positioned with the least
amount of slack present.

Remove the R-pin from the torque link nut and loosen the nut, then
remove the split pin and loosen the axle nut. Loosen and back off the
locknuts on the adjusters.

Turn the adjuster nuts on both sides of the swingarm until the proper
chain tension is obtained (get the adjuster on the chain side close,
then set the adjuster on the opposite side). Turn the nuts in
(clockwise) to tighten the chain. In the event that the chain is too
tight, back off the adjuster nuts and kick the rear wheel forwards to
reposition the chain adjuster in the swingarm slots. Make sure that
the notch on the top of each chain adjuster aligns with the same mark
on each side of the swingarm, if necessary turn the adjuster nots as
required to achieve this.

Tighten the axle nut to the torque listed <snip>

Tighten the locknuts against the adjuster nuts. Tighten the torque
link nut to the torque listed... ... and fit the R-pin
""

But I can't make the chain any tighter. It's on the 3rd notch out of
6, but there's nothing that I can do to get it closer to the 2nd or
1st notch. That's even with kicking forwards and pulling backwards.

The Kawasaki manual suggests:

""
1) Remove the safety clip from the rear torque link nut.
2) Loosen the rear torqiue link nut
3) ...Then goes to explain what the Book of Lies explains.
""

1 & 2 aren't mentioned in the BoL and I can't for the life of me do
anything with that nut. It might as well be welded on. Can't get any
movement out of it whatsoever even with a fearsome amount of WD40.

Oddly enough, both the BoL and the Kawasaki manual show the axle
nut/split pin on the OTHER side of the wheel

I can't make the chain any tighter either. Mr. ER-5 is now "off the
road" until I can get some bugger to offer more clues.

 

<snip>

I can't see what you're doing wrong.

If you want to tighten the chain, turn the chain adjuster bolts at the
ends of the swinging arm clockwise, one spanner flat at a time each.

If you want to slacken the chain, get the axle nut really slack, turn
the adjuster nuts anti-clockwise (maybe a whole turn at a time), and
apply a boot to the rear tyre. Then tighten as above.

 

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 12:33:10 +0100,

I've just had a natter to Robbo on the phone who has identified the
'mystery item' as the thinger that stops the rear brake rotating. The
Haynes manual shows a picture of it, but doesn't mention it at all or
suggest touching it.

 

I've done 'something' to it and it all appears to fit back together
and I haven't got anything spare. I'm just going to go out for a
short ride to see if it's all working properly still.

In case you never hear from me again I distribute my motorcycle shit
as follows:

Auvache can have the remains of my bike to do with as he wishes.

Mark (WC) can have my lovely new motorcycle boots, or he can
distribute them to someone else if he's not got size 13 cloddopps.

Robbo can have my selection of tuits, although the round ones can be
passed on to others should he wish.

Haynes manual to the lowest unique bidder.

Wish me luck.

 

BGN wrote

A monument to your complete lack of knowledge but total defiance
regardless of the odds would seem appropriate. I'll break it on ebay
and buy ukrm a drink with the proceeds.

Good luck.

Straight home if you have doubts eh? We haven't had a Queen[1] before
and I really don't fancy breaking in a new one.


[1] Other than the usual gang of drama queens but I wasn't thinking of
that.

 

I've said it before, you're a gentleman, Auvache. I can't think of a
more fitting memorial.

I stuck a couple of tools in my pockets and brought the Kawasaki
manual with me. If it didn't work then I was going to sit at the side
of the road until I'd fixed it, regardless of time, without going
home. I even left my "Green flag" card at home so I wouldn't be
tempted to call them to rescue me.

It's much nicer to ride, changing gears and plonking in the clutch is
no longer followed with a bonking[1] sensation. It also seems
smoother under accelleration. A result. The manual says the maximum
slack should be 45mm. The worst parts were 70mm before adjusting.

The only roadside repair was to the rear brake, which I forgot to
adjust back to a working position. Just required a few twiddles of
the nut.

[1] Can't think of a better word.

 

That's the brake torque arm, and no, you don't need to touch it during
chain adjustment - only when removing the rar wheel.

 

That's the brake torque arm, and no, you don't need to touch it during
chain adjustment - only when removing the rar wheel.[/QUOTE]

Mr Kawasaki thought otherwise, and it all works now.

 

Mr Kawasaki thought otherwise, and it all works now.[/QUOTE]

Bizarre. I don't think I've ever faffed with a torque arm when adjusting
a chain.

Brake operating rod and adjuster, yes.

 

Bizarre. I don't think I've ever faffed with a torque arm when adjusting
a chain.

Brake operating rod and adjuster, yes.[/QUOTE]

Perhaps it's just fucked.

It started doing it again <sigh> I pulled over on a roundabout and
took some mobile phone porn video of it:

http://hayn.gotadsl.co.uk/bike/chain.3gp

The compression the phone uses makes it look like the chain comes
around in clumps, which it doesn't, but just look at the field of
movement (how far up and down) it goes - this is stationary while on
the side stand.

Should it do this?

 

I've just had a natter to Robbo on the phone who has identified the

That could be a few tight spots here and there, or just plain crud sticking
the links in various places..

Try using some chain lube, ride for a while, check the situation again and
tighten a little more.
If you imagine the chain as a straight line between the bottom of each
sprocket then about half to three quarters of an inch movement from that
centreline when you push the chain in the middle up or down would be about
right.
Others may disagree so check the HBoL.
If in doubt have a "Man" look at it.


--


R o b b o

Trophy 1200 1998
BotaFOF #19. E.O.S.M 2001/2002/2003/2004.
B.O.S.M 2003, 2004, 2005
FURSWB#1 KotL..YTC449
PM#7
..