GPZ500z (follow up) + front brake +chain?

Hi again,

The mysterious add-on switch actually lit up today when the ignition
was turned on and the cooling fan ran (cold). Turning it off and back
on, it seems to be pot luck whether it comes on or not, so something is
amiss somewhere, but at least I now know what it was for.

Starting to work on the second example of the GPZ, the front
(hydraulic) brake was sticking on and very soft at the lever compared
to the first GPZ. I removed the caliper, freed off the pistons and bled
it and bled it and bled it. Nothing I did would make the lever as firm
as that of the first example. The lever could be pulled all the way
bake to the hand grip.

I notice that the first example has a much thinner flexible pipe which
appears to be made of woven stainless steel, whereas the second one
seems to have a rubber pipe with an outer spring protecting rubber. Is
it normal for this type to provide such a soft feel at the lever?

Next I started looking at the final drive chain, which was completely
clapped out. Still loose with the spindle adjuster all the way back, so
obviously in need of replacement. I started looking for the split link
so I could remove it for a closer look, but I couldn't find one.

Are split links no longer used on bikes, or might this still be the
original chain from when it was first built?

 

The steel woven ones are known as braided brake hoses. They're the
same as the others, ie a rubber tube, but with a braided metal (a
variety of metals are used) sleeve around them. This sleeve stops the
tube expanding under pressure so that more pressure is transferred to
the brake piston. All other things being equal braided hoses will
result in a firmer feel at the lever than normal hoses.

Split links are still used but it's more common to use an endless
chain. Basically it's like a bicycle chain and joined using a similar
(but larger) tool.

New chains often come with a split link so you can fit them in either
way. Hack sawing the old one off is the easiest way to remove it.

 

Ben posted:

Not always - if you can grind the tops of the link pins out, you can
break the old chain, attach the end of the new chain and pull it through
the workings. Disconnect the old chain and then join the ends of the
new one, et voila.

 

I'm sorry but my angle grinder won't fit hacksaw blades.

 

It must still have some affect on the expansion of the tube.

 

Simian brought next idea :

The hacksaw blades are all cheap Chinese copies of proper blades, so
the grinderette with metal cutting blade will have to do ;-)

Thanks for the replies, I was just a bit concerned that chain split
links might not be permitted on a bike of this speed and performance.

 

I appear to have swallowed my tongue.

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Harry Bloomfield

For a cooking 500 like that, you could probably fit a split link and get
away with it, but anything larger would definitely need an endless
chain.

It's just a question of relative safety - if you were mad enough, you
could find a split link for a GSXR1000 chain, but you'd probably regret
it.

--

Dave

GS 850 x2 / SE 6a
SbS#6 DIAABTCOD#16 APOSTLE#6 FUB#3
FUB KotL OSOS#12? UKRMMA#19 COSOC#10

 

Grimly Curmudgeon posted:

In the spirit of me questioning things about chains, why?

Split link has two sideplates, held on by a clip. Is that link weaker
than the rest? What makes those sideplates worse? Or is it that as the
chain "stretches", the pins moving away from the centre of the
sideplates causes the clip to ping off?

If it's the first case, fair enough. If it's the second case, then the
risk would be the same on just about any bike, as all chains will wear.
As smaller bikes have thinner chains, these wouldn't last that much
longer than the ones on bigger bikes. Or would they?

If it's a third case, please explain.

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the

Under normal use, accelerating and decelerating, and also subjected to
rear wheel movement, a chain tends to leap around a fair bit. On a small
bike with modest power, I'd be quite happy with a split link, the amount
of power that's there probably isn't enough to cause any problems as far
as distorting and twisting goes.

A split link is an imperfect thing. It's a solution to a problem which
dates back to the Edwardian bicycle, and tbh, that's where it belongs.


If you have something like a hundred horsepower or greater going through
a chain, any tendency to leap and twist and ping the split link clip off
will be much greater. Once that happens, there's nothing to stop the
link working its way out and possibly jamming in the area round the
front sprocket, leading to smashed crankcases. Worst case scenario is
the freed chain gets tangled up and locks the rear wheel.
Even if it doesn't and all that happens is the bike sheds the chain on
the road, it's still bloody inconvenient.

It's generally accepted that split links have a place, but only on
smaller bikes. As I said up there, you could go round to the nearest
industrial chain supplier and find a split link for a GixxerThou chain,
but I certainly wouldn't want to ride that bike.

<cue folk telling how they rode 100bhp bikes for years with splitlinks>

--

Dave

GS 850 x2 / SE 6a
SbS#6 DIAABTCOD#16 APOSTLE#6 FUB#3
FUB KotL OSOS#12? UKRMMA#19 COSOC#10