Track Tac

Chain alinment

P

panther x

New member
Could someone tell me the best way to align my chain the chain gets tight an loose as you turn the wheels an is it a good idea to run a tensioner or how much slack iam I suppose to have.THank You
 
Have you just changed sprockets or is your chain always like that ?
I just ran across my first bad sprocket. Brand new and cut wrong.
Naturally I adjusted the chain at a loose point and when I went to spin the axle it wouldn't make one revolution.
On our clone I check my chain adjustment at the top rear side cover bolt.
I move the top of the chain to even with the bottom of the bolt head and if the bottom of the chain when moved up is at the top of the bolt head, I call it good.
About an inch.
 
Sometimes play in the motor mount will cause this kicking the motor alittle sideways.....try to push on the exhause toward the seats slightly when you tighten the mount and see if it helps. But also check the rear sprocket to make sure its matched.
 
Make sure the clutch and sprocket are aligned, motor mount tight and the chain adjusted where it should be. Loosen the sprocket nuts so they are finger tight, just enough that the sprocket can move if it needs to but not loose enough that it rattles around. Then spin the axle with the wheels on. The spinning chain should help line up the sprocket. When the tight spot goes away, squeeze the chain so the sprocket doesn't move. While keeping the chain squeezed, begin tightening the nuts by starting with the middle nut on each sprocket half then alternating tightening the others. You don't have to torque them down, just tighten them enough so the sprocket halves don't move. When they are snugged down, try spinning the rear axle again. I've found that your problem usually comes from the two halves of the sprocket not being spaced exactly correctly.
 
I take the chain off and eyeball the clutch sprocket and axle sprocket while the kart is up on the stand.
If you look really closely, you can see misalignment.
I've had to hog out the mounting holes on my engine to get the clutch to move into alignment.
When I re-install the chain I look for the chain to run in the middle of both sprockets and that the axle will spin several revs.
Ideally (so people say) a laser is the best option.
My eyeball method works well.
I've got sprockets that look almost new even w/several races on them.
 
I tighten everything up like I'm going to race it and roll the rear wheels backwards. When it stops, the rear sprocket (where it meets the chain on the top) should be in the middle of the chain. If the rear sprocket is to one side or the other inside the chain, I adjust the sprocket hub as necessary until it's in the middle when it stops spinning.
 
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We have had a slightly bent axle in the past that caused sprocket runout. You may want to check axle runout where sprocket hub mounts. We fixed it by installing new axle.
 
Run a floating hub, eyeball sprockets from rear, and a 1/2 to 3/4 play. If I ever loosen a engine or move the gear hub i always spin the rear a few times to line it all up. Always tighten your gears in the two middle holes away from the split in the gears.
 
Tight and loose chain as you turn is usually a bent axle. Make sure the numbers stamped on the sprocket half's are facing the same direction. I use a small carpenters L square to make sure the motor is square to the axle (it usually isn't) You need to remove the sprocket hub to do that, it's a big job but worth doing once per season. Buy the laser alignment tool that sits on the sprocket, they're cheap and easy to use. On top of all that I run a floater as well.
 
First of all remember you are using your chain to connect two sprockets together. That is a power motive connection and a change can and does occur as the chain and sprockets rotate and that gives the harmonic movement in the chain. The chain does not strike the sprockets in the same places in every rotation of the sprocket. Adding a new drive sprocket and using old rear sprockets and the same chain will actually cause a bind in the rotation if the chain is adjusted properly the first time it is set up with any given ratio. That Is when you hear your sprockets are facing the wrong way, or that something is wrong with your set up. Understanding the fact that in kart racing sprocket changes, chassis set ups will yield many different variables for you to deal with.

Learn to swap the sprockets on the rear so that they do not see the same rotation every time You use that sprocket. If you notice it starts to fish hook on the sprocket tooth end....... because that will let you know your chain has too much slack. If your clutch driver shows the fish hook pattern again way too much slack.
Chain alignment starts on the stand but when the kart sits on the shop floor or the grid check how much slack is in the chain? If you can move the top portion of the chain sitting on the grid 3/4 of an inch and one side of the rear sprocket is worn YOU goofed up on the set up while it was on the stand........!
scott@chaindraggone.net
 
I've had a brand new chain give a tight slack feeling. Removed and cleaned all the packing grease off and problem solved. The grease made it stiff, so it didn't mesh well with the sprockets.
 
I have also had on occasion that if you use a chain break and over tighten the link when pushing the pin back together that will make that link stiff and not roll freely
 
X2 Jeff...

I tighten the mount with necessary slack, then slide gear and hub back and forth until the tooth is centered between links, tighten sprocket hub and away you go. Just be sure your mount isn't crooked. I also use a frame clamp on chain guide.
 
Always be sure to clean the grease off new chains, that stuff is nasty and is just meant to be a preservative, not meant to be a lube for new chains. Scott has a good point about rechecking the chain tension with the kart on the ground and driver in the kart, chassis flex with the driver in the kart will cause the chain tension to loosen up once the kart is on the ground and has a load on it, most people dont even think about this part.
 
If the chain gets tight and loose when you spin the axle, I would say that your problem is a bent chain. The chains get bent pretty easy nowadays
 
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