Before the site got redone I saw a great post of how to pull the chain off and I cant seem to find it anymore...anyone insterested in sharing there knowledge on this? I'm also trying to pull the rear tire so I can paint my swingarm. Laid the bike down so I gotta make some cosmetic repairs

 

Lets see...

Do you know how to remove the rear wheel?

First...put your bike on the stands

To remove the rear wheel:

1. remove cotter pin on axle

2. remove castle nut

3. Pull rear brake off of rotor

4. push axle through wheel, pull out from the right side

5. wheel should slide out of swingarm

For the chain....are you replacing it? If so, get a chain breaker ($20 or less) from local shop or dealer. Follow instructions to remove the chain.

If you want to save it you will have to pull the swingarm as well, which means normal stands will not work.

Hopefully I remembered everything ...good luck.

 

Normally with the swing arm off, the chain will come off.

 

so if I am going to be replacing the chain I don't need to pull the swing arm off? I might end up getting a new chain then...pulling the swing arm seems like a bit much, though I don't mind doing it. Is there anything I should know about re aligning the back tire once it is re mounted? I heard somewhere that you should count the threads on the spacers on either side

 

well, i made a nifty tool to inspect alignment.. sadly, (unless you're a machinist and have a toolroom all your own, and a CNC) you'll have to do one of a few things.

A. trust the markings stamped into the axle carrier. (i don't, but they'll get you very close)
B. buy/rent alignment tool. they're about $26 from motion pro.http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/...lignment_tool/
C.use the marks to get you roughed in, take a few measurements from both sides and average the wheel true, then spin it backwards. chains will be noisey in the opposite dirsction when they'rer not running true. it'll make ALOT more noise going backwards than forwards.. once the noise is the same, tighten and ride.

oh, do this with the axle in, and just berely tightened down.. you still want the axle to move freely, but you want the swingarm compressed in as well to eliminate axial play.

 

Some bikes allow the chain to be removed with the wheel off (very few) Some allow it to be removed with the swing arm off - but I'm not a great lover of removing the swing arn unless you really have to. Some bikes actually have the chain threaded through the swing arm - my ER-6f is one.

Best answer is to get a chain rivet extractor and riveting tool - or an extractor and then fit a spring link. These are fine for road use on most bikes under about 60 bhp. Above that a measure of caution is needed, but as long as they're fitted properly (blind end of the spring clip facing the direction of chain travel) they're generally OK.

The cotter pin on the rear axle nut should be replaced every time it's removed. I'll admit to reusing them a couple of times.


Generally the marks on the swing arm (or counting the threads on the adjuster) is good enough for alignment. If you want it really accurate you must use a pair of straightedges set along the rear wheels to the front wheels, positioned about 6" above the ground so that they trouch the tyre before and after the axle. As the rear tyre is wider than the front, then you're looking for the gap between the straightedge and the front tyre to be the same on both sides. Alignment tools that measure the axle angle or anything similar are operating over too short a distance for real accuracy.


Rob

 

That is correct about the chain. I usually use the swingarm marks to align my wheel, they are very close on my bike, if not dead on. Get a 520 kit when you get the new chain, you can get them here http://www.pit-bull.com/sprocket-conversion-types.shtml, that is where I got mine and it come with everything you need.

 

ah, paint the swingarm while in place. I was thinking that you were going to remove it for painting. Get a good chain tool then.

 

Don't get a cheap one, I did and it broke when I was trying to rivet the new chain. Local shop uses an air-hammer if you have one.

 

I definitely have access to all of the above mentioned tools, I'm a welder/stainless fabricator most of the time. Can you break down the master link(pull clips off and what not), and unhook the chain for removal, and then just put it all back together the same way, re routing the chain back through?