Rear wheel alignment question.
 

Tonight I got around to inspecting my chain for stretch and also for sag.

It was way ok for stretch but it was at the 60mm limit being a little loose.
That led to a trip to ACE hardware to get a 27mm socket and a cotter pin (what is the proper fit as I eye balled it)

So I pulled it out just enough to move each side one notch and then made sure the pin was tight up against the adjuster and tightened the axle back down and called it good. I did not that even one notch put me out of spec being a tad too tight but I guess you fight your battles. I think it was about 45mm not the min 50mm.

The manual cautions against placing the wheel in crooked understandably but do I need to take any measurements beyond just making sure the adjusters are the same on each side and snug on the pin?

Thanks.

Sight along the rear sprocket, along the chain. Make sure it is all straight. Or if you want to do it properly here is a guide SportRyder's Wheel Alignment Method

Well I decided to take another look at it this morning. I made made a little "jig" out of a straight edge. I basically drew a straight line down the straight edge so I could sight the outer pins along this line. Placing the straight edge square on the sprocket I aligned the pins of the chain with my line.

At the same time I watch how the sprocket was seating on the chain rollers. I would spin the wheel each time I adjusted it to see if the sprocket was lining up with the center of the pins. Luckily the pins were centered on the sprocket when my jig was telling me it was straight.

The only problem, which just appears to be the way it is, is that the left adjuster and right are NOT at the exact same spot. I was hoping that it would all be line up nice like that and I am not sure why they are off but the chain line seems to be accurate this way. With both on the same spot on the adjusters the chain line was not as good.

No biggie... once you have it right, use "bolt rotations" to make the adjustments. If you back out one side 2 turns, match the other side with 2 turns. Same for tightening... just count bolt rotations instead of using the tick marks. I use that same technique when loosening/tightening my snowmobile tracks.

I like to measure from the centerline of the swingarm pivot to the centerline of the rea axle as accurately as I can possibly can, THEN do the same number of adjuster bolt revolutions from there on out.

The notch in the adjusters are all you need to get it lined back up. And as you said as long as you tap the wheel back to the adjuster you should be good. It would be better to run a chain a little longer a little loose than to have a chain get too tight when the suspension goes down. ;)

That was certainly the logic I used last night (getting it on the same adjuster and shug to it) but the chain line was not perfect.

No problem thank goodness on my morning commute which was about 50 miles round trip. I may tinker with it still some more. Right now the right side is not snug up to the adjuster. I started to think that it will likely slide during riding until it is. It did not but I bet it will. I don't think that going up an entire notch on that side will work as the chain line will be out in the other direction. If it is snug the sprocket rides the outside chain plates and right now the chain is riding right in the middle not touch the plates. I actually think the chain is a little quieter.

I was also a bit worried on the play. Dang the 10mm spread is did not even allow one adjustment. Since I am only riding on road it will likely be fine the way it is and it will be back in spec in no time for sure.

Ok now school me on the bolt rotations. I just held the left side and loosen the right. Is the not correct? Are you talking about moving the axle left/right?

I think I may be getting it. My chain line may be a bit off with the adjusters correct since the wheel is left/right out and this is adjusted with the bolts??

Sorry for the newbie bike questions.

rgoers is explaining what needs to be done on a 09+ bike. The chain adjustment for yours is totally different

Good catch! I knew they were different but I was not on my game :)

Sorry... didn't know it was different on the older models. :o

Yes, the '06-'07 models look like the pic below and don't easily lend themselves to fine-tuning alignment.

Attachment 12497

It does seem like the adjustments are a bit too large anyway. It would be better with finer increments.

At this point since my cam is not touching the pin on one side it may slide with use. However, the worst it will do is slide until it contacts and that is about where it started. Not as good a line but it should not be an a big deal.

I could see if it would go to the next spot but its aligned well now and I hate to mess with it.

WOW! The '09 setup is much better to get things setup symmetrical. OTOH, it takes a lot longer to loosen the chain (i.e. for counter-sprocket changes) than it would with the older setup.

If I line mine up on the same numbers on the cam the chain line is not as good as if it is slightly off. I doubt it is a whole notch off but I have the right side a mm or so from actually touching the cam and the chain line is a lot better. So if it had a finer increment I would say it is a good set up.

Like a meet or something? That would be cool.

I will play with mine a bit more. Not tracking? You mean I am not clear? I just meant that on the right side my cam is spaced 1mm from touching the pin. So I expect it to eventually slip forward until it does. With my street riding though it may not. Not rocket science but if they are the way they should be the sprocket rides the outside of the chain a bit and my make shift jig tells me that the line is off a bit. My ear tells me it is better too. Quieter.

Absolutely the best way to do an adjustment! I don't trust the stamped lines. A tape measure makes it right. Then I do the flat adjustment from there.

By the way a bit loose is far better than even a bit too tight. Too tight can wear the chain, possibly break it or damage the hub or worse yet the countershaft bearings.

Thanks klx678. I loosened it back down so I would not risk any of these rather nasty potential problems.

I looked at my alignment more and no doubt that having them on the same cam indent is not the best alignment. If I align to the front sprocket, I have to pull the right side back 1-2mm from the left side. One cam adjustment is out as much but the other direction. I settled on rotating the cam halfway so it does not really sit as designed but it is better.

When I spin the wheel the chain maintains space on either side so it does not touch the plates. My jig shows the chain is in line with the rear sprocket so that reinforces my thoughts.

Have you changed your front sprocket? If so, is the shoulder different than stock so the cs is sitting closer or further from the engine case? That would cause the adjuster snails to need that in between setting on one side to make the chainline look right but it would actually be off.
re tracking off: front and rear wheel not in the exact same track when going perfectly straight ahead. The rear wheel would be trying to go just a little right or left.

No the front (both) sprockets are stock. Its a pretty small difference. I may at some point check the entire front/rear alignment but I am pretty certain that if everyone went and watched their chain to make sure the chain ran exactly center on the sprocket ( not to the left or right and the sprocket teeth contacting the plates) we would find that most do not.