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[beamish]

Rear wheel off my 2009 Efi to renew brake shoes. (In passing Mr.H's brake shoe widening tool is ace!)Whilst at it, scrubbed final drive chain clean in paraffin then left it to soak in old engine oil. After a few days hung said chain up to drain, and a week later refitted it. BUT it is now unexpectedly tight. I had a right struggle to get the split link in with the spindle as far forward as it can possibly go. The bike is on a hydraulic bench with the rear wheel dangling through a removable hatch, so presumably when it is back on terra firma with my 13 stone aboard it will be bow-string tight. What have I done wrong?

[Rattlebattle]

An odd one! The only thought that occurs to me is that maybe the snail cam adjusters are positioned incorrectly? If the spindle is as far forward as possible, is it that with no adjusters fitted it would be in the same position? Otherwise, unless the chain is an original Indian one and is made of knicker elastic I've no further ideas on what the issue could be. Strange.

[vince]

Hi, check that when you fed chain onto front sprocket it pulls backward and forward freely, sometimes a link feeds on like a loop shortening chain. Vince

[Exile]

Taht 'dangling' rear wheel might have something to do with it.. ??

[Revband]

A chain does not shrink, if the sprockets are unchanged it should go straight back on without moving the wheel, only you or someone looking at the bike can tell you what is wrong and let's be honest and perhaps a bit blunt, it ain't hard.

[beamish]

Revband, you are quite right to be blunt; this should be a simple operation, and is one that even I, with my limited skills, have managed successfully on many occasions over the last 50 years of bodging. The reference to a "shrinking" chain was my pathetic attempt at levity! Sorry! But you are quite correct, the only thing to do is to make a brew and go back to basics with my thinking. Exile, good thought, thanks. I had always thought that the chain would be at its tightest when the swing arm is horizontal, and that it would slacken as either one put weight on, say of rider and passenger, and thus depressed the suspension, or if the wheel and swing arm dropped e.g. when negotiating "Ago's Leap" on the Isle of Man. (Not a likely occurrence, I grant you!)Vince, again a sensible suggestion, and something that I have experienced in the past with a Villiers 6E. The fact that the rear wheel spins and the chain runs O.K. over both sprockets seems to rule this out. Rattlebattle, again thanks for your trouble. When I finally managed to fit the chain it was with the adjusters removed to ensure that the spindle was as far forward as physically possible. As I say, I am about to return to my garage to mull it all over. As always thanks for your advice.

[vince]

Hi, just a thought, as you had the brake apart loosen the axle and backplate bolt spin the wheel and wack the brake on, you may find the wheel moves forward. Vince

[ric]

Removed the shocks perchance old boy?

[beamish]

Hi Ric. Why?

[beamish]

Oh sorry ric, I see what you mean. No I did not remove the shocks. Having thought about it I wonder if I have managed to thread the chain over some small carbuncle in the vicinity of the drive sprocket. I'll look tomorrow, after which I hope that I will have egg on my face, and that revband's low opinion of me will have been confirmed!