Honda how to: tighten your chain
POSTED: 25/05/2022
Tighten your bike chain the right way
Sometimes new or inexperienced riders need assistance with motorcycle maintenance and we're here to help. Today we've asked our Matt to walk us through how you tighten your chain on a Honda motorcycle. Learning skills like this is a great way to get to know your machine and really understand how things go together.
Rest assured that if this job becomes too much to bear, it's nothing to worry about - everyone has a different level of mechanical knowledge and skills. Luckily we have experts waiting to help you here at Maidstone Honda. Just drop us a call to get your bike booked in.
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Step-by-step guide
Loosen up the axle nut
The axle nut is basically the thing keeping your wheel where it is. By loosening this nut you get free movement of the tyre, allowing you to amend your chain's slack or tightness. It can depend on your motorcycle model, but usually for this task you will need a rachet and the correct socket.
Undo locking nuts and adjust chain tension
Now you want to undo your chain locking nuts with two wrenches of the correct size. You'll be able to tighten your chain by twisting the appropriate nut, but make sure you're measuring the slack of the chain as you go and do not over tighten it!
Check wheel alignment and tighten adjustment nuts
If you are happy with the chain tightness, you can now focus on aligning your wheel by either using the notches on the swing arm or a ruler -as seen in the video. Make sure both sides are equal. This is really important, to make sure you get them as even as possible.
Check your chain tension again
After tightening the adjustment nuts, it is key to do another check on your chain's tension before moving on to the next step. Over tightening your chain can cause damage and potentially even snap. Be sure to check your user manual.
Tighten your axle nuts
Now it is time for your last task in the process, tighten your axle nuts using a torque wrench with specifications in your motorcycle user manual.
Don't be embarrassed to get expert help
Not everyone is blessed with mechanical skills! We have an expert team of motorcycle technicians that would be very happy to help you with even the simplest of tasks.
Book your bike in today
Call us on 01622 713950
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