Factory Tech Tip: How to Adjust Chain Tension
Have you ever wondered how a factory mechanic would do a number of bike maintenance tasks? Well, wonder no longer. We have teamed up with former factory mechanic Scott Adkins of Pro SX MX Tech to show you exactly how the professional teams in the pits of Monster Energy Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross go about taking care of their rides.
Scotty's got credentials, too; he's worked as a mechanic on both series for 12 years and wrenched with some top talent like Nick Wey, Ryan Sipes, Jeremy Martin, and Christophe Pourcel, to name a few. So sit back, relax, and in this installment you'll learn how to properly adjust your chain tension.
At a Glance:
Remove the rear shock so that you're able to freely move the swingarm up and down. See where the chain tension is all the way through the arch, if it starts to bind anywhere in the process the chain is too tight. Ideally, you'd like a little bit of slack where it passes the halfway point of the arch, which is where it's most tight. During your races, that's where the swingarm is, generally around the middle of the arch since it's moving up and down constantly. After you've found the sweet spot, put the rear shock back on. Next, go ahead and measure the amount of slack you have right off the back of the chain slider while pushing down on the chain and keep that number in mind for future adjustments. In our case on this YZ250F, it was about 15mm.
ABOUT NAMURA TECHNOLOGIES
Pistons and Gaskets Coming from decades of Powersports aftermarket manufacturing, Namura continues to impress riders and dealers alike with their aggressive development and innovative product design and manufacturing in MX and ATV Pistons and Gaskets. Based out of the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Namura is taking piston quality and durability to another level.
