1st build...Problems!

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jimmykicker

New Member
Jul 28, 2011
14
0
0
Birmingham, Alabama
Hey guys, I just put my kit on today, but I am have a TON of trouble with the chain coming off. Sometimes slipping off the back sprocket, and sometimes the front one is coming off requiring me to remove the cover to get it back on. I haven't been able to keep it on long enough to even get it going. In otherwords, the motor hasn't even been run yet....

Chain is "clunky" and crunchy" when I spin the wheel with the rear end elevated (clutch disengaged). Hangs up and won't turn.... and wants to come off...even with no load on it...Really frustrating me. Seems to be inline and I don't see why this is happening! I don't understand...Thinking of doing away with the tensioner as I think that may be the problem.

Any suggestions?



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Jeckler

New Member
Jun 4, 2013
101
0
0
Mesa, AZ
Remove a link. You have WAY too much slack in that chain, and the tensioner is maxed out.
And check the front sprocket. If the teeth are squared off, take a dremel to it and round off the tops a little bit.
 
wheelbender6

wheelbender6

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
4,059
221
63
TX
The devil is in the details. Sit on he ground behind the bike. The tensioner should be aligned on a straight line between your front and rear sprocket. If not, the tensioner becomes a derraileur and throws the chain off. Also, look to see that the chain is aligned with the rear sprocket (the chain should not come off the sprocket at an angle to the left or right). If the chain is not aligned with the sprocket, you can adjust the rear wheel left or right to make it so. Add/remove spacers from the sides of the rear wheel until you achieve good chain alignment.
 
magrider

magrider

Member
Aug 24, 2010
511
1
16
OrangeCounty, CA
agreed, chain alignment is most important. I personally don't use the tensioner, It's not needed. then you have the problem with chain tension, take links out of the chain. next issue with MTN bike frames you cannot move the rear axle to adjust the chain, so maybe you can use spacers to move the engine away from the seat tube for proper tension. if your using a ragjoint make sure there is no wobble when the wheel spins. you might have to try different size sprockets to get proper chain tension. good luck
 
CTripps

CTripps

Active Member
Aug 22, 2011
1,310
1
38
Vancouver, B.C.
Take the idler wheel off the tensioner, break the chain on the top run, turn the back wheel to pull the bottom run taught. Pull the upper run from the back wheel until it's snug and figure out how many links to lose. After I take those links out, I use a zip-tie or piece of wire to draw the ends of the chain together, pop in a masterlink (some here don't use them, I do) and you should be good. Put the idler wheel back in if you need to. On MTB frames I find the chain tensioner to be more useful as a guide to keep the chain off my chainstays.

Oh, and if you're using a quick-release rear hub, make sure your wheel is straight vertically and aligned properly. I usually hand tighten the off side of a QR hub to the point where I need to slip a wrench over the release lever to force it 'closed'. I've had my QR rear hub shift due to the motor's pull, bringing the wheel out of alignment.
 
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jimmykicker

New Member
Jul 28, 2011
14
0
0
Birmingham, Alabama
CTripps said:
Take the idler wheel off the tensioner, break the chain on the top run, turn the back wheel to pull the bottom run taught. Pull the upper run from the back wheel until it's snug and figure out how many links to lose. After I take those links out, I use a zip-tie or piece of wire to draw the ends of the chain together, pop in a masterlink (some here don't use them, I do) and you should be good. Put the idler wheel back in if you need to. On MTB frames I find the chain tensioner to be more useful as a guide to keep the chain off my chainstays.

Oh, and if you're using a quick-release rear hub, make sure your wheel is straight vertically and aligned properly. I usually hand tighten the off side of a QR hub to the point where I need to slip a wrench over the release lever to force it 'closed'. I've had my QR rear hub shift due to the motor's pull, bringing the wheel out of alignment.
Click to expand...
Don't use master links? Is there another choice? By the way, I was out of town. Sorry I haven't replied. I haven't had any time to even try to work out this problem. I am probably going to screw with it when I get home today. I think I am going to find that I need to round off the the front sprocket teeth. That seems to be where the hanging is going on at. I remember reading the instructions and they saying something about the fact that the teeth may need to ground some to "look like this" with an enclosed picture. I didn't really pay attention. Do any of you guys have a picture...I mean a real picture of what it oughta look like?

Thanks for all the help fellas.
 
W

wan37

Member
May 29, 2011
354
4
18
Illinois
I always have better luck going with the shiny side out on the back big sprocket on mountain bikes. I also throw stock chain in the trash. I have a grubee 48 cc that came with a 410 chain and the stock chain would always crack and pop so I went to a bike shop and got a 1/2 by 1/8 bmx chain it lasted for like 2yrs and sold the bike but it's still going strong. I have a grubee 80 cc too, I bought 2 packages of chain at wally world 1/2 by 1/8 and put them together and sized the chain so it would fit and then I got 682 mile on it. I'm just letting you know not to get pissed if you can't get the china chain that come it the kit to work. I agree with upper post chain also need to be pretty tight.
 
J

jimmykicker

New Member
Jul 28, 2011
14
0
0
Birmingham, Alabama
Yes, I spent another couple of hours d!cking around with that chain...I took the tensioner completely off and it still fell off. Wan37 you are right. The chain that came with the kit is absolute JUNK. I also noticed that the motor wasn't exactly straight on the bike and that I really couldn't correct. It was so tight in there too. Nothing seemed like it fit well. I initially spent about 8 hours putting this thing together, so yeah I was pretty pissed. I also decided I missed having my Schwinn just to keep on the back of my car that I could ride whenever I wanted to, so I figured either put it on the single speed Raleigh that I have with crummy coaster brakes, or figure something else out. Enter Craigslist. I bought this about 7 pm tonight and I finished swapping the stuff over about an hour ago. Every single piece fit like the kit was made for this bike! Every part cleared. I didn't have to modify anything to make the motor mount up. Super straight too. The bike is I think an 80s or early 90s Huffy. That speckled paint is not stock either...not sure what he was thinking. It is one of the American made ones. Real solid. Got good tires and gel seat. Guy said he'd rode the $h!t out of it for years. He apparently at some point decided to strip it down and took all the derailleur and cable mechanisms off of it and it runs on the 3rd smallest gear on the rear wheel and the largest on the front. Wouldn't be much fun to pedal, but it made for a super easy swap! I may put the stuff back on in if I can find a good cheap donor. Anyway, I bought a chain like you did Wan37, but of course it is too short. It was WAAAAAYYY smoother than the factory chain. Since you did a double joint chain I am gonna do the same. Unfortunately my gas tank started leaking like a sieve around one of the studs after I tightened it. Real awesome quality control...So I have weld up the stud to stop the leaking without blowing myself up. Any suggestions? JB Weld? Anyway, here it is



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