Chain binding up in clutch housing *chain taught*

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highfuel90

New Member
May 1, 2012
24
0
0
bayville
Hello everyone,

Ive been building bikes for about a year now and i ran into a serious problem,
I built a great mb and it has over 1200 miles on it. Now ive had everything in the book happen from chain misalignments, seized engines, bent frame, and chains completely shearing off. Mind you my bike is a real runner. Upon leaving for two months and returning i went to start my bike. Started great and everything was good untill i pulled out the clutch for the third time. Chain snagged inside the clutch housing in the usual spot. So naturally their is an alignment issue or a chain with too much slop. So i put my tensioner on the higher setting (now the top chain has 1/2 inch deflection) i go to restart it same thing happens. Compression is perfect and the engine turns over but the chain keeps getting caught. The chain is aligned fine too so ive repeated the process so much idk where to turn. Btw i was pulling clutch out slowly at 10mph.
Using nice 41 chain btw*
Any help would be great.
:-||
 
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2door

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
How are you checking your chain alignment? When the chain binds in the engine that's usually an indication of a loose chain or one out of alignment. Every engine I've had has had chain interference problems just ahead of the sprocket. The space provided by the casting is tight and any slop in the chain can cause a binding condition or at the very least the chain will rub.
If you remove the clutch actuating cover and clean it you will see where the chain has been rubbing. That's where it can bind. You can grind that area to reduce the possibility of the chain hitting.

You might also have a link or several links that are not swiveling smoothly. Do you lubricate your chain? It should have no twists, kinks or binding links anywhere over its length. Pull it over your finger and watch that all links run smoothly over it.

Does your rear, driven sprocket have any wobble to it? It must be concentric with the rear hub with no vertical or horizontal wobble. If that sprocket is not concentric to the hub (centered) it will cause a chain to go loose then tight as it rotates which can also contribute to the problem you're having.

Tom
 
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highfuel90

New Member
May 1, 2012
24
0
0
bayville
Hi, the chain is lubed every week, and excess wiped off.

I have a rear hub adapter, no wobble. and the clutch housing has been dremeled already... chain is straight
 
maniac57

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
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0
memphis Tn
highfuel90 said:
Hi, the chain is lubed every week, and excess wiped off.

I have a rear hub adapter, no wobble. and the clutch housing has been dremeled already... chain is straight
Click to expand...
If the chain is not binding in the cover, it has to be a problem in the shaft or geartrain. I'd pull the clutch cover and inspect the gears for problems. Does the clutch cover have fresh rub marks from the chain? Sometimes a different chain will have a wider profile even if it's the same number size. Does the sprocket turn with no chain on it?
 
crassius

crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
4,032
158
63
USA
take the spark plug out and the cover off the drive sprocket side - watch the chain go around as you turn the back wheel to see why it's binding - may be just one bad link or maybe the engine got loose and is leaning to the left
 
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