Chain Stretch???

psprat496

psprat496

New Member
Has anyone experienced extreme chain stretch with the #415 kit chain? I find myself having to re tighten the chain after a good 2 or 3 rides. I know the kit chain sucks but I was just wondering if this amount of stretch is normal considering I have about 300 miles through this chain already and it still stretches.
 
I have had chains that seems to keep stretching 4ever, some eventually stop. Others I have had to just replace.

I have not had any problem with the newer kits in the past 2 years, but before that I would usually replace the chain with a new better quality chain from the get go.
 
Yes, stretching (wear) is normal especially with the kit supplied #415 chain. Adjustments are just something you learn to live with or you replace the chain with a good industrial quality #41. Even a high quality chain will wear in a little and require tightening after a few miles but after that it will retain the tension better and wear a lot less. It is also less prone to having tight links/rollers and run smoother through the sprockets.
Tom
 
2door said:
Yes, stretching (wear) is normal especially with the kit supplied #415 chain. Adjustments are just something you learn to live with or you replace the chain with a good industrial quality #41. Even a high quality chain will wear in a little and require tightening after a few miles but after that it will retain the tension better and wear a lot less. It is also less prone to having tight links/rollers and run smoother through the sprockets.
Tom
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I still run the stock tensioner and as it is right now with the #415 chain running over it, its a pretty tight fit. If I upgrade to the #41 will it not fit on the chain tensioner since the #41 I've heard is wider.
 
psprat496 said:
I still run the stock tensioner and as it is right now with the #415 chain running over it, its a pretty tight fit. If I upgrade to the #41 will it not fit on the chain tensioner since the #41 I've heard is wider.
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It will fit just fine.............
 
#41 is the same width and roller separation just not as tall(and they come in 10' roll, thats 2 chains) .... but i had the stock tensioner on and was working fine. I bought one of them clutch cover spring tension, but the extra space the bolts made after putting it on made my peddle hit the bolt (found out after i took out a few links to make it fit right). So after replacing my original carppy one it would never say tight and the pulley loosened and dropped it to the bottom ... if you take a sharpie marker after re-adjusting and circle the washer you will know if it moved down.... or just google, or go on youtube, and look up "DIY Chain Tensioner (Motorized Bicycle)" for a cheep safe tensioner
 
Many don't know what chain stretch actually is; therefore they don't understand what causes it. Chain stretch is when the holes in the roller chain plates go from being round and become oblong shaped.

With a bicycle the most common cause is cross chaining (big big or little little). The second most common cause is meshing a high gear climbing steep hills instead of spinning a low gear. The third most common cause is worn gears. The final cause is chain quality.
 
I've heard many knowledgeable guys explain that chains don't actually stretch... the chain & sprockets 'wear in'... & that's what causes them to need re-adjusting.
Always keeping the chain well lubed minimizes the wear.
 
Venice Motor Bikes said:
I've heard many knowledgeable guys explain that chains don't actually stretch... the chain & sprockets 'wear in'... & that's what causes them to need re-adjusting.
Always keeping the chain well lubed minimizes the wear.
Click to expand...

Because the holes in the plates become oblong shaped it causes the space between the rollers to become further apart, thus making the chain longer. However, the metal plates themselves stay the same length.
 
Sidewinder Jerry said:
Because the holes in the plates become oblong shaped it causes the space between the rollers to become further apart, thus making the chain longer. However, the metal plates themselves stay the same length.
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So your saying a brand new chain will oblong within the first hour of use and then stop ... for example my chainsaw, put new chain on it ran and adjusted for a couple of hours. The rest of the year it stays the same tightness. Only time i had to adjust was when i got jammed or hit a nail. My pedal bicycle chain has 30yrs on it and no loose links
 
net said:
So your saying a brand new chain will oblong within the first hour of use and then stop ... for example my chainsaw, put new chain on it ran and adjusted for a couple of hours. The rest of the year it stays the same tightness. Only time i had to adjust was when i got jammed or hit a nail. My pedal bicycle chain has 30yrs on it and no loose links
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A chainsaw chain isn't put under the same stresses a bicycle chain is. For example lateral stress from cross chaining. Load stress from pedal meshing.

Chain quality and tension slippage can play a role in chainsaw chains fitting properly.

The information I gave you came from this book. It isn't something I made up.
1627319361155995471891.jpg
 
The link pins are pressed into the side plates so they don’t rotate or wear the side plate holes oblong at all. Any stretch comes from wear of the pins and the bearings they go through.
 
Sidewinder Jerry said:
A chainsaw chain isn't put under the same stresses a bicycle chain is. For example lateral stress from cross chaining. Load stress from pedal meshing.

Chain quality and tension slippage can play a role in chainsaw chains fitting properly.

The information I gave you came from this book. It isn't something I made up.View attachment 108237
Click to expand...
Don't believe everything you read. As far as quality the chainsaw chains are made in china and so is the 10' #41 chain i got at a respectable hardware store. As far as i'm concerned the chainsaw going through a wet hardwood log is under way more pressure they going around 2 sprockets at 25mph even with the weight on it
 
The bearing pin runs in the bushing and the roller runs on its outside. The bushing pin is a bearing both inside and outside. Google is your friend.
 
Larry Trotter said:
The bearing pin runs in the bushing and the roller runs on its outside. The bushing pin is a bearing both inside and outside. Google is your friend.
Click to expand...
Never heard a bushing pin called a bearing either??? Guess different places uses different terminologies. I'm very aware of how to use a search engine as well.
 
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