Motorized Bicycle Take a Tip...Leave a Tip

For the chain breakers that look like the jpg link below with the jaw type, I found they are not made to great.

I mean I like them, even though they are not for pushing pins back in, you would get a separate tool or another kind that does both.

What I found was that the pin may not line up very well on the axis across the chain. Lengthwise they seem to be fine.

The tip is a trick I found to help the pin center. I either keep a small amount of tension with one hand pushing down or up on the handle, mean while other hand twisting the pin downward and viewing with lighted magnifier to see it stays centered on the chain pin being pushed.

And of course as we all know just push a small amount and then move over to the other pin in the link to push a little there. Going over back and forth like 3 times so not to bend the link being removed, which would cause damage or fail to remove link at all.

Then the master link fits it all back together nice.

I also count the pins carefully and use two twist ties 4 pins away, to the left and right of the pair of pins on the link you are removing. Then they don't get in the way of the jaw of the tool, but you can see you are removing the correct pins by counting distance offset.

For pedal gear chains, I see people like to be flashy and sometimes use stainless steel chain and chain half or one an one half links.

That is OK but definitively not for the engine gear chain. I use #35 chain and the bushings of just the offset link made of stainless steel was dented in bad. Then this loosened the chain of regular steel by default.

It jumped the sprocket and the whole chain is now garbage.

Hardened steel, not stainless steel is back and running again.

I sanded the sprocket teeth, but they look like they didn't but get scratched a little.

I am testing near by home first before hitting the trails again for the licensed only for off road known as OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) in the Bureau of Land Management National Forest designated areas.

 
Testname111 said:
420 chain safer if your fat or have a heavy bike!!!!!....js
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I could have probably kept the chain and just replaced the offset link. But chain does not cost that much. Stainless is by default much weaker.

On using 420 chain it would mean gears and the clutch to replace. Not seeing it needed since in the 6 years or more I have had my registration for OHV use, I get by with replacing chain about every two years.

Have to look and see if 420 chain actually has rollers instead of bushings. Bushing type chain for 35 has worked and high carbon steel may not look flashy as in bicycle pedal chain of stainless, but it does the trick. Besides the chain in under a cover that I tested by standing on. Yep I did not have the chain break, that would have had a different sound. With out a cover like the one I made that I can stand on, I imagine the chain would have been something of a nuisance when as hypothetical, it flew off a sprocket at 3000 rpm.
 
MEASURE TWICE said:
I could have probably kept the chain and just replaced the offset link. But chain does not cost that much. Stainless is by default much weaker.

On using 420 chain it would mean gears and the clutch to replace. Not seeing it needed since in the 6 years or more I have had my registration for OHV use, I get by with replacing chain about every two years.

Have to look and see if 420 chain actually has rollers instead of bushings. Bushing type chain for 35 has worked and high carbon steel may not look flashy as in bicycle pedal chain of stainless, but it does the trick. Besides the chain in under a cover that I tested by standing on. Yep I did not have the chain break, that would have had a different sound. With out a cover like the one I made that I can stand on, I imagine the chain would have been something of a nuisance when as hypothetical, it flew off a sprocket at 3000 rpm.
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Wiperman 1e8 is a nickel plated 3/16 wide 410 BMX chain... I like it for clearance issues and it comes in 124 or 136 links and is lighter than a 415 as strong or stronger ... But if you have to have a 415 an RK chain is the strongest... if you're breaking chains it's because of alignment issues I have a piece of aluminum chanel I use to put on the top of the chain and sprockets to verify that it's straight
 

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For installations that might get a crimp in your fuel line. I put a spring from a ballpoint pen in the line, if you need a longer one ace hardware has them. Simple and keeps the line from collapsing.
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Now I have two axis's for bolts holding the center stand. I should change the vertical center stand bolt when I get a new one from the hardware store when I am there. With the 120lb weight of my motor bike and putting the center stand down, I am figuring it is the cause of the feet moving slightly. The 1 original bolt had the split lock washer flatten out, and I replaced it along with another bolt as the bolt was bent just at stands threaded area for the bolt. Nothing hit the bolt I am fairly sure, but I do only off-road trails for which it is licensed OHV. So maybe a slight chance. The moving of the stand each time I put the stand down I figure was about (120 lbs. * surface area of side of the bolt) * (the amount of extra force rocking back the whole bike to put the stand down). It must be a lot of force. A prior weaker legged stand had the legs bend from just putting the stand down. I can check back after I use the stand for a while and see if all is rectified. The weather is not ready nor the riding park either. CA State Park at Hollister Hills OHV has been closed till further notice a few weeks now, I think. Note I removed the two springs near where I MIG welded the bracket to the stand. Heat would mess up the springs. I used a screw driver as a pry bar along with heavy needle nose pliers and wore the full face / neck shield as per Fast Eddy mentions for these fairly dangerous tasks. If this all works, I will not be bothering getting a old style rear wheel stand. It is up much higher off the ground when up. That could be a plus for off roading, but I bet I don’t need it now. Those are attached with two bolts! I can remember side kick stand repeatedly coming loose on our 20 inch wheel bikes when I was knee high.
 

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While working outside on my Model RC stuff I had trouble with mosquitoes. Less a problem when a breeze is around. Then just to keep some of my rechargeable batteries topped off, I had thought to also do a little exercising one of them. Hooked to one of those 12vdc car oscillating fans. Clamped it to my lounge chair and had it keeping the bugs away. Going to use it some more outside when I have plans to do the valve job on my Briggs Bike. Was thinking a screened in porch, but this suffices quite well.
 
deacon said:
You know most of us do things eventually to modify the bikes for the better or worse. It would be a nice gesture if we stick them out there for others to see.

Take this one for what it is worth.

The clutch lever in my kit was trash from the first. I never could make it work worth a darn, so I replaced it with a brake lever I had laying about. Here is the trick. I cut a piece of old inner tube to lock the handle up so I could roll the bike in and out. I leave it on the grip so I can use it to hold the clutch in if I need to adjust the bike.

I also hated the throttle that came with the bike. I replace it with a shifter from a mountain bike. I can lock the throttle in any position while I work on things. I don't think either of those is earth shattering, but they seem to work better for me. Probably won't help anyone else.

So leave me your tip I can use all the help I can get...
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Everyone has their own way of tweaking a bike to make it work better. Using a brake lever for the clutch and a mountain bike shifter for the throttle is a clever approach. Small changes like these can make a big difference in comfort and functionality. Anyone else got useful mods to share?
 
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