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Nice chain alignment tool!! A garage MUST!!

29368 Views 35 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  fatburg
Ok...so after my chain/sprocket incident at the GAP I decided to invest in a chain tool. The string method is a pain, IMO, and the swing arm marks just weren't accurate enough.

I looked around at various things. Some vendors offer laser things and other wierd stuff but I wanted something simple and straight forward. I polled some buddies and my man Twisty recommended this Motion Pro tool from awesome KneeDraggers!!!

Motion Pro web site



It was cheap too only $22.

Maybe some of you guys would benifit from this...
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Interesting. So in your garage, you could use an even longer pin on top for alignment to the front sprocket, and keep the smaller pin for use on the road. Does the pin line up with the middle of the chain, the edge, or something else?
i could use one of these, It seems like after the chain gets worn I am always tightning and adjusting the chain. So far the new one is still in excellent shape, a few more months of wheelies and it will need adjusted.
It just clamps on the rear sprocket with the plastic screw. The back side is flat so that it lays flat on the back side of the sprocket. The pin sticks out perfect straight at 90degrees.

Mine lines up right above the inners of the chain. When I put it on after re-mounting the wheel. It lined up slightly off. Near the rear sprocket it was over the inner and towards the front end of the tip it was pointing towards the outer face of the chain. So I started to push the right side of the wheel in.... now the tip is over the x-ring.... little more...now the pin is over the inner of the chain down the whole pin.

It's really a simple design and seems to work well for a cheap price. I was surprised to find out that my swingarm marks were off by about 3/4 of a mark. My left side is at like notch 3 and the right side is at like 2.25 Just as I said above... I had to push the right side in to get it aligned!
I wonder what it looked like when you burned off your other sprocket. Proly way off huh?
I use a laser level now...but that looks simpler and quick...
I don't know... I would say .75 of a notch. Cause I used the notches before.
Gas Man said:
I don't know... I would say .75 of a notch. Cause I used the notches before.
:scratch: makes me wonder how bad my notches are off. by eye it looks str8 but probably not.
Mine looked good too. And even when it was off like I discribed above, as you spun the tire it looks good. Just off that little bit... seriously get one of these they work so well and are so simple to use!
Gas Man said:
Mine looked good too. And even when it was off like I discribed above, as you spun the tire it looks good. Just off that little bit... seriously get one of these they work so well and are so simple to use!
i need to borrow that mutha before july 21...
bumblebee said:
I use a laser level now...but that looks simpler and quick...
How does the laser level work? Clamps to rear wheel or sprocket?
I have no idea NW... I'm sure it lays a laser beam on the chain... somebody here bought one from S.W....but it was more money and this one is straight forward and simple.

MP.... you should just come by the crib... ride up and maybe we can do some wrenching on your R6.
Gas Man said:
I have no idea NW... I'm sure it lays a laser beam on the chain... somebody here bought one from S.W....but it was more money and this one is straight forward and simple.

MP.... you should just come by the crib... ride up and maybe we can do some wrenching on your R6.
i would if I had time - you should come by the Twistified Raceday Prep on Saturday and bring the tool - maybe take some pics, lend a hand, etc. I would buy you a burger and a beer for the effort.. Its going to be a madhouse..
I would but with helping my friend move Fri and Sat...plus working all night Friday night... I won't have enough time to sleep let along drive down and participate. Besides I'm a hands on guy..I like to work on them and not watch...
You can really just do it by eye ... spin the wheel, look at where the chain is in relation to the sprocket teeth. You want the teeth to be in the center, with equal spacing between the side of the teeth and the chain plates.

The motion pro tool just gives you a longer point of reference. Cheap tool, works well.

The laser tool is actually pretty trick ... fire the beam from the sprocket forward, make sure the alignment of the chain matches the beam. We actually use the laser tools in the shop, they're the most accurate.

Another cool tool is one that has two bobs on a long rod. You put one in the axle, the other on a symetric mount on the bike (usually swingarm pivot bolt). Fix it in place, move it to the other side, adjust to match. Muzzy sells them, but they're about $150.

At the track, if I'm changing gearing ... I just eye it up.

*Never* trust the marks on the swingarm. They are always off.

- Roach
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Gas Man said:
I have no idea NW... I'm sure it lays a laser beam on the chain... somebody here bought one from S.W....but it was more money and this one is straight forward and simple.
We also offer the straight forward simple one on our site, as well. We try to offer a varied range of products in different price ranges because some people like the latest "bomb diggity" stuff (laser align tool), and others prefer the simple, easy to use methods. :)

Laura
I went to Home Depot and bought a laser level mounted on a compass base. I put it on a square of wood to level/straighten it and use the floor jack for height behind the sprocket. It shoots a straight line from rear to front sproket...Poor people have poor ways... :lol:
SpeedWerks.com said:
...Another cool tool is one that has two bobs on a long rod. You put one in the axle, the other on a symetric mount on the bike (usually swingarm pivot bolt). Fix it in place, move it to the other side, adjust to match. Muzzy sells them, but they're about $150.- Roach
I made one for $8. I used chemistry clamps that clamp to a rod. The chem clamps are just adjustable 90 degree clamps. The hard part was finding a rod that was perfectly straight.

The distance from the swingarm bolt to the rear axle bolt has to be perfectly even on both sides. With a huge stock muffler on both sides, it is hard to measure with a straightedge. I centerpunched the pivot bolt and put a spike (to go around the muffler) on the center. Then I adjust the other chem bolt so the other spike is in the center of the axle bolt. Tighten the chem clamp and move it to the other side of the bike and measure. Adjust the axle until both sides are even and doublecheck chain sag.
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