Servicing - Adjusting Chains

[brenton.roy]

Adjusting chains
First, adjust the primary chain. You’ll need to remove the inspection cap and poke your finger in. About ½” up and down is right. It’s good to do this when the engine isn’t running.
Check the oil level while you are there. It should be just touching the bottom of the chain. You'll need a torch..
There are Gearbox 3 nuts to work with. Loosen the top gearbox locknut and bottom pivot bolt (see photo’s) and pivot the gearbox to adjust. There is an adjuster nut (left of top photo) for this purpose. It’s a little sloppy, so I set this so that when I tighten the nuts up, it will try to stop the primary chain being pulled tighter if the rear chain moves.
Lift the rear section of guard and tie back, so you can see what you are doing. I took the toolbox off to replace the adjusters. This isn’t required for chain adjustments.
*A little work on the threads of the rear axle adjusters is worthwhile. These should be easily worked by your fingers.
Loosen both rear axle nuts.
Start with the chain side of the rear wheel.
Adjust (with the adjuster) until chain tension is “about right”.
Spin the wheel at all times in the direction of normal rotation.
Check the alignment of the chain links over the sprocket teeth.
You can see in the photo’s that mine has been wrongly aligned at some point. The left side of the teeth are damaged. Bad alignment can also cause wear inside the primary case.
Use the right hand adjuster to get the sprocket teeth central in the chain as you spin the wheel (correct direction, not backwards).
Part tighten the axle nuts.
You may find the chain is now a little loose or tight. Work both adjusters the same amount until the chain is just free. Adjust more free play if you have a bike with rear suspension.
While you are there, check the chain for tight spots and make sure the closed end of the joining link is pointing toward the gearbox when it is on the top of the rear sprocket.

[john.nash]

Oh. Me. Me. Pick Me!!
I've got a tip about the secondary chain (the ones that drives the back wheel).

Modern chains are sightly wider that originals, I believe, especially the joining link with it's little clip.
You may find it hits the primary case, when it goes around the gearbox sprocket.

The way around this is to firstly put the split link on the inside of the chain (i.e. facing the wheel) AND/OR you space the primary case out slightly, around the clutch area.
You'll find that there is a larger bolt at the bottom, sometimes part of the gearbox bottom pivot, and you can drop one or two washers on this between inner primary chain case and frame. It usually doesn't take many as the chain interference is factional.

Shall we let this thread finish, Brenton, and then I'll pick it up and turn it into a pdf as the first "how to" ??
I been looking at Paul Linden's colt thread with the same idea but there is so much there that it's almost standalone as itself ...guy's a genuis.

[brenton.roy]

Hi John,
Thanks for the tip.
I'm hoping that others will find better ways / additions and address faults before we close the topic.
Can't compete with Paul! - either of them... and yes he is.
Brenton

[john.whiting]

Ariels have a funny little quirk,which upsets owners no end.The primary chain breaks and comes out through the case.It doesnt seem to happen with other bikes ,not that Ive seen anyway.I allways fit a rivetted joining link in the primary chain.At one time race scrutineers would reject a bike with spring clip links fitted,to either chain.Regards John.

[john.nash]

Completed PDF ...

we all happy with this ?

[keith.mettam]

Couple of errors on first page John, viz:-
' the chain should be just touching the bottom of the chain'.....presumably 'the oil should be just touching the bottom of the chain' and also 'There are gearbox 3 nuts to work with'....again I guess it should read ' There are 3 gearbox nuts to work with'.
Other than that can't see much else wrong although I would personally check the primary chain for tight spots before adjusting it and double check afterwards.
All the best ,
Keith Mettam.

[john.nash]

ok got it.

http://www.arielownersmcc.com/members ... /index.htm