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Chain slack on tracer?


Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Messages
313
In the owners hand book it say 5-15,mm on center stand now if that was to be measured normaly I.e push the chain up a steel ruler you could read it as 10-30mm,just measured mine this way and its 30mm which is about right I would have said,I think Yamaha are trying to say 15mm either side of the chain,what's everyone else doing?.
 
Chain tension

In the owners hand book it say 5-15,mm on center stand now if that was to be measured normaly I.e push the chain up a steel ruler you could read it as 10-30mm,just measured mine this way and its 30mm which is about right I would have said,I think Yamaha are trying to say 15mm either side of the chain,what's everyone else doing?.

Hi Shaun

I picked up my new Tracer last week and couldn't believe how tight the chain was. Checked with the dealer and they assure me it is supposed to be like that. I slackened it off to the 15mm from the 5mm i think it was and i'll see how it goes but that kind of tension doesn't seem right.
 
It's 5-15 mm when all three axis are in alignment. 5mm minimum, 15mm maximum slack ie 10mm permitted wear before readjustment is required.

Setting it at any other position such as having the bike on the centre stand and the shock fully extended will result in a lot less slack/zero once the suspension is compressed.

30mm of total up and down slack is probably closer to what it should be when adjusted on the centre stand - unfortunately I can't provide you with a definitive minimum figure.
 
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.....couldn't believe how tight the chain was. Checked with the dealer and they assure me it is supposed to be like that.

When my MT09 was delivered in October, the chain was also tight - 5mm max. Dealer mechanic said absolutely that's how it should be, what with the PDI, but local Yamaha service centre strongly disagreed. It has about 15mm now.
 
Cheers all,I would say you need at least 25mm for the suspension to work correctly,I measured the slack in my chain on the mainstand then just holding the bike level no stands and it was the same measurement,I will ring padgetts tomorrow and see what they say,I remember when I picked my bike up the first thing I did was clean all the grease off the chain and remember thinking that chain looks tight,maybe Yamaha set them tight knowing within 500-600 mile it will be ok.i bought a triumph street triple R in 2009 and the owners manual 13-32 mm play for chain slack.
 
I've just rang padgetts and they say 25-30mm on mainstand,I must say I impressed with padgetts so far,even the 600 mile service wasn't just an oil change they had the brake pads out cleaned and regreased.
 
Confused

Bought my 09 tracer yesterday chain about 30mm slack (and looks slack) checked owners manual and surprised to see 5-15mm on the centre stand. Called shop they said leave it alone it's right fitter sat on bike then measured? Orang utan? Called yammy they say DO IT AS PER MANUAL... ie on centre stand 5-15mm. Just to get 3rd opinion called my local yammy seller they said that on this bike it has horizontal shock and under load it would have more slack....confused
 
Going to dealer to see brand new tracer to see chain slack
 
I've been running my 2016 tracer 5000 miles with 25-30 mm slack measured mid swinging arm on main stand with no problems.
 
people have been talking regarding the MT09 since it was released in 2013. I bought mine in October 2013 and set my slack to 25-30mm back then(the MT doesnt have a centre stand). I have now done 20500 and am still on the original chain and sprockets, plenty of life still left in them
 
OK...so went to yammy dealer all the 09 tracers there had chains...well tight almost no play at all. Had chat with them there they don't 'back off' the tension in pdi so I've set mine to about chain width (10mm). Then unrolled the saga of torque flammin' heck that's tight 150Nm....but hey Mr yammy said "do it as user guide states" so.....
 
I have Followed this thread with interest and decided to make a gauge for my chain, this is on the centre stand. Not saying this is the right amount of slack, but it's what i'm happy with.

Any suggestions for the rear wheel torque value, 150nm seems a lot. Thanks owle.
 

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When your chain is properly adjusted the bike will make a deep whining sound that goes up and down with speed not gear (mot prominent at 20 to 40 MPH)!
 
Try and do the adjustment as in the manual (5-15mm), then get two fairly big friends to sit at the bike. Now your chain is tight as a piano string!!!
In my opinion the 5-15mm slack is way to tight. The on/off throttle abruptness is better though, hense the less transmission slack.
20-25mm is better for chain- and bearinglife, i think. My bike is raised approximately 25 mm in the rear suspension, so i adjust my chain to 25-30 mm when unloaded.
 
Chain tension



Hi Shaun

I picked up my new Tracer last week and couldn't believe how tight the chain was. Checked with the dealer and they assure me it is supposed to be like that. I slackened it off to the 15mm from the 5mm i think it was and i'll see how it goes but that kind of tension doesn't seem right.
Total up and down movement 30mm on centre stand had my bike 3yrs 15000 mls and absolutely fine
 
Confused

Bought my 09 tracer yesterday chain about 30mm slack (and looks slack) checked owners manual and surprised to see 5-15mm on the centre stand. Called shop they said leave it alone it's right fitter sat on bike then measured? Orang utan? Called yammy they say DO IT AS PER MANUAL... ie on centre stand 5-15mm. Just to get 3rd opinion called my local yammy seller they said that on this bike it has horizontal shock and under load it would have more slack....confused
30mm total up and down on mainstand is perfect
 
the owners manual says 5-15mm, more than 25mm, the chain can damage the frame, swingarm and other parts, to prevent this keep the drive chain within the specified limits, the bike should be on the side stand and no weight on the bike (mine only has a side stand)
Just a point, I take slack to mean how much you can move the chain with no effort as you can move a tight chain if you use a bit of force.
 
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the bike should be on the side stand

The owners manual actually says it should be on the centre stand:
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1161680/Yamaha-Tracer-Mt09-Tra.html?page=85#manual

Anyone who knows about why a chain needs slack (difference in position from gearbox sprocket and swingarm pivot) will appreciate why 5-15mm is way too tight, especially when measures on the centre stand when the chain will be at it's slackest.

Any dealer that states otherwise is simply quoting Yamaha to cover themselves. Any dealer worth their salt and being sensible admits it's wrong and says to go with the more usual 25mm. I would say 15mm could be a minimum, but tighter than that is risking damage, especially on any dual sport bikes that have a larger than average suspension travel.

Just 5mm of slack is almost just the play in the chain links. With the bike off the stand and the rider pushing down to almost the full suspension travel, then I would expect about 5 mm slack. Otherwise as the bike bottoms out on a bump, the chain will be pulled far too tight, putting stain on bearings and even risk breaking.
 


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