Measuring chain wear

[Tioli]

I have measured my chain a shown page 227 of the Riders Manual. Mine measures 143.5 after 15,000km what I would realy like to know is what a new chain measures so if anyone with a new or near new chain would like to measure theirs it would give good base information for all.

The photo is not showing the right way to measure as I don't have enough hands but it gives you the idea. You put the bike in first and turn the rear wheel to make the chain tort then measure centre of rivet to centre of rivet over 10 rivets.



This is just some general observations after 15,000km

Originally Posted by Tioli

I have done just over 15,000km now so it's time to assess the drive train to predict ware rate for longevity.

First off this is what the chain generally looks like after a road ride. I don't clean it as such just hose it off as part of general cleaning after a ride. Interesting points to me for monetering how the scottoiler is doing its job are:

Rollers are lightly oiled
The sprocket teeth are oiled
Between the links is oiled
More on the right as that's where the dripper runs
And the outside gets nothing hence the rust. 
All in all as good as I can expect



When I made this range extender tank I predicted I would get about 5000km out of a tank. It turns out I am wrong. This tank has now done 5000km and at this usage rate it looks like it will easily last between services even up to 20,000km.



The Scottoiler kit comes with this bottle of oil which I used to initially fill the system - oiler unit, breather line which is now used as the connecting line to the new tank and the tank 250ml.

It's good that it's so economical with oil but I will have to wait to experiment with other oils. My plan is to see how our motor oil works so on tour I could carry 1L motor oil and it could double up as chain loob (long tour) If the motor oil didn't work out I was going to go back to chainsaw bar oil which is a very sticky oil and worked well on my last bike.



One thing I don't like about the genuine scottoiler oil is it doesn't wash off with normal bike wash cleaners.  Kero will do it.

5000k of splatter on the rim.



I set the drip rate dial to about 10/11 o'clock for road and 2 o'clock for dirt. The idea is to flow more in dust conditions so it cleans the chain.

The dial turns all the way left to the rubber plug for least oil and all the way round right to the plug for purge.

If you look at our carbon canisters BMW have already built in a holder for the scottoiler system.



Looking at the rear sprocket you can see the teeth are just starting to wear on the pull side. Not mush wear for 15,000km would expect another 15 easy. When I pul on the chain sideways under the swing arm there is not much sideways movement so all good there.

What I don't like is the witness marks from the links on the sprocket. To me it suggests the wheel is slightly over to the right and wants spacing to the left. I don't think that adjustment is built into the system. It could be the wheel is unevenly adjusters so will check that and string line the bike as well.



The front sprocket is smaller than the rear so turns say 3 times as much. For that it would have to be made of 3 times harder material or it's going to wear faster.
By the looks of this it is and is only just showing signs if wear.



The front tyre is flat on the top and flat on the sides about done. I'm happy it's made 15,000 as I'm not that easy on tyres.



The rear is not much better. I have ordered a set of Pilot Road 5 Trails to see how they go.

https://www.850gs.com/index.php/topic,596.msg6697.html#msg6697

[LaMorpionne]

Bonjour,

Je ne sais pas si ce sont les mêmes mesures entre le 750 et le 850
sur mon 850 gs, 1.500 kms je trouve 142 (mesure du centre du 1er maillon au centre du 10 eme maillon)
Dans le manuel la chaine peut aller jusqu'à 144




Merci pour toutes tes indications et photos

[Tioli]

Merci c'est la bonne façon de mesurer.

[lkyphl]

 850GS, about 400kms, 143.2mm

Phil

[Tioli]

Thank you to those that have contributed I think we find it a realy good way of plotting ware.

Please add your mileage and distance there is a good picture to be had.

Tioli

[Newguy]

I honestly have no scientific or exact way to measure chain wear.
I know what the slack tolerances of the bike according to BMW are supposed to be but I am clueless as to how to measure it or what it looks like. This seems really dumb given that this is not my first bike but i've always guessed and told myself 'eehh that looks Ooook I guess!?" when I thought it looked acceptable.. 
For the moment I aim for not letting the chain drag on the frame slider and still being slack enough (gaging by feel) that everything seems like its good.

I do use a Mitutoyo caliper to make sure the tension adjustment on the back wheel is even between the two adjuster bolts, that seems to work OK. I have much more to learn on the subject, no doubt.

[SnoDrtRider]

Originally Posted by Newguy

I honestly have no scientific or exact way to measure chain wear.
I know what the slack tolerances of the bike according to BMW are supposed to be but I am clueless as to how to measure it or what it looks like. This seems really dumb given that this is not my first bike but i've always guessed and told myself 'eehh that looks Ooook I guess!?" when I thought it looked acceptable.. 
For the moment I aim for not letting the chain drag on the frame slider and still being slack enough (gaging by feel) that everything seems like its good.

I do use a Mitutoyo caliper to make sure the tension adjustment on the back wheel is even between the two adjuster bolts, that seems to work OK. I have much more to learn on the subject, no doubt.

Are you talking actual chain wear or slack. The way chains are measured for wear is distance between a set number of pins/rivets usually 10.

As far as slack goes you need to keep in mind that since the rear axle is below the line of the pivot and front sprocket the chain needs slack because as the suspension cycles and the pivot cs sprocket and rear axle line up the chain gets tighter.
If you ratchet strap the rear suspension down so everything is in line that is the tightest the chain will be during the rear axle swing.