Chain Won't Stay Tight

[KRMit]

This issue has plagued me since I got the thing. I tighten up the chain properly and after a few minutes of riding it's loose again. I had the chain tight and last night I went for a ride around the neighborhood. When I got back, sure enough, the chain had loosened up on me. The two chain adjustment bolts are at the same position so I don't know what the hell is going on. I have the rear chain slider and the bottom roller, but am missing the top roller and the swingarm roller. I just don't know what is causing my chain to stretch so bad. My last chain stretched so bad I had to take a link out.

[RNBRAD]

Is it a new chain and what brand? I cheaper quality chain will need a good tightening at minimum of a couple times within just a few hours of riding time.

[bigboybanshee]

I had this problem when I bought the standard chain...I went to an O-ring chain and it helped a lot. Also make sure your axle nuts are tight, if they loosen up your axle will shift which will loosen your chain too.

[SANDSTAR]

I agree with bb. If one thing out back is a little loose, the whole mess won't work right. I had a hell of a time trying to figure out why my chain slacked on me after 20 min of riding. Then I noticed the axle nuts were loose. Damn that whole set up.

[KRMit]

It is a cheaper chain but I've ridden on it a couple times before. And even my old chain. I'd ride a day, tighten, ride a day, tighten, ride a day, take out a link, ride a day, ride a day... eventually the chain was stretched so bad you could pull it away from the rear sprocket. Is the Banshee just too powerful to keep a damn chain on? What kinda chain should I get?

[PUSH THE THROTTLE]

What kinda chain should I get?

313059[/snapback]

DID ATV X-RING

[RNBRAD]

DID ATV X-RING

313061[/snapback]

 

Agreed!! Or you can fork out the money for a sidewinder. I run the DID x-ring and it's a great chain.

[ledofthezep]

Agreed!! Or you can fork out the money for a sidewinder. I run the DID x-ring and it's a great chain.

313070[/snapback]

Same here...DID, but I'm running an O-ring right now. I've never used another that hasn't stretched to shit within about 4hrs. Haven't tried sidewinders though....

 

 

 

Oh yeah...a round-house swingarm was the cure-all for my chain & tightening issues.

[locogato11283]

i would do a cotton eyed joe roundhouse carrier conversion. it works great. i had 2 myself and just did one for itsmyforte. gets rid of all that pain in the ass chain tightening shit.

[Holyman]

Are you putting on new sprockects when you put on new chain? If not, you are making things worse. The new chain will not fit in the old sprockets properly and will force the new chain to stretch abnormally.

You also need to make sure there is NO looseness in the swingarm at the pivot point where it attaches to the frame and the carrier as well. a little bit of sloppiness will throw everything off.

[KRMit]

Are you putting on new sprockects when you put on new chain? If not, you are making things worse. The new chain will not fit in the old sprockets properly and will force the new chain to stretch abnormally.

You also need to make sure there is NO looseness in the swingarm at the pivot point where it attaches to the frame and the carrier as well. a little bit of sloppiness will throw everything off.

313222[/snapback]

I used the chain a few times before I put new sprockets on, but now I have new front and rear and it still stretched. The chain sat up for a while and got a little rust on it so I soaked in oil for 24 hours before installing it on the new sprockets. My swingarm and axle bearings are good. Before I took off I tightened the axle nuts as much as I could. I was practically standing on the wrench.

[NMBANSHEE]

Here's my thought's on chains. First is when a chain stretches to the point if removing a link its time to replace it, when replacing the chain always replace the spockets at the same time. I highly recomend DID-Xring chains and any decent sprocket, I have run SUNSTAR and AFAM with good luck. After install and first adjust keep it clean and lubed and make sure you don't adjust it to tight that will wear a chain faster than anything, if any thing leave it a tiny bit loose.

 

When you adjust a chain to tight you don't allow enough room in the chain for the suspension to travel so when it does it stetches the crap out of the chain so it has room to travel. Almost every chain stretch problem I have seen is due to this.

 

I have run DID-Xrings on my last 2 dirt bikes and after the first breakin adjust they have never stetched again, first one I actually sold the bike with it still on there after desert racing on it for 1.5 seasons, the current one has about 2 Years non race time on a YZ400F dirt bike and still has not stretched, and it has about 15 more horse and a ton more torque than a stock SHEE.

[Shaggy]

i had that problem not matter what kind of chain i had on there, so ditch the shitty stock swinger and get a round housing. thats what i did and haven't had a problem since.

[Percy]

SHaggy is right.

No matter what chain u use, the Banshee has a shitty stock chain tightening arrangement. I have to adjust mine all the time and during rides it varies from tight to loose to tight.

I tightenin the bolts way tight, but no avail.

I have been advised only way to fix the prob is change the swingarm

Anyways, Enjoy.