Newbie chain issue (with video)

[Anonymous]

Hi all, I’m having an problem with my chain that I hope ya’ll can help me with.

A little background: this is my first kart. I am an mechanical engineer and I used to be a formula car mechanic, so I’m not completely lost here but I am really stumped. Kart is a 2012 TonyKart EVRR with a LO206. Hilliard Flame clutch. I mounted the motor in the chassis about a month ago and took it to the track for the first time. Broke in the motor for the first two sessions, but broke the chain the first full throttle session. I believe that was due to a bad misalignment.

Last weekend was the second weekend at the track. I made sure the chain was aligned perfectly, but I still had chain problems: broke one, and the other one kept falling off. I believe this was because I was not using the motor stop bolt (doh).

So that brings us to this weekend. I got a new chain (EK #35 Space Chain), sprocket and started using the motor stop. Now, it seems like the sprocket teeth are periodically landing on the pin of the chain instead of the pin landing in the valley of the sprocket. I made a video showing the problem:

http://youtu.be/iMCtaaEtcXk

I tried changing the tension on the chain, but the only situation where there chain doesn’t “skip” is if it has barely any tension at all. I am really stumped here.

Thoughts?

[Sanford Mitz]

Check the alignment from the engine driver to the sprocket.

Check to see if the sprocket carrier is bent.

Check to see if the gear is bent and whether the two halves are mating correctly.

[tony zambos]

There are two gear and chain types, 219 and 35. You might have a 219 chain and a 35 sprock or the reverse. Make sure you have the same gear type on the clutch and axle gears plus the matching type.

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Wade]

Looks like it is still not in align. Do you have a laser, using a straight edge or are you eye balling it? I’d loosen the sprocket a little give it a good spin. Then snug it down. Spin it again. Look at the tooth in the chain link and see if its centered. If not move the hub over until it is.

[Greg Wright]

Since you have to use two piece sprocket (no choice) are you certain that you have the sprocket installed properly? The sprocket will have a stamping (# of teeth, logo etc. The sprocket must be installed with the stampings on both halves facing the same direction.

Couldn’t help but notice that the “skipping” issue occurs as the chain passes the split on the sprocket.

Greg Wright
Rapid Racing Inc.
Vintage B-Stock Pilot
"When in doubt Gas it, It won't help but it ends the suspense."

[Steen Carstensen]

Look at the difference in wear on the 2 halves of the sprocket. One looks very new, the other is all chewed up. Are you sure those are matching halves, or as Greg said above, installed the right way around.

[Anonymous]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your advice. I think I may have found a solution. First, I flipped one of the sprocket halves to that the stamping is on the same side. This helped a bit. But, what really helped was taking about 3 inches out of the chain. Looking at other LO206 karts, it seemed like mine was much further forward than most. also, I only took a few links out of the chain when it came out of the box. The chain is now significantly shorter and it spins like butter

We’ll see if this solves the problems at the track, fingers crossed.

[Jason Morris]

The split sprockets have a notch on each half of the sprocket where they line up, the line is perpendicular to the cut.   When I change sprockets I tighten the bolts up to where they touch the sprocket, but there’s still some play.  Then I wrap the chain around the sprocket and pull it tight with the cut line on the sprocket perpendicular to the direction that I’m pulling the chain. And then snug every other bolt, then tighten the other three.  I’m new to this too, but this method has worked.  Last night I was in a rush to get a sprocket on and didn’t do this method, couldn’t get the chain lined up properly and had to go back and do it.  Lessons learned, no shortcuts!

[brian downing]

I cut a chain as short as possible to fit the gearing I expect to use at a given track, plus or minus one tooth.

I have several chains and store them with the sprockets.
At thirty bucks a pop it’s a worthwhile investment.

Also, check to make sure the motor mount isn’t sitting on top of a frame weld and that the airbox is clear. You need to be able to move the motor & mount freely back and forth without feeling any “bumps”.

There was one guy I saw lose his chain every session.
When that happens, something is wrong and one must find the root cause.

[Jeff Stamper]

This is just my opinion,but I refuse to use a master link. That will cause the so called “weak link” in your chain ! I have only had one break ever ! Because after that I never used one again ! Also, you will want to put the bolts in from the other side and put the nuts on from the brake side. Its much easier to get the sprockets on and off.

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