Chain is not staying tight

[petkiu]

My chain on my 86 atc 250r will not stay tight for more that 5 minuts. The hex bolts are staying tight and the chain is newer. Any suggestion as to what the problem is?

Thanks

[smokinwrench]

If you postive the hex bolts are staying tight and its not loosening up. I would check you swing arm bearings.

[petkiu]

Thanks smokinwench - As a matter of fact, I can't tighten those bolts anymore. There is no more room.

[Mobular]

Was the new chain a regular non- prestretched, non-O-ring chain?? A good quality prestretched chain won't give you these problems.

[plkmonster2]

Yeah, it sounds like it is stretching. If it won't tighten up anymore, you might have to loosen it up all the way, and take 1 link out.

[eh_tee_see]

but beware, taking 1 link out is actually taking 2 links out, once i had to give my frame more area to loosen the chain by grinding where the bearing carrier bolts onto the frame. (this was on a 185)

[sandrooster]

Thanks smokinwench - As a matter of fact, I can't tighten those bolts anymore. There is no more room.

petkiu,
check the tighening slots on the underside of the swingarm. The slots that are next to the carrier tension bolts.
The underside slots of the swingarm start to crack as the bolts are over tightened.

Let us know what you find.

[petkiu]

I not sure on the make of the chain. I do know it was fine last fall before I had a dealer tight up the axle. Perhaps I should start with them to see what else they did back there.

[gotballs 250r 82]

you need a good chain a o'ring rk racing chain that happen to me get a good chain and it wont happen

[jason200x]

i hope i dont ruin the post but the same thign happens to me on my 85 200x. i put new sprockets all the way around and a new chain on. i loosened the swingarm bolt tightened the chain and all was good so i rode it around the drive way a few times and it was loose. so i tightened it osem more i got back form a atv trip and it was loose so i tightened the chain till it was as tight as it would go rode it and shure enough it was loose agin. any ideas?

[Red Rider]

Pet, are you sure you're not overtightening it? That bike needs some slack in the chain, approximately 1.25", to accommodate the suspension movement. If you overtighten it, as the suspension goes through its stroke, it will be forced to pull the chain loose, or stretch it. Probably both will occur. If this is not the problem, the next time you tighten it, draw a line on the rear carrier & a corresponding line on the swingarm. If your carrier is rotating loose, you'll be able to tell because the lines won't match up anymore.