Tips for changing rear cam chain on the bike

[VMAX1260]

I have a friends bike that makes a knocking noise on top after 10 minutes working from cold.. i opened the top cover The cam chain sometimes is stretched and sometimes it is a little bit loose. I have a new cam chain and tensioner. Dont wont to take off the engine to replace it. Any tips will ve grearfull

 

[Fire-medic]

If you don't find all pieces of a tensioner when you do the job, I think you're going to have to remove the sump, and/or split the cases to remove all the debris.

 

[02GF74]

Engine out to replace cam chains according to the manual.

If the chains are split, potentially you could attach the new to the old and pull it through?

 

[VMAX1260]

Engine out to replace cam chains according to the manual.

If the chains are split, potentially you could attach the new to the old and pull it through?
View attachment 77632

Thanks for the replies. I ll Try to split the chain and see if i can pull the new through the old one.

 

[02GF74]

I've never replaced a cam chain and don't know of split links are available.

On the other hand some motorcycle chain come with these but I read they were not recommended. Note that the closed end of the split link faces direction of travel.

If the replacement chain does not have a split link, then reforming the rivet end may be difficult.

My advice is to think carefully about this approach, trying to save several hours of work that may result in the cam chain being thrown off and destroying engine could be much more costly in time and money.

If you are going ahead, then use wires through the links either side of the cam to tension the chain so it stays on its sprockets and prevents it from dropping into the engine, once dropped inside it may be impossible to fish out and/or get it onto the crankshaft sprocket <--- I've no idea if that can happen or not.

 

[user 16790]

I've not done a 'split' cam chain on a Vmax but I have done them on a few other bikes, they were 'soft' rivet types (only the very end is 'soft'), once you have them threaded into place by pulling through attached to the old one, I joined the link at a cam sprocket and held a lump hammer behind the split link to brace it and then hit the edges of the soft rivet with a round head hammer to peen over the edges, you can get special tools, it doesn't take a lot, never had a problem in many thousands of miles

 

[Radioguylogs]

I bought an inexpensive Harbor Freight tool (maybe $10?) to peen the rivets in the new cam chain master link.

I have also used this type of link on one of my XS750's with no problems. It's the normal factory recommended procedure for it.

 

[VMAX1260]

Thanks people for all you advice. I ll keep you posted