OK . I'm going crazy trying to find out what this noise is ,can someone out there help? I was out at Glamis riding at about 120% having a great time when about a 1/3 into the ride my quad (2000 DS650) starting to make a terrible grinding , rattling noise everytime I would hit a bump. Which is about every two feet in Glamis. I stopped and checked everything I could see and nothing seemed to be obvious. No oil or water lights ,the engine seemed to run fine. The noise only happened when I was moving. I checked the muffler,and header pipe. The header pipe is about 1/8" from the fan and I thought the fan was getting pushed into the radiator or tweaked, but that didn't seem to be the problem. I rode it for another hour and headed back to camp. Before the ride I had adjusted the chain and it may have been too tight and the lock nuts for the chain were definately over torqued . So I readjusted the chain and retorqued the locknuts to specs. That didn't solve the problem though. The noise seems to be coming from the right side somewhere between the front sprocket and the rear sprocket. Do you think I screwed up my rear bearing or maybe bent the front sprocket ? Like I said it only makes the sound when I compress the suspension when I'm moving. My wife rode on it for a couple of hours and her 150 pounds and easy riding style didn't make the noise. But my 240 pound lard *** sure does. HELP . If I can't figure it out I will have to give my wife the DS and take her warrior ( no not that) ..
Thanks

 

Souns like you tightened up the chain too much and have damaged the Chain Roller .i did the same ...have a look at it ..spin it , see if it still moves freeley when u are sitting on the bike and bouncing around

Good Luck !!!

 

Jonsride,
It sounds like noise when your chain hits the roller. Ya see, Bomb puts this round plastic piece in place for the chain to hit whenever the suspension compresses, they humorously call it a chain roller.
You better inspect it because if the chain rides on it long enough it will destroy itself.
Anybody with a DS with hours on it has either never hit the roller or they have replaced it with a real chain roller from TM Design Works (you can find them in any quad magazine) or a rollerskate wheel.
The noise will always be there wether you replace the roller or not. It sounds a little different with the roller though.
I like my rear suspension sprung a little on the soft side so I hear it often.
It really doesn't have anything to do with chain slack, My chain slack is about 1" which is a little loose and I still hear it. I think that its a noise the chain makes whenever it hits the roller. probably because of the 530 chain

 

That loud grinding noise is the chain hitting the metal sleeve the chain roller used to be molded to. On 2000 & 2001 DS650s it just takes a couple of hits and the chain roller is toast. They used a better one on newer models. I did the same thing as you on my 2001, noticed the sound & then used a skateboard wheel to replace it (use four bearings.) I had to lough when I first read this because of how EXACT this was to what I heard.

Now that you know the fix your options are these: TM Designworks chain roller - something like $30-35. Skateboard wheel: free if you have a used one, $2.50 if you don't. The skate shop I bought the wheel at gave me some used bearings for free so I was happy. I've had my skateboard wheel on there for about two years now, I just checked it for wear this weekend at Dumont & it had very little wear. The benefit of the TM Designworks chain roller is that you get to pick the color, most skate shops have only black 'generic' wheels that they will sell in singles. (I really wanted to get one of the clear red wheels to add a cool look to my DS, but they told me I'd have to buy four of them! DOH!)

 

i'd have to say to chain roller myself first thing i changed on both my ds's

 

I agree, it's probably the chain roller.

I had the same problem on my 2000 DS. The stock chain roller went thru my case saver and cracked the case half. It cost Bombardier $3200.00 parts and labor to replace the case half. And get this, they have to replace all the berings in the case half too, yhey can't get them out without damage. Then when they were done with the repairs they returned it to me with the same $h1tty chain roller.

I have 3 years and probably 300-500 hours on my TM design works chain roller.

Any way, I would check the case where the screws hold the case saver on and make sure it isn't cracked.

I hope not!

 

you can also buy the newer style chain roller like i did, i think it was like only $20CA and i haven't had n e problems wit it yet

 

One of my roommates gave me an old rollerblade wheel to use as a chain roller. It worked fine but the bearings were shot. I just upgraded to a skateboard wheel. They're pretty cheap and they bolt in like they're supposed to be there.

 

I had the same problem was burning through chain rollers till I went with the TMDesigns roller,it has been doing great.

 

You Guys are awesome. This internet stuff ain't too bad afterall. I'll try the skateboard wheel first since my stepson has about a ton of them. Thanks. I'll let you all know. By the way I went to the Bomb from a 85' 250lt suzuki, and haven't looked back once , ( except when loading it on the truck.)