we have a eton viper 70 that my 6 yr old races he runs it hard and does lots of jumps the bike is stock and after 10 races the chain has stretched till we are adjusted out as far as we can go the question is

a. should we keep the stock set up and get a chain tensioner ?if so what brand works the best and is easyest to install.

b. should we replace the chain or just remove links if we should replace any suggestions

c. or should we just replace the entire swing arm with an after market one that has better tensioning system and a better way of adjusting the slack. if so any suggestion on a good brand or at least ones to stay away from and things to look for as i make my decision.

d. is this the right time to start replacing the shocks and front suspension also


thank you in advance, here in the northwest this mini quad thing is just getting started lots of kids at the track but not a lot of local shops to support us. most people are buying more power from hetrick which is great but i think suspension is a better way then add power laterbecause the power seems like a proven thing that these bikes can fly

 

I have 2 Eton 90's and I have also noticed continuous chain stretch. It seems to me, if you have hit the max adjustment, you should be looking into a new chain. I would still add the spring loaded tensioner with the new chain, but if you keep the old chain and add a tensioner or a longer swing arm, I think you are asking for a broken chain and a potential safety hazard.

 

stinkystarfish,


Lots of options to select from. Here's a few questions / ideas to consider.


A - Chains do stretch. When they are new, they can stretch a lot. Then, their stretching slows down. Near the end of their life span, they start to stretch again. Factory "stock" chains do stretch a lot more then high quality HD chains. If you replace with same quality chain, it will probably stretch the same. If do you replace the chain, replace with an extreme Hight Quality chain. I've read that some racers replace with standard quality chains after 3 races. Yes, 3 races. Their opinion is that 5 x standard stock chains replacements are the same cost of a high quality chain. Either way, the cost is approx the same.

B - If into racing and/or high jumps, I would install a Spring Loaded chain tensioner. You could buy the HPD tensioner and "make it fit" or try to find a simple "bolt on" tensioner that will fit your brand of 70. WRH Racing, BNC Racing and Hetricks probably sell them. Spring Loaded chain tensioners to reduce the risk of a chain coming off &/or dramatic amounts of stetching / wear.


If wondering, we went with A & B for our Pred-90 (for our trail riding only). We installed the HPD Chain Tensioner and a high quality chain. The sales guy told me our HD / O-Ring chain will outlast our Pred-90. If I do the math, it was a good investment for us.


For pictures, surf:

- Press here for sprocket & chain replacement -
- Press Here for HPD Chain Tensioner -


As a suggestion, talk to some of your racing buddies. Inquire what chain brands they like to use and what Spring Loaded Chain Tensioner they like to use. If it works great for them, under the same racing conditions as yours, then it will work great for your mini too.


Note: For your hard racing and jumping, I definately would install a Chain Tensioner. If the chain comes off, it is a major risk to you and the other racers. I'm glad we installed a chain tensioner on our Pred-90. Even though we only use it on trails.


Hope this helps...

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any suggestions on a aftermarket swing arm with better adjustments and a built in chain tensioner