I have a 2001 Xplorer 400, and have a question concerning the front and rear sprocket alignment. It looks as if the front and rear sprockets are not aligned perfectly. The 4-wheeler tracks true, so I know the rear sprocket is running in the correct plane, but the front one looks to be cocked a little. Looking from the rear sprocket up to the front one, the front one is not running parallel to the rear. If you could look straight down on the top of the front one, it would be running in the 12:15 position, instead of the 12:00 position that the rear one is running in. This may be exaggerated a little. The chain gets a bow to it to where the top middle of the chain is closer to the shock and not following a straight line between the sprockets. I suspect that the transmission needs some type of alignment, but I own the shop manual and don't read of any way to adjust it. If anybody has had this problem, please tell me how to correct the situation. I just dropped some major money in a new sidewinder drive assembly, and don't want to mess this chain up. Thanks in advance.

Waylan

 

Hi Waylan, I read your post and having just replaced my sidewinder chain because of what I would call "premature" wear, I wondered if it could possibly be that your front sprocket was either cast wrong or cut wrong. out of allignment? Do u have another that u could try. I noticed that the wear I reffered to on my chain may have been caused by a loose nut I found on the back axle. With the back end jacked up I was lubing the chain and noticed a couple of the rollers were split open,while checking this I noticed some play in the axle and traced it to the loose nut. Tightned this up...no more play. I'm not sure but hopefuly that was the cause of the chain wear, I figure with the sprocket not lined up thats what put the stress on the chain. Anyway this might be something to take a look at on your quad. As for me i'm gonna take it out for a test pounding....I mean ride on saturday. good luck to u with your quad.... Bob