Hello everyone!

I am new to this forum, and saw an earlier post about an lt230 chain problem and I have the same issue.

My chain randomly became loose on a ride and came off and cracked my case cover... Just got that welded and fixed, but I don't know how to adjust the tension of the chain. I have heard there is an adjustment on the axel, but I still don't understand how that works/where it is, etc.

How can I make the chain tighter? I am pretty sure the chain has some life left, and doesn't need to be replaced.

Any help would greatly be appreciated!!! Thanks!!!

 

since its an 86 all you do is loosen the two bolts behind the carrier and turn the carrier with a pipe wrench until the chain is tight to spec. then tighten the two bolts back. you may wanna make sure that the bolts arent stripped where they tighten in the swingarm. and if they are then you need to use some that are longer and put a nut on the bottom of the bolt

 

GREAT! I just went out and looked, and i think i know what you are describing. I will work on that tomorrow, and let you know! Thanks!!!!

 

there should be 2 -12mm bolts on the end of the swingarm. loosen them and try to roll the axle carrier towards yourself, but most important be sure that you are on the quad when you check the tension. this usaully means loosening the 2- 12mm bolts and tightening them repeatedly til you achieve 1 to 1 and a half inches of play.

2nd_ do not take the chance when dealing with a possibly weak or damaged chain rocky mountainatv has a good selection. an O-ring chain is the best and will last almost forever. also check your sprockets to be sure they aren't bent. remember lt230s mag covers are expensive when bought new or used. hope this helps

 

ok, so, I discovered my chain tension was at spec. So, i lifted the back end up and tested play in the tires... sure enough, lots of side to side motion...

I am researching the rear axel bearings, because that is the only thing that would allow this play, right? found some super cheap ones with seals here...Vince's Cycle.com. Anyone know how legit this website is??? I plan on calling them tomorrow, and comparing their prices with my local shop... I have some other things to get at the same time.

Thanks for your help!!! You guys rock!

 

vincescycle is an awesome place. he is a great guy and has a true passion for 230's. he and i went on for over an hour once on the phone discussing 230 specifics. unfortunately, i think he is trying to get out of the parts business. for all my bearings, i go to this one shop on ebay i dont remember the name but they have tons of bearings for everything at excellent prices ill look it up later. fast shipping and theyre name brand bearings, too ("boss", the same as all *****, pivot works, moose, etc.). and lastly, as stated previously, DONT TAKE CHANCES WITH THE CHAIN!!! i see you have found out how bad the consequences can be. get a GOOD O-RING chain! dont mess around with cheapo non oring crap! personally, i prefer EK because its super heavy duty and beefy, so it has very little side to side deflection. it also stretches so little it amazes me. great stuff. i get it from MOTO-CHAINS , Motorcycle ATV Motocross Chains n Tires. my friends dad owns that place and he will give you a good deal. now is also a great time to check your swingarm bearings cuz if theyre bad, your chain tension may look good but in reality it may be out of spec and you can throw the chain right away. thats the most common problem with 230's. and once you change them, keep your chain in spec because one that is too tight will break the bearings again and youll be right back where you started haha.

good luck!

 

oh and heres the link to the place on ebay:

eBay My World - racergirlsrock

 

jwilliamson, also swing arm bearings would be a good investment. and ebay is a good source for bearings but don't go cheap on them. quality is #1 for protecting your quad. i just recently bought new axle bearings, swing arm bearings, and front hub bearings from All ***** Racing. they are a great quality bearing and should last for a long time.

 

You might want to look into getting a spring-loaded chain tensioner from JL Racing.

 

Hi MalHombre,
I'm new here and i was wondering if you had a pic of what the spring loaded tensioner looks like. i found it on the website but there was no pic. seems like it would be a good investment. thanks trailrider230s