Rear chain

Information relating to the Matchless G12 or AJS Model 31 650cc twin
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electrajohnt
Posts: 136
Joined: Wed May 08, 2019 7:41 pm
Location: UK

Rear chain

Post by electrajohnt »

Just spent an interesting 30 mins or so fitting the rear chain. Bike up on table, rear wheel of the table so wheel will turn. Everything nice and clean, good lighting, bits of wire and string. What a pain. Certainly would not fancy doing that at the side of the road on a wet night, or on a dry sunny day either. Or am I missing a trick that makes it easy?

JohnT
JohnT
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dave16mct
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Posts: 3234
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LANCASHIRE UK

Re: Rear chain

Post by dave16mct »

The old trick is to hook the new chain onto the old chain and pull it around the front sprocket.
Dave.
electrajohnt
Posts: 136
Joined: Wed May 08, 2019 7:41 pm
Location: UK

Re: Rear chain

Post by electrajohnt »

Thanks Dave16mct.

No chain fitted, gradually working my way through refurbishment.
JohnT
Mick D
Posts: 2886
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:44 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Rear chain

Post by Mick D »

Hi

Thread the chain around the forward sprocket before fitting the chain guard?

Failing that thread the chain from underneath around the sprocket, (by rotating the sprocket backwards), until you can use a wire / set of mechanical fingers / magnetic pick up tool through to guide it through the rest of the way.

Regards Mick
56G80S
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Posts: 3354
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:45 pm
Location: N YORKS UK

Re: Rear chain

Post by 56G80S »

In the absence of a second chain, I've made a long loop of string through the chain being removed, let that pull through and then cut to remove chain and re-tied.

Used it to pull through new (or treated) chain. I usually carry some string with me! Anyone ever watched the film Mousetrap?

Wouldn't work for you though.

JohnnyB
Cerberus
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Posts: 348
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 5:51 pm
Location: BERKSHIRE UK

Re: Rear chain

Post by Cerberus »

A year ago, faced with the same problem (the old chain had made a run for it half way up a hill and was then run over by a lorry). When back home I made a long loop of string, put the bike in gear and then used a long piece of stiff wire (like a straightened out coat hanger), to hook the string over the drive sprocket (the fiddly bit). I then used the kickstart to crank the string over the sprocket and drop down the other side. I could then attach the replacement chain to the string and pull it onto the sprocket, crank it round.
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