Chain Wear

bobgfish

Hello

I've been checking my chain a lot using a chain wear tool and it is still within wear limits. However closer inspections shows that the rollers move a lot on each pin. Is this normal for a chain or does it signify it is worn and should be replaced even when within wear limits? Had it happen on a Shimano chain and now this is a KMC one. Does it mean I'm not lubing properley or could the Cassette or Chainring's cause this?

Thanks

ugo.santalucia

Relax and enjoy your riding...

I suggest you trade in your useless chain wear tool for a pocket chain split tool... if your chain ever breaks, you fix it on the road and you get a new one when you are at home.

End of worries

rafletcher

YEs, I've never understood the mania for chain wera measurement. Fact is your chainrings and sprockets will be wearing together with the chain. Decide to ditch a stretched chain for a new one, guranteed the new chain will start to skip/slip necessitating the replacement of chainrings and cassette. Now, when your old chain starts to skip, then's the time to replace all the above :-)

bobgfish

Not sure that helps. Not worried about breaking it. It has started making a clicking noise which is bugging me. Thinking it the rollers moving on the pins more than they should. It's done over 4500 km. I've just not seen one wear like this until the last one so just curious if I've been maltreating or neglecting it. The fact that the previous Shimano one also dis it but with 2500Km on it makes me wonder.

ugo.santalucia

DO chains make clicking noises? Not sure

I have a clicking noise on the third cog, which has oulived a change of cassette, chain, chainset and rear derailleur... I figured out it's possibly the misalignment of the dropouts/mech hanger... I then stopped worrying about it, although I admit I occasionally have a go at figuring out what it could bloody be!

ride_whenever

there's always movement, it allows the chain to run diagonally (for your gears) it is incredibly unlikely to be the cause of your clicking.

bobgfish

So the rollers moving about 1 millimetre each way around the pin holding the links is normal? I think the minor noise is the most worn rollers moving about under load. Going to swap chain tomorrow anyway as a test.

balthazar

bobgfish wrote:

So the rollers moving about 1 millimetre each way around the pin holding the links is normal? I think the minor noise is the most worn rollers moving about under load. Going to swap chain tomorrow anyway as a test.

That roller clearance sounds fairly normal. I doubt the noise is caused by a chain problem. Chain wear is easy to assess with a ruler: measure 12 inches of chain, from a pin centre (or edge): on a new chain, another pin will fall at exactly 12 inches. When the chain is 0.5% worn, the distance will measure 12 and a sixteenth- easily visible on a plain ruler. The measuring devices include that roller clearance in their assessments: unfortunately, it varies between chains by design, and has no consequences for sprocket engagement.

Above 0.5% wear, the drive load is transmitted through the chain to the sprocket across such few teeth that the sprocket wears rapidly. Chains are cheap, and sprocket sets (cassettes) are expensive: for their sake, replace your chain at that stage.

If you intend to replace the cassette anyway, you may as well wear the last chain out with it. eventually, it will skip, necessitating the replacement of both together. Even then, the chainrings are probably still fine. The three drivetrain components wear at different rates and in different ways, a "fact" missed in much confident advice.

bobgfish

Well a nice shiny new chain has fixed the noise. Job done. Just need to try and eek out more Km's on nice new one...

woolwich

Sorry for jumping this thread.
Just wondering if balthazar's ruler tip applies to all chains ie 9 or 10 speed, shimano or campag? I never did get my head around the differences, be it pin diameter, pitch or whatever.
Just want to be sure before i get my ruler out.

thanks

balthazar

woolwich wrote:

Sorry for jumping this thread.
Just wondering if balthazar's ruler tip applies to all chains ie 9 or 10 speed, shimano or campag? I never did get my head around the differences, be it pin diameter, pitch or whatever.
Just want to be sure before i get my ruler out.

thanks

Yes. In this respect, they're all the same.

woolwich

Thak you. You have just saved me the cost of a wear gauge.

Chris James

bobgfish wrote:

Not sure that helps. Not worried about breaking it. It has started making a clicking noise which is bugging me. Thinking it the rollers moving on the pins more than they should. It's done over 4500 km. I've just not seen one wear like this until the last one so just curious if I've been maltreating or neglecting it. The fact that the previous Shimano one also dis it but with 2500Km on it makes me wonder.

I had a KMC chain that made a clicking noise. A few hundred miles later the side plates fractured. I'd check the chain carefully for cracks

Chris James

Oops, just noticed you have already replaced your chain! :oops: