Mr. Know-It-All’s  
Article #10    How To Perfectly Align Your Sprockets and Chain

“What  Not  To  Do!!”

Don’t guess!!  The most important thing is not to just blindly guess about alignment.  Simply because
you successfully mounted your sprockets and correctly connected the chain around them does not
mean its “Miller Time.”  It is very important that you verify that the front sprocket and rear sprocket are
parallel and in the same plane with each other.  That failing, the chain will run off at an angle from the
sprocket teeth.  The consequences of this misalignment are substantial and few people realize the
implications of even a small angular divergence.

What  Does  Misalignment  Cost?

Much has been written about, and most people are aware of, the premature wear and performance
problems associated with the tires on their vehicles when they are out of alignment.  Lots of complex
equipment exists at the auto shop to identify and correct misalignment.  However, when it comes to a
chain and sprocket drive system, almost nothing has been published giving the owner/mechanic a true
understanding of the importance of alignment, much less how to do it.  Dyno studies performed back in
the 70’s confirmed substantial power losses (up to 4.75 horsepower on a 400cc machine) with
sprocket/chain misalignment of as little as 8.5 degrees.  These tests also verified that the wear rate on the
sprockets triples, chain failures on these vehicles went up 35% and derailments were twice as likely.  
When you consider that an owner may spend $500 or more on an accessory pipe that yields a 3
horsepower increase, it would be madness to give it all back because the drive system was not aligned.  
Simply put, it is very costly to neglect accurate alignment.  

Typical  Alignment  Techniques

Most people just eyeball the chain alignment as best they can, guess that it’s close enough and then
forget it.  Some think it doesn’t matter at all.  Most people don’t have any idea that a simple method
exists.  All three groups are wrong.  (The eyeball guys) can give it their best shot and still almost always
end up from 4 to 10 degrees off, resulting in measurable power loss and excessive wear.  The second
group is ignorant.  The third group is uniformed.

One tedious method is measuring the distance from the center of the swingarm bolt to the center of the
rear axle on both sides and insuring the measurements are equal.  Some cumbersome gauges were
constructed with sliding/locking bars and pins to accomplish this (I designed and used one in the early
1980’s).  It is cumbersome to use, far from being universal and very time consuming.  Another idea is to
use a long, solid straight-edge between the two sprocket faces to detect any non-parallelism.  This
method is awkward and sometimes impossible because of physical interferences with other
components in the way (i.e. swingarm attach points, levers, rollers, etc.).  

The eyeball guys are actually on the right track but one key element prevents them from getting
consistent perfect alignment…a reliable frame of reference.  The unaided eye is doomed to guesswork.

Perfect  Alignment  Every  Time

Help is here for Group 1 and Group 3 rider/mechanics.  Group 2 boneheads need an attitude adjustment
first.  An elegant solution is now available that guarantees perfect chain and sprocket alignment
consistently.  This new tool is an alignment gauge that quickly clamps to the faces of the rear sprocket in
a matter of seconds.  The simple fixture is absolutely parallel to the rear sprocket faces and extending 90
degrees from it is what I call, for the “eyeball guys,” the missing link…a sight rod that points along the
top row of the chain as it proceeds toward the front sprocket.  With this visual reference line, even a guy
with 20/60 vision could recognize any divergence and adjust the axle blocks to bring the chain into
perfect alignment with the sprockets.  ATV guys will have a more involved problem since any run out will
require an inspection or replacement of swing arm or rear axle carrier bearings, but at least they are
cognizant of the problem.  







We call this gadget a “Sidewinder Straightaway.” This gizmo should be available from finer dealers and
performance oriented shops.  You can also check out this tool on Sidewinder’s website and order it
online at http://sidewindersprockets.com/drivetools.html or contact
Sidewinder Products at 630-513-1000.

"You Should Have Known"

Krause Racing's Sidewinder Products

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"How To ........"  Articles


Free Technical Information from one of the veteran tech-heads in the Motorcycle Industry.  Vic Krause
(the original Mr. Know-It-All of Hi Torque Publications) has authored a series of “How-To.....” articles
guaranteed to shed new light on many topics of interest to the owner/rider/mechanic.  These short
articles are provided gratis as a courtesy to our visitors as a way to say thanks" for forty fantastic years
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list includes subjects such as…”how to perfectly align your chain”; “how to know when you should
replace your drive system”; “how to master the master link”; “how to really clean an O-ring chain”; “how
to gear your bike to win” and many more.

Vic Krause
Dirt Bike Magazine Midwest editor for 7 years; Original creator of the "Mr. Know It All" technical column; Bachelor
of Science, University of Detroit; Master of Engineering, IIT.  Raced 250cc and 500cc amateur motocross for ten
years, Produced, popular, live, mechanics seminars throughout the United States. Awarded several U.S. patents
for innovations in drive system technology. Vic established Krause Racing when motocross started in the USA
(1968).

Article  # 10  How To Perfectly Align Your Sprockets and Chain...See Below

Article  # 11 How To Totally Understand Chain Tensile Strength
Mr. Know-It-All’s “How-To” Pending Topics ................TBA                            

  • MASTER YOUR MASTER LINK
  • REALLY ADJUST YOUR CHAIN RIGHT
  • KNOW WHEN TO REPLACE CHAIN & SPROCKETS
  • COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE UPS/DOWNS OF GEARING
  • UNDERSTAND METRIC CHAIN PITCH SPECS
  • PICK THE PERFECT CHAIN LUBE
  • CORRECTLY CLEAN YOUR CHAIN
  • DECIDE IF YOU WANT A CONVERSION KIT
  • UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF MATCHING
  • KNOW WHY A CHAIN BREAKS

Mr. Know-It-All’s………………... “COMING ATTRACTIONS”

The following is a list of pending topics that are currently under construction. Bookmark this page and make
an entry on your day calendar to come back and visit when a topic of interest to you is released.
Sidewinder Straightaway