How to adjust Chain on a TaoTao ATV, Dirt bike, or Go kart
Chain Adjustment
When you received you machine you may have notice the chain was very tight. This is to compensate for the stretch of the chain. After a while the chain will stretch out and loosen up, you may need to preform a chain adjustment.
- Locate the four axle carrier bolts that hold the axle carrier tight to the swing arm. There will be two on top and two on the bottom through the chain tensioners. Loosen these bolts so there is a little bit of movement on the axle carrier, (you don’t have to loosen them too much just enough for the chain adjuster bolts to draw the axle back and eat up the slack in the chain).
- On the chain adjuster/tensioner bolts remove the lock nut closest to the end and loosen the other nut on the right adjuster to allow you to move the adjuster forward to reposition the jam nut.
- Adjust the Lock nuts remaining on the on the adjusters/tensioners, tighten them down evenly to make sure you draw the axle straight back and don’t have it cockeyed. (I would do a turn at a time on each side to assure that it is even.) There should be 3/8”-3-4” of inflection/play in the chain.
- Once you have the chain to the desired tension and the axle is in alignment, tighten the jam nut on the front of the right adjuster. Take the lock nuts you removed and but them up against the other lock nuts on the tensioners.
- Tighten the 4 rear axle carrier bolts.
- Roll the rear and check for any miss alignment in the sprockets. This would be in the form of a chain click or the chain being thrown off the sprocket.