I have a 2014 KLX450r and have changed rear sprocket to a 54, problem is I cannot realign the rear chain guide to suit. What do I do?

To replace the front sprocket follow the chain to the cover on the left side and remove it, loosen the chain tensioners on the rear axle, slide rear wheel all the way forward and remove chain. Then remove the bolt in the center of the front sprocket, change sprocket and reverse process for assembly. That is the process but if you are going to change the front sprocket you should change both sprockets and chain, as the chain stretches and will cause premature wear of the new sprockets. Complete sets can be found on Ebay for little money, maybe they are not the best but as long as you do not abuse them they will do until you get the money for a good set.

Jessica:

First, check the chain and sprockets. Check the two chain sprockets for worn or bent teeth. If either of the sprockets is damaged, replace them. If the sprockets are OK, Check the chain for any damage If the chain is damaged, replace it. You are checking the chain for kinks, stiff links, damage to the link side connectors, and checking that the chain is not bent (side to side) Check to see If the chain is loose. If it is, you'll need to loosen the rear axle nuts and pull the rear tire backwards to tighten the chain, then tighten the rear axle nuts. *Make sure that the rear sprocket lines up with the front sprocket*. Just lay a straight edge along the two sprockets, ( A yardstick will do), and make sure that the sprockets touch the yardstick along the whole length of the sprockets. If the rear sprocket is cocked (not lined up with the front sprocket) loosen the axle nuts again and push on one side of the rear tire or the other side until the sprockets line up.
When you are finished tightening the rear axle nuts, pull up on the chain between the sprockets... the chain should not move up or down more than 1/8 of an inch. The chain will stretch over time, and you need to check the chain for looseness before riding.


Happy and safe riding!

When your chain is worn the sprockets share the damage. If your chain was razor sharp or wearing unevenly: it's time to change : front sprocket (****** side) rear sprocket and use the proper size chain to match. They sell them in sets. It's quite possible only your chain may need to be changed . Inspect the sprockets! If you haven't done so, purchase a repair book for your bike and carry it with you. The information is found on page.... Good Luck, hope this helps!

This should be everything you need....

You can add teeth to the front sprocket or take teeth off of the rear sprocket. In the case of your bike , I do not think there is a 17 tooth front available so your best option would be to shorten your chain and drop from the 44 tooth rear sprocket to 40 tooth or a 36 tooth rear sprocket. That would be like adding one or two teeth to the front sprocket. Your stock is 16/44 so decrease from there. Be sure to ID your chain, get a chain breaker, and a new master link.

The chain is not a huge issue, but the sprockets are. When a chain wears, the sprockets suffer the same about of wear. If you just change the chain, the new one will have seriously shortened life as it wants to wear out to the level of the old sprockets.
This is not a do it yourself job, specifically the front sprocket.

A worn set of sprockets will kill a a new chain in short order - particularly a worn countershaft sprocket.
The issue is that, with a worn sprocket, all the force is on only one roller at a time.
Overtightening a chain will kill it in short order as well.
The issue is that chain tension changes as your rear wheel goes up and down (the swingarm pivot and countershaft sprocket are not concentric so the distance between the sprockets changes as the wheel position changes. Typically, you want to be able to move the midsection of the chain up and down 1.5" to 1" after adjustment.
If the rear wheel is out of line, that will also kill a chain, but it will take longer - and your bike will not handle that great.
Finally, are you [i]sure[/i] it's the chain? You may have simply failed to tighten the axle nut sufficiently and the axle has moved forward (and is probably angled out of line as well)

Wind the chain through the rear sprockets, grab a hold of the rear sprocket and rotate the smaller sprocket towards the pedal, that should give you enough slack to put the chain on the front sprockets

Depending to what model you have, the Sprocket cover tab (located on the round part of the sprocket cover) isn’t inserted into the saw body tab slot. Or your cahin is not tensioned properly. According to the manufacturer... "The adjusting block on the adjusting screw isn’t inserted into the adjusting hole on the guide bar. Reinstall and align the sprocket cover by first removing the sprocket cover from the saw. Turn tensioning screw on the sprocket cover counter-clockwise until it stops. Pull guide bar away from saw body to remove slack from chain. Insert sprocket cover tab into saw body tab slot and lower sprocket cover into guide bar bolt. Finger tighten guide bar nut onto guide bar bolt. Slowly push guide bar toward saw body until adjusting block on the adjusting screw drops into round adjusting hole on the guide bar. Securely tighten guide bar nut after properly tensioning saw chain." If these tips do not work, you may need a new chain. You can order an new chain on-line at www.masterparts.net. I hope this helps you!

Here is a link to instructions for EL-8 series saws ... http://www.desatech.com/pdf/115499-01_EL8_Series_Chain_Saw_Tension_Adjustment.pdf. For series LNT-2, LNT-3,EL-1, and EL-7 according to the manufacturer... "WARNING: The cutting edges on the chain are sharp. Protective gloves should be used when touching the chain. Unplug the chain saw from the power supply. Allow chain to cool. Loosen the guide bar nuts until they are finger tight. Ensure the adjusting block is in the adjustment hole in the guide bar. Turn the chain tensioning screw clockwise to increase tension. Turn the chain tensioning screw counterclockwise to decrease tension. Check for proper chain adjustment by pulling down on the chain at the bottom center of the guide bar. You should see no more than a ⅛ inch gap between the chain cutting links and the guide bar. The guide (or drive) links should not come out of the guide bar grooves. The chain should rotate freely around the guide bar. If it does not, chain tension should be decreased. When the chain is properly adjusted, tighten the guide bar nuts securely." On the M series if your chain keeps slipping off your sprocket... The Sprocket cover tab (located on the round part of the sprocket cover) isn’t inserted into the saw body tab slot. I hope this helps you!