New chain and sprockets

[OneSickPsycho]

Originally Posted by Particle Man

It may be - I've used el-cheapo HF tools instead of more expensive stuff once and did more damage to what I was working on than the difference in cost between the cheap tool and the more expensive. It's all relative.

Depends on the tool. Hand tools, for the most part I'd avoid HF stuff and get something decent like Craftsman... Bigger items, like jacks and shit like that... HF all the way.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho

Depends on the tool. Hand tools, for the most part I'd avoid HF stuff and get something decent like Craftsman... Bigger items, like jacks and shit like that... HF all the way.

Yea, it's a tough call... I've gotten some really good stuff from HF and I've gotten some craptastic tools from Sears-Robo grips come to mind IMMEDIATELY!!! I have to admit that the ONLY tools that I've gotten that I haven't had any problems with were Snap-On but $2-300 for a wrench set is a bit much! The socket wrench example calls to mind the fact that I basically had to return my socket wrench to Sears every month or so when I was using it every day for work. Sure they have a lifetime warranty but guess what? So does Harbor Freight, I've returned tools there several times without any hassle.

[Amber Lamps]

To the "replace both sprockets" crowd I say this, I replace my chain every year or so anyway because I want it to look good. I'm not trying to set any chain mileage records. I normally change the front every two rears and it has worked fine for me so far. I've NEVER broken a chain nor have I EVER seen a chain break in 30 years of riding. The only chain related problems I've seen were due to improper clip on link installation, which is why I always use the rivet style link. Even with that being said, the clip link failures were ALWAYS due to vise grip installs/mis-aligned chains. If they had used a chain press and aligned the chain, I doubt that there would have been problems.

[Hydrant]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

To the "replace both sprockets" crowd I say this, I replace my chain every year or so anyway because I want it to look good. I'm not trying to set any chain mileage records. I normally change the front every two rears and it has worked fine for me so far. I've NEVER broken a chain nor have I EVER seen a chain break in 30 years of riding. The only chain related problems I've seen were due to improper clip on link installation, which is why I always use the rivet style link. Even with that being said, the clip link failures were ALWAYS due to vise grip installs/mis-aligned chains. If they had used a chain press and aligned the chain, I doubt that there would have been problems.

That is the stock chain off the TLR with about 10k miles on it. Adjusted correctly, lubed all the time. I wasn't hammering it, just cruising at 50 mph. It let go right behind the master link.






Its pretty mangled because it got caught in the swingarm and cush locking the rear tire.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Hydrant

That is the stock chain off the TLR with about 10k miles on it. Adjusted correctly, lubed all the time. I wasn't hammering it, just cruising at 50 mph. It let go right behind the master link.






Its pretty mangled because it got caught in the swingarm and cush locking the rear tire.

What's your point? I still have never seen a chain break nor have I had one break on me. You say that it was maintained and stock...so what's that got to do with anything after market? That's most likely a DID chain, I've read that a lot of stock chains are only 6-7000 lbs tensile. Also, maybe the chain was worn out/overstretched? Maybe it was too tight? Maybe you used a pressure washer to clean your bike and water got pushed past the seal? Maybe stock chains are continuous link, made at the chain factory and shipped as a unit which would eliminate the master link... Regardless, I never said that it's impossible for a chain to break, I said that I have never seen it. Also it seems that Suzuki had had problems with chains and TLRs a decade ago if I'm not mistaken... As someone that has spent a good part of his life doing mechanical service, my BS radar goes off immediately whenever a customer claims to have done "everything right" but yet they still have a premature breakage.

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho

Depends on the tool. Hand tools, for the most part I'd avoid HF stuff and get something decent like Craftsman... Bigger items, like jacks and shit like that... HF all the way.

if I'm crawling under a car or something I want the jack to work... something about the possibility of having a car land on me makes me cautious

[OneSickPsycho]

Originally Posted by Particle Man

if I'm crawling under a car or something I want the jack to work... something about the possibility of having a car land on me makes me cautious

Jackstands.... I don't get under a vehicle without them.

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho

Jackstands.... I don't get under a vehicle without them.

I don't buy those from HF either