Old chain won't go back on ???

[JRP3]

OK I'm running out of ideas here. I had the right front chain off the Attex to replace the bent axle with a new one from Whipper and now I can't get the chain back on. It's about 1//8 inch short, even with vice grips squeezing as hard as I can holding the ends together and rotating the front tire back to take up any slack. The chain is TIGHT! I cleaned both sprockets and the chain in case there was some dirt and grease taking up space, and I turned the chain around to see if it seated better one way or the other, but no go. I'm about to try loosening the bolts on the front and middle outside bearing flanges and slacking the chain from the T-20 to the middle axle to see if that might give me enough slack to get the master link in. I even tried adding a link but that's too loose.

[whipper-ag]

I don't see any beer cans in any of your pics, so we can rule that out. I was looking to see if you had chain adjusters. If the chain fit before and all you did was change an axle, then something is not back in the same position. There is some play in the 2 bolts that hold the inner bearing flange & there could be some slop in the bolts on the outer flange. Try loosening up the bolts on both inner & outer flanges, then try to put the chain on. It could be the axle was pulled farther back when you locked the outer flanges. If that doesn't work , try a 1/2 link.

Whipper

[cory_Alaska]

I'm sure you have it up on blocks, but just in case, make sure the tires are off the ground. I found out the hard way that it is much easier that way!

[JRP3]

Originally Posted by cory_Alaska

I'm sure you have it up on blocks, but just in case, make sure the tires are off the ground. I found out the hard way that it is much easier that way!

Actually I only have the front up in the air, my thought being that I could rotate the front wheel back to take up the slack while the rear was held still by sitting on the ground. Maybe I'll get the whole thing up and see if that helps. Can't hurt at this point.

I did try a half link but that made it too loose. It's crazy I tell ya.

[liflod]

I've had problems with the chain getting bunched up when wrapping it around the sprocket where it would shorten it by a link. What do you have for chain adjusters? They should be able to take up half a link.

[JRP3]

The adjuster is an idler just ahead of the middle axle.

The problem is with the half link the chain is so loose the idler pushes it down onto the cross member in front of the middle axle. If the idler were closer to half way between the two axles it might work but not being so close to the sprocket. However since this chain used to fit there is something else that I am missing. The more I think about it I think the chain tension from the T-20 may have pulled the middle axle back just enough when I had the outer bearing flange bolts off to replace them, so hopefully loosening everything up again will allow it to connect.

[JRP3]

Got the BASTARD!!!
What a pain, loosened the flange bolts, put a pipe wrench on the front axle with a 3 foot pipe and yanked back on that to rotate the wheel back while the T-20 lever was pulled back with a bungee to hold the brake on to hold the center axle still and just barely got the master link through. That chain is TIGHT!!!! I hope it loosens up a little with some use. Unfortunately with all my thrashing around I cracked my repair to the front corner where I had it jacked up so I get to fix that again. Gotta get that skid plate installed, but I figured I wouldn't need it while just working on it! One step forward one step back and getting nowhere At least I have my trailer hitch finished and now I can put the battery rack back in and the batteries, and maybe wire this thing! Hopefully I won't blow any electronics