How to adjust chains for dummies

[vipercwf]

I inherited an Argo avenger and just finally got it running...it had some carb trouble from sitting for about 2 years.

I noticed certain chains (pictures attached) seemed to be much looser than others and heard a decent amount of chain slap on the first spin around the yard after it got running. From what I understand these are supposed to be self-adjusting but im completely unfamiliar with this stuff. The picture of the one is right below the front passengers feet (left side). How can I adjust this manually, and how firm is the chain supposed to be?

Also, as for the other picture of the drive chain near the disc brakes, the back side of the chain seems exceptionally loose, on both sides of the engine. Do you adjust this by loosening the large bolt at the bottom and then raising each of the screws to essentially raise the engine/trans to tighten it? (this is assuming it does need to be adjusted, from the looks of it I would think it def needs to be)

I appreciate any insight...sorry for my naivety I am just not familiar with this stuff but would like to lear n how and take proper care of it. Thank you for any help.

[philipatmaxfour]

Hi vipercwf, I am surprised that nobody has replied to you. I am not a great mechanic but I do own a 2007 Argo avenger EFI. The drive chains on your machine are supposed to adjust automatically. At any rate the pic. showing where you hear the chain slapping is not urgently important. The chains"near the disc brake" are Urgently important. The manual says 1/8 inch of slack. Loose chains here will damage the sprockets which on my Avenger are welded on to the disc brake. Costly for sure! Yes you loosen the big bolt but there are Two of them with a 15/16 socket and adjust the tranny up using a 9/16 wrenchto to"raise each of the screws". When the chains are tight torque the 2 15/16 nuts to 130 foot lbs. or as tight as you can get 'em. if you snap the steering a lot you will have to perform this operation fairly often. Good luck

[vipercwf]

Thanks for the reply I appreciate it. I did manage to find a manual somewhere online to confirm the adjust of the idler chains. The other drive chains in the back were pretty loose before, but they mostly have tightened up. Its amazing how much better the argo turned and operated after adjusting them. Something in the manual eluded to adjusting the chains manually by moving the adjusters up manually but I can't really figure out how to. I have one chain that is prettyloose in the rear right of the vehicle and the adjuster/buffer is at the very bottom so it's not like it ran out of space to make the chain any tighter, it just stays at the bottom. Seems to be operating really good though without much if any slapping etc

[philipatmaxfour]

Glad to hear that it is operating good. Yes the chains get pretty slack on the newer avengers before the chain adjusters come into play. Argo started using adjusters with bigger teeth to stop the problem of them jumping back. Great,but then bigger teeth need more slack to make the bigger jump on the teeth. I had over 70 hours on my machine before there was enough slack for most of the adjusters to spring up into position. if your wheels are off of the ground on that side you can try pulling up Hard on the white plastic adjuster and try to get the first tooth of the steps to catch above the frame that holds them. happy riding

[racerone3]

the only argo i've had was a 1984, and had a different style of adjuster so i have no first hand experience, but what i've heard from various people is that the adjusters need to be kept pretty clean. just a little dirt, mud, sticks and leaves will gum them up and keep them from self adjusting. as i said, this is only what i've heard, but it makes sense to me.

[Roger S]

Bryan, yours was probably the pair of floating arms with plastic pads and a spring. Argo later used a ratcheting pad on one side that didn't float

[lewis]

Hi Vipercws, What year is your machine? I have a 2006 Avenger. You have a very good machine there. The chains are self adjusting and will ratchet up as the chains get slack. Argo made a change to the tensors from a coarse tooth to a fine tooth. Check to see if there is any debris or rust causing the tension assembly not to operate freely. Lube is recommended since it was sitting for 2 years they may have become stuck. If you can get a better picture of the claw it can be determined if you have the coarse or fine claw. The problem with the coarse is as the frame twists due to the terrain the coarse claws would make too big of a jump and when the machine leveled the chains would be way to tight. The fine threads take smaller jumps.

Lube the tensors well and if need take the chain loose and clean out and grease the assembly and channel that they operate in and they should work fine. Mostly watch for the chains in the front locations becoming to tight. If they become to tight they can be loosened to remove the tension.
Hope this helps.

The chains from the transmission are tightened as Phiipatmaxfour explainedl said. A manual/parts list for you year model can be obtained. If you can not find one let me know.

[vipercwf]

Thank you all for the help, I really appreciate it. By the way you are describing things I'm understanding how these work now. Thanks for that. -I'm pretty my Avenger is an '06. I attached an image of the adjuster.

The short chains coming off of the idler drive that go to the front seem much tighter than any of the other chains. When I pull on them theres really no flexion, just the slightest bit. Are these the ones your saying shouldn't get too tight? If so, how can I loosen them if need be?

Thanks again

[vipercwf]

I've just recently been noticing a lot of chain noise in the front right just under and in front of the driver. It really seems to be rubbing on either the cross bar of the frame or plastics just based on the noise. There is a very small groove on the cross member from the chains but the chain seems pretty tight flexes just a bit. I def can't get it any tighter by trying to raise the adjuster, although I haven't had any luck w that evgen w the much looser chain it goes right back down to the bottm setting

[Roger S]

Some of us fab up plastic/poly/pvc etc pads and place them where chains are touching the frame.

[Bigmike02]

the chains under my feet are extremely tight like solid steel how do I loosen them. I have a 2004 Avenger with 48 original hours

[glen1971]

Don't make the mistake to think that taking out or adding full or half links will be the solution. Have the chains stretched beyond the amount the tensioners can take up?
Are the tensioners moving up and down freely? Sometimes the guides can become gummed up with old grease, oil and dirt.
Are the springs on the tensioners in good shape? Are the chains in good shape, with no stiff links? I know with my '07 the tensioners to the front tires have been removed, as per Argo, as they are not effective with tracks with the short chain. I don't believe they are installed on newer units.
Argo does make sliders that replace worn ones over frame cross members. The clearance from the chain to the cross members to the floor pans is close enough, there will be some noise (from what I can tell). They aren't tight enough to be "floating" in the air.
Proper tension on the idler chain (from the transmission to the idler shaft) is important! This can't be stressed enough. 1/8" is what the book says and I check mine before each ride, just to be safe and as part of a routine.