Chains getting tight then slack as wheels turn

[Heg155]

Guys, what should I be looking for?
With my Hustler off the ground I rotate my wheels and my front and and rear drive chains go from Very Tight to literally dragging along the bottom(at least 1" of slack from zero slack). I looked for a bent axle or sprocket but I can't spot it. I assume that with that much fluxuation in the chain tension the problem would be obvious but I can't find it.
Thanks in advance
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[wfo]

you might have to pull the chains out to look closer at sprockets and if nothing
is seen then your chain is the issue

[brushcutter]

When you tighten your chains, your tires should be off the ground. Roll the tight spots up and tension the chains there. The sprockets are not necessarily centered exactly on the sleeves and that causes the tight loose tight spots. If this slack is excessive, you can remove the chain and reposition the sprockets so they counteract each other. This may not take out all the slack but it will help.

[Heg155]

I do have it off the ground thats the only reason I noticed it. This machine has been sitting for 20 years and I've just started the rebuild process. I'll test your sprocket idea, it makes sense. I guess it could have always been like this I just never noticed 20+ years ago. Thanks.
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[LarryW]

That is very strange. Hopefully, the chain has a bad spot and is binding. Making it tight when the chain goes across the sprockets, then loosens on the straight a ways. Non-centered sprockets wouldnt be good. Keep us updated. I'm curious!

[brushcutter]

But did you have it off the ground when the chains were tensioned?

Are your chains new? If not, you could have seized areas that conform to the sprocket shape but don't fully straighten after coming past/rolling off the sprockets. With the chains off, have someone roll the axles while you hold a square or something, close to, but not touching the questionable sprocket(s) find the "high" spots and mark them with an arrow pointing to the teeth. Then orient the sprockets so the arrows both point to the rear of the machine- you now have them "clocked" so that a high side is rolling in as a low side rolls in, this will counteract the tight loose tight problem somewhat. You can find bent axles usually by watching the tire or hub while it is rolled.

[Heg155]

It seems it was an offset front sprocket. Once I dopped the chain and spun the front wheel I could see the high spot with my eye, no straight edge needed. The axle looked good so I "clocked" in the high spot and after a few adjustments I got it to maintain the correct tension on the chain. Thanks for all the help I thought I was going nuts.
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Kid avandia

[LarryW]

Thanks for the update! I wonder how that happen? Is that a factory job or custom? Maybe that axle was built on a Saturday morning after a good Fri night party? lol

Is that a common hustler issue? Anybody else have that problem? Just curious.

[Heg155]

It was factory I just have never dropped the chains in the 30 or so years we've owned it(it sat for 20 years after a tree crash). I guess when I replaced it I didn't dial it in properly but it looks good now.
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[lewis]

This is very odd Not so familiar with the hustler model. Are the sprockets welded to the axle and was it welded that far off center? Just curious.

[brushcutter]

This is very odd Not so familiar with the hustler model. Are the sprockets welded to the axle and was it welded that far off center? Just curious.

The sprockets are welded to sleeves which slide over the axle, they use the bolt through the sleeve/axle like the early Max's did, seems they had a similar disfunction also. I've never gone to the trouble to check if the sprockets are not centered on the sleeves, or if the bore in the sleeve is not true(or both). Maybe they just used a schedule 40 pipe and cut pieces to length and didn't worry with truing up the bore, would have saved them some time I guess. But as far as I know this is a common thing, mine are the same way on both the 950 & 980

Heg155, have you ever had the sprocket off this axle? It could be that the sprocket assembly was at one time put on backwards, which would certainly cause problems!

[Heg155]

brushcutter, no I have never done anything on this except put gas in it. this is the first overhaul of the machine.
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[brushcutter]

So... by "offset" you mean off centered? Right?

Not offset to the side?

If so, and you never noticed the T-L-T problem, and you've never had the chains off, then an interesting point surfaces. This would mean that the guys that originally assembled your machine would have had to have clocked the sprockets during the original build. Which in turn would prove that they KNEW their sleeve/sprocket assembly was off center to begin with, and this was a problem that occurred frequently AND that my theory/solution is based in fact to the extent that the builders fixed this problem the same wya at the plant.Sorry for the spelling t'si rhad ot splel when you're patting yourself on the back

[turvuren]

What do you mean by "clocked" I realized just recently that my Attex has this problem on long rear chain. I could never maintain the tension I wanted. Last time I adjusted it I spun to average it out.

[Heg155]

Read brushcutters reply from earlier
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