fault causing rear chain to go tight, slack, tight

[Merlin]

Hi Janet , There are two Velo's like yours in our local sale room just Google Smythes Auction rooms
.Think may go for a bargain price being in an antique sale.

[Janet]

Hi Janet , There are two Velo's like yours in our local sale room just Google Smythes Auction rooms
.Think may go for a bargain price being in an antique sale.

Heck no. Now they're listed in an antique catalogue they are clearly worth more than I thought.

At least they don't have any problems with chains wot wiv dem no' 'avin eny.

[Grim Rider]

Janet, been reading through this post and left in suspense - have I missed something or did you find out what the problem was with your bike?

[Janet]

Well the cause was..............I don't know.

Not necessarily in this order:-
I replaced the chain.
I replaced the sprockets
I replaced the replacement sprockets
I replaced the wheel bearings and worn shaft.
I knocked the swinging arm legs together to remove play.
I took the gearbox apart and put it back together.

Then I went back to my first thought on seeing the problem, that I had an oval hub/brake drum/sprocket. I couldn't see how this would be possible, and why the symptoms would have appeared so quickly. Les suggested the sprockets could be eccentrically worn but inspection showed the teeth were all pretty much the same, with no hooking. The gearbox sprocket looked almost new, but I changed that for a brand new straight-out-of the-packet one. He was darned close to the answer though. During the saga I mentioned I had obtained and fitted a new sprocket to the wheel. It wasn't correct for the bike but was designed to fit the hub. Now this is where I made a mistake. I only tightened 4 of the 6 bolts as I wasn't intending riding it like that so I thought for the purpose of my investigation it should have been suitable but my problem wasn't cured. I got fed up and, as there was no point damaging a good part, I put the original one back on. Except I didn't. It wouldn't fit. Well, it came off so should go back on. And so it did, but only in one position. In any other position I could only get 5 bolts in. The sixth wouldn't line up. AHA! I thought, although somewhat unhappily because it wasn't the result I wanted, I was right and the outside of my brake drum was oval. I tried the new sprocket again and found that I could only line up 5 bolts on that too.

Then I had a deep discussion with Teddy, after which I changed my rear sprocket for a manky old one off a G5 wheel. That went on in each possible position with no problem, the chain was fitted and, up to now, hasn't shown any further symptoms.

The bad news is that I've probably still got a problem. The good news is that I've done some necessary maintenance and I now know what the inside of a gearbox looks like.

[saltbox alf]

Well done on what you have done Janet, meant to ask at Jampot and it was a pleasure meeting you an Glynn.

[Grim Rider]

Thanks Janet, glad you got it sort of sorted!

[Ozmadman]

So, you are the gearbox Guru now then??

[Janet]

Now you're just being silly. I know what the inside of a cow looks like but I couldn't restore one to life. My knowledge of gearboxes is on a par.

[SPRIDDLER]

I know what the inside of a cow looks like ....

Easy mistake to make when purchasing manuals online.
I recently ordered a comprehensive colour chart for WW2 vehicles from Amazon and received that infamous erotic novel by E.L. James.
(I did think it rather surprising that a colour chart could have had sales of 125 million copies in 52 languages).

[Janet]

What no olive drab or desert pink?




I confess to a slight time delay in getting the joke but that's because I've only heard of the book and I had no idea of the name of the author. My little brain cell is getting slow in its old age.