dubious
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posted May 09, 2007 08:57 AM
 Edited By: dubious on 9 May 2007 12:06
Chain wear and sprokets FYI
some may already know , some may not...
I've seen this topic many times and thought I would share some insight from the 30+ drivetrains I have worn out over the last 29 yrs riding dirt and street.
When i raced motocross, I would go through 2-3 sometimes 4 sets of chains and sprokets in one season... dirt, water and mud are really hard on chains!
A stretched chain will wear the sproket teeth forward, and bend them from the torque and stretched chain plates.
The link plates elongate between the pins due to torque, then the rollers don't mesh with the teeth, this compounds sproket wear and tooth damage, bending teeth, and if worn / stretched enough will break teeth off the sproket.
Eventually the chain will skip teeth, and can fail!
Many ppl don't realise that a weak cheap chain will destroy strong expensive sprokets as it stretches.
Any drive train is only as strong as the weakest link....
A poor chain may not snap, but may stretch so quickly it fucks your sprokets.
Many people break chains by installing new sprokets with a stretched chain, the rollers ride on top of the new teeth which have not worn or bent, and this causes link or pin failure, from the torque trying to pull the rollers down where they no longer fit, this can side load the link plates and the twist and cause a failure.. the plates are desingned for longitudinal torque, not lateral.
Chains and sprokets ideally are changed simultaniously, so they strech and wear in together.
Keeping the chain clean and lubricated is very important to chain life, because the chain looses tensile strength when it becomes heated.... due to lack of lube... stretches and then destroys the sproket teeth!
As far as steel vs aluminum... well quality sprokets functionaly have similar structural strengths whether they are aluminum or steel, and will both bend teeth as easilly from a stretched chain.
Steel has better wear characteristics and resists wear or abbraision better than aluminum, so high mileage riders using expensive chains that stretch little will get the most miles from steel sprokets.
Steel lasts longer in distance and wear, but will wear just the same as aluminum if you cheap out on the chain.
Aluminum driven sprokets are used to lighten the drivetrain, create a more responsive, quicker accellerating machine, and also reduces unsprung weight which helps handling.
If you run a high end chain, with aluminum sprokets and keep them lubed they will wear almost as good as the same chain with steel sprokets, and a lubed aluminum set up will outlast an unlubed steel setup with the same chain.
Keys to great drivetrain life:
Priority 1 should be a high end chain,
Priority 2 should be maintenance and lube
Priority 3 choose your sproket material.
* Note I have had high tensile chains with near zero lube (yes when i was a teenager I neglected my chain sometimes) outlast the really cheap chains that were regularly lubed. So a good chain is the most important factor in my experience.
Some aluminum manufacturers use chainweels with narrow teeth, or lower tensile aluminum, for example I found PBR and Sproket Specialists chain wheels to have teeth almost 20% wider than Renthal. Yes the renthals were lighter and would actually clean out mud better in offroad conditions, but in cleaner environments clearly the PBR was a superior tenslie and wear characteristics for street use.
I have not yet got my vortex sproket yet and have never ran them before so i can not compare them yet.
.
Don't cheap out on your chain... its not worth it!
example:
cheap chain-$ 60
frt sproket- $35
rear sproket- $100
Total comes to $195 and lasts 5000 miles. screws the sprokets too.
expensive chain $100
frt sproket $35
rear sproket- $100
Total= $235 and lasts 10, 000 miles +
for the little added (+20%) expense you have a drivetrain that lasts 2x's as long (+100%)!!
and is safer too.
Engine cases and Hospital bills can be expensive.
Like tires, and brakes its not worth cheaping out!
For those who know this .... great, for those who don't.... well now u do!
Happy trails/ roads! 
____________
natural selection.....
destiny will overcome intervention.
Some are not worthy of the effort.
  
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fastestbusaaround
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posted May 09, 2007 10:29 AM
Great write up Lyle -- and thanks for the wonderful info! Given that I own 2 Kawi's that I beat the living shit out of every day, I will heed your helpful advice! 
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FYYFF!!!
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dubious
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posted May 09, 2007 11:04 AM
Thanks,
BTW those were average US prices. 
I have seen 520 chains go as cheap as $80 Canadian, and the most expensive one I ever owned retailed for $280.... 
____________
natural selection.....
destiny will overcome intervention.
Some are not worthy of the effort.
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flyboy
Pro
Posts: 1536
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posted May 09, 2007 11:49 AM
Lyle,
Great information and well written. Can you give the brand name of some excellent chains and were to order them? If top end is your only concern is one chain recommended over another?
Thanks--
____________
'There's more living in five minutes flat-out on a bike than some men have in an entire life'.
"The World's Fastest Indian"
One fast red ZX-14,
Three World and four National Land Speed Records,
One faster red and white Cessna Turbo 210
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dubious
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posted May 09, 2007 01:48 PM
Edited By: dubious on 9 May 2007 14:50
Non o ring chains present the least frictional drag, but less longevity.
i wouldn't recommend them for street use
For optimal power to the ground I would recommend lubing with WD40.
Many will refute this and others swear by it. WD 40 does not seal the chain, or provide long term lube like waxes do, but you won't require that on the salt, just keep spraying it between runs to prevent corrosion from the salt.Chain wax creates more drag, and can actually make the chain stiff, requiring more HP to curve around the sprockets. The chain speed is directly proportional to wheel speed, so this can have dramatic effects at top speeds!
Also for your top speed runs, I would go with 18 tooth or even 19 if it will fit!, this increases the radius around the front sproket, making the power transfer more efficient, the chain doesn't have to bend so tight, and it will keep the chain off the sliderstoo!,of course you will have to compensate by running a larger rear sprocket as well to acheive ideal gearing.
William, for top speed runs on the salt since traction is limited, a 520 conversion would work well, less parasitic loss, and no chance of there being enough traction to break a chain. Many guys run 520 conversions on literbikes on the street.
Schnitz and other professional drag racers will be able to steer people to the best chain for their drag and top speed uses, he has the tensile strength ratings and weights of them, just remember that you don't need the strongest or heaviest chain on the salt.
I'd be looking for minimum weight , minimum drag, maximum radius with less concern of strength if you intend to use it solely on the salt...
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raptor14
Expert Class
Posts: 264
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posted May 09, 2007 03:04 PM
Lot's of good info there dubious. I always replace the chain and sprokets together, not one or the other. Didn't see it listed, but I've seen a lot of people over tighthen their chain causing premature stretching and wear, not to mention possible damage elsewhere. The swingarm can go through some pretty large angle changes, resulting in corresponding changes in length between the forward and aft sprokets. Follow the owners manual guidelines and do not overtighten.
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himile14
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posted May 09, 2007 06:19 PM
Good points no doubt. I look at low mid and high priced chain or more specific, no-ring, O-ring, X-ring and finally W-ring.
I'm not sure why anyone would want a No-ring I just know they still make them. O-ring work well but 10-14K was the best luck I've had (remember pussboy rider here). X-ring do work pretty well but I could never get more than 15-16K out of that type of chain. That leaves W-ring, and yes I did get 20k Out of this puppy. I don't know if the added 80 dollars is worth the 4-6000 more miles.
These prices may be dated but I paid $90 dollars for the o-ring, $110 for the X-ring and $190 for the W-ring. DID (which is currently on most ZX-14's right now) or RK both seem to work pretty well provided you stay on top of lubing.
I always replace the front sprocket but I leave the rear sprocket provided it still looks fine. The VFR's Rear Sprocket is stock....Yep I want 100K out of that puppy, I've come too far to not give it a shot.
Rob
VFR 90,670 miles
ZX-14 23,804 miles
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thevak
Expert Class
Posts: 274
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posted May 09, 2007 06:46 PM
Dubious I went with the stock did in the long version for my stretch (stock sprockets). I hope this will help in the long run. Thanks for the info.............
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butterthegreat
Expert Class
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posted May 11, 2007 11:56 AM
Hmmm...My chain and sprocket kit cost me 135 and they are at 9k with only minor kinks....
I guess it really boils down to how you ride and how well you maintain your chain.
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dubious
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posted May 11, 2007 03:36 PM
Hmmm, my stocker stretched so bad I had to adjust every 1000 miles, and again even after 6000 miles...
I take good care of it!
Hmmm.... yup must be how you ride...... 
____________
natural selection.....
destiny will overcome intervention.
Some are not worthy of the effort.
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stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted May 11, 2007 07:28 PM
520 light high-end chain and VORTEX 520 sprockets...oh I love a track bike :P
____________
2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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