chain life

[alexanderfoti]

Hi all

My Xj600 Pre divy diesel bike just failed its MOT on excesive drive chain wear.

Its a 428 non o ring chain due to limited clearance, and has done maybe 2000 miles.

That seems seriously short lived to me! anybody heard of a 428 chain wearing that quickly? Maybe its the pulses thats wearing the chain?

It has a couple of stiff links, and can be pulled off the back sprocket quite a bit.

[Eddy Wane]

You can measure the wear in a couple of ways. Lay the chain on the floor as if on the bike bend the chain to see how much of a curve it makes (there should not be a lot, if any), the other is to push all the links together, measure the length then pull the links apart and measure again. If it is more than a couple of mm replace with a different chain. Also check the distance from the original Divvy sprocket location (you would probably have to guesstimate that) to a reference point (rear axle) and compare that to the current location. It needs to be the same or less so that the swinging arm functions correctly for correct chain tensioning. If you can lift it off the rear sprocket then it is definitely goosed.
This link below explains a bit about chain wear.

http://www.bikerenews.com/Stories_Archives/Chains.html

[albertaphil]

I rode a dirt bike around the local gravel roads for thousands of miles when I was a teenager. I went through 3 chains. The first two we're non o-ring types. I attempted to keep them lubed With the expensive special chain lubricant I bought at the bike dealers for $20/can.
Each chain cost $80 and I remember thinking that, based on the previously mentioned ways of testing whether the chain is worn out, that each chain lasted about 2 thanks of gas before being officially worn out. So I rode with worn out chains and the world didn't end.

My last chain was an o-ring chain and cost $130. I put not so much as a drop of spot on it to condition the o-rings, and it did not stretch a millimeter for years (literally) until a couple of o-rings cracked and links started going bad. The $130 chain took zero maintenance and lasted years instead of days. If I had put anything on the chain to protect the o-rings I am sure it would still be fine 18 years later.

Bottom line: 2000km IS short chain life but it is what I have come to expect from regular chains. I will never again but a non-o-ring chain.

[alexanderfoti]

Hmmm I see, maybe I need to try and find a thin o ring chain. The issue is I have is that I removed sligthly too much material from my sprocket when setting the clutch basket, so the rear of the pulley rides very closely to the chain, at some points just glancing the chain. I have read that 0 ring chains are 6mm wider, and I think I just dont have that space.

[gilburton]

Funnily enough when I watched your video of the Big Knock ride out I thought then that your chain needed replacement or adjustment.
If you watch it it's bouncing up and down well. Possibly a spring tensioner of the off road/trail type might help long term in conjunction with an automatic Scott oiler or similar??
The Villiers gearbox is meant for fairly lightweight 2 stroke bikes hence the use of a thinner chain so it probably restricts your options for a heavier chain.
Most bearing type suppliers carry standard chain and will cut it to the length you require as it's used for various drives in industrial applications or just buy in bulk online and don't forget some spring links.
Just double check that your Villiers sprocket is matching the Yamaha sprocket pitch wise as they may be slightly different.
There should be no slack on the sprocket with a new chain sideways or otherwise. Lay the chain on each sprocket in turn and it should fit snugly.
All I can tell you is the chain to suit your Yamaha sprocket should be a 520 which converts to Renold 110054 or 5/8" x 1/4".
It's the Renold chain that is usually sold in bulk at the bearing dealers. Metric and imperial chains are usually the same the only difference is the O ring types are wider but the pitch is the same.
What you could possibly do is buy a standard industrial blank sprocket of the correct size and using an old villiers sprocket as a base get both machined/welded so that you can fit the correct chain if they don't match??
All you have to do is make sure your Villiers sprocket matches so get it checked out as this won't help if it doesn't match.

[gilburton]

Villiers do a 520 pitch sprocket but will it fit your shaft??
The chances are you have a 1/2" pitch sprocket as this was the standard 9E engine chain and yours is worn enough to accept the 5/8" (520) chain?? just a thought.

http://villiersservices.co.uk/index.php ... cts_id=545

[alexanderfoti]

Oh Villiers do a 520 sprocket! That's a way to go

Yeah I'm running 428 chain and I turned a 428 pilot bored sprocket for the rear. for my use so they do match up luckily.

I think the wear is from the diesel engine vs the small 428 chain just causes it to wear out a lot. Thanks for that, I will investigate the 520 front sprocket option.