Chain, sprockets, sliders, roller, chain block

[Ducman]

I immagine it varries quite a bit with how much you ride and what conditions, but I figured I'd ask anyway. My sprokets look fine but my chain is pretty worn out. I clean the chain and keep it lubed like it was my weener. I've babied the stock chain for 1.5 years and it has only ever streatched durring break in and has required no adjusting untill recently when rode the piss out of her at the doons, it stretched some more and I had to adjust it while there. I am changing the chain and sprockets and was wondering about doing the chain block/guide (due to the problem described below), roller and slider. The slider and roller are getting a bit worn but I immagine they could probably last through another chain. Anyway, I just want to know how often have you all needed to replace the slider, block and roller?

 

 

Recently at the doons and only in the really moist (it rained a lot durring that trip), yet deep and loose sand where there were deep ruts in a steep single wide (where your are practically high centered) trail, my chain seemed to bind up like a sumbitch in 1rst and sometimes 2nd gear. Almost thought I broke the tranny the first time it happeded. It seemed like was popping in and out of first gear like it wasn't in gear correctly but after doing it a few times I figured out it was the chain. It wasn't quite as bad after I tightened the chain either. I think the symptoms were a combo of the tires suddenly spinning free from being partially high centered and catching again over and over and dragging the rear guard and sprocket in the sand causing the chain to bind up too. The funny thing is the guy that was riding with me on a Z-400 said the same exact thing was happening to him too and only in the same exact locations as me. His chain was about worn out just like mine. It really made it fuct to climb the side shoot off O'l baldy at Winchester which pissed me off bad. I would have sold my left nard for a +4 swinger and 22" haulers. Also my stock rear disk/sprocket guard has gotten beat up over time and seemed to be touching the chain block pushing it slightly to the inside causing a little wear from the chain on that side too. I'm going to take the guard off permainitely. I'm wondering if I get a new chain and sprocket if the problem will go away or does the wet sand just bind shit up like that. Also would a nice chain block like the cascade help?

 

Thanks for any responces Banshee Bros

[Oilsmoke]

I sure like my Cascade style slider alot I also found a all ballz rollers that have

sealed bearings & Outer seals on both sides They kick ass Upp sliders look pretty good also.

if you need urls let me know

[89Steeda]

I'm gonna say it's the sand binding up in the chain and rear sprocket. If you are running a skid plate, it will be worse.

[ssanddemon]

The 'popping' you experienced is pretty common, especially in wet sand. I thought I had broke something the first time as well, but a veteran soon set me straight. It is from sand getting sucked in between the chain and sprocket as it goes around. Nothing to worry about, I had 2 1/2 years and lots of rides thru my first chain, never seemed to hurt anything. I finally replaced chain & sprockets due to normal wear (sharp teeth). I found out right away in the wet Oregon sand to pull that skidplate off. It's no big deal in the dry since the ruts flatten out right away, but when it's wet, those ruts get DEEP and the bike would high center like a bastard! Pulling the skidplate lets the brake rotor and sprocket dig right down to china, keeping your tires hooked up. I wouldn't ride dirt trails with no plate, but in the sand, it's the way to go.

[ssanddemon]

Oh, and I never lube the chain, it just attracts sand. I run a good quality o-ring chain, and spray it down with WD-40 after washing to prevent rust.

Edit: here's something else- if the sprockets look good, why do you think the chain is worn out? A stretched chain causes sprocket wear, the two go out together. As the chain wears, there is more space between rollers, causing the sprocket teeth not to be adequately spaced apart; they will then wear in a cup shape to match the excessively long chain spacing. Even a very tight chain will do this if it's worn out. Conversely, it's easy to spot a chain that has been run loose, as the sprocket wear will be high up on the teeth, with the tops bent over in extreme cases.

And if the rollers and block look good, just install a cascade slider. The swingarm pivot roller is just a bad joke, but the block and rollers seem to hold up well.

Edited April 20, 2005 by ssanddemon

[BenBB]

Good posts ssanddemon. Ducman I went with straight T.M. Designworks (lifetime warranty I think) for both rollers, the swingarm slider, and the rear chain guide (I got the single roller one made to fit with a PRM swingarm skidplate). Speaking of the drive system, a case saver is a good investment, just thought I'd mention that after seeing another bad broken case this weekend (not mine heh). Anyway I've got about 270 hours and over 3 years on the swingarm slider and it still looks damn near new, I would highly recommend T.M., I don't foresee having to replace mine for a loooong time, if ever.

[ssanddemon]

Thanks BB. Good post yourself: a case saver is one of the first mods anyone should consider. Guys should weigh $20 and 20 minutes of work to install a 'saver versus a detonated case if the chain ever breaks.

[Ducman]

On the skid plate, yeah I'm definitely pulling that thing off for the sand, its trashed anyway. The sand was about as wet as I have ever ridden, it rained hard every night and into the early morning. It never binded the chain in the dry sand before like it did on this trip. My sprockets, front and back are getting worn on the pull side of the tooth but the wear is not anywhere near the tip to make them sharp. I ususally pull on the chain in the middle of the rear sprocket to see how much slack there is in the chain around the sprocket, and how much you can bow the chain side to side along with the visual wear on the sprockets to guage wear. I might buy a chain and sprockets to have on hand and run the current set a few more times, see how it does with no rear skid plate dragging in those deep ass ruts. Looks like my swingarm slider is showing quite a bit of wear, looks like it is wearing a lot on the inside from spinning around the swingarm. The rollers look fine. I'll check into the other parts mentioned as well. Thanks