spud786 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Thats way too cheap, something isnt right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted September 16, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted September 16, 2012 Thats way too cheap, something isnt right Maybe $239? If it is $39 please let me know, I'd like to order a half dozen. :) If you need to borrow a chain tool just give me a shout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrelman Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Those prices can't be right !!?? Unless those are cheap, Chinese knock-offs or a scam you'd expect to pay approximately: Good 530 chain=$ 99 to $150 Front sprocket=$25 to $35 Stock front sprocket has less vibration, quieter. Rear spocket=$48 to $60 Steel rear sprockets are available only in OEM, while alloy variable gearing sprockets last less than half the miles, so will need replacement before the rest. Rough rule is a top quality OEM chain is good for about 25,000 max, then often get replaced with a cheaper chain that wears faster and needs more adjustment. You can save money on the parts but it takes time to find the best deals for the best quality parts on the day you're ready to order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer wagzhp Posted September 16, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted September 16, 2012 Those prices can't be right !!?? Unless those are cheap, Chinese knock-offs or a scam you'd expect to pay approximately: Good 530 chain=$ 99 to $150 Front sprocket=$25 to $35 Stock front sprocket has less vibration, quieter. Rear spocket=$48 to $60 Steel rear sprockets are available only in OEM, while alloy variable gearing sprockets last less than half the miles, so will need replacement before the rest. Rough rule is a top quality OEM chain is good for about 25,000 max, then often get replaced with a cheaper chain that wears faster and needs more adjustment. You can save money on the parts but it takes time to find the best deals for the best quality parts on the day you're ready to order. LOL, sorry for the confusion. Those prices would be way too good to be true... but are the amounts above the standard package price. The total for my order, with tax and free shipping, was ~$265. (Hmm, multi-quote didn't work like I figured it would... That was directed to the last 3 posts. Thanks to spud786 and vfrcapn, and everyone else that recommended the chain upgrade, too!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted September 17, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted September 17, 2012 The 45 tooth rear sprockets for the 5th gen from Sprocket Center are steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer wagzhp Posted February 23, 2015 Author Member Contributer Share Posted February 23, 2015 Sorry for the old the old thread revival. 32000 miles later and this chain is just about done. I have one link that seems to have lost an X ring and is worn and very sloppy, and several other links that are rather stiff. The rear sprocket still looks great, but I haven't taken a look at the front yet. If the front still looks good can I just replace the chain, or should I assume there is enough wear to merit replacing everything together? If replacing everything is in order, I'm thinking of doing a 320 conversion, keeping the 17t front and 45t rear sprocket ratio, as I really like the way the bike feels with this set up. How much of a difference does the 320 conversion really make? Can it be felt in the seat of the pants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted February 23, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 23, 2015 Somewhere I saw a photo where a worn chain was laid out next to a new chain (same # of links). The difference in length was amazing (multiple inches). The sprockets have been wearing to the now longer distance between each link, even if it's not readily visible. IMHO to get the most service life from the new chain replace everything as a set - especially if one's paying up for a top quality chain. YMMV. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted February 23, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 23, 2015 I don't usually recommend replacing the sprockets when you replace the chain, but with that many miles I'd make an exception. Unless you've been using some kind of chain oiler, like a Scottoiler. I usually change out my chain 20,000-25,000 miles and use the same sprockets. I think if you overlaid your sprocket with a new one you'd be surprised at the wear. JMO of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer VFR Capt.Bob Posted February 23, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 23, 2015 I usually adjust it once after the initial installation and it stays close enough for nearly the life of the chain. Maybe on more adjustment about 10k miles. I buy a premium chain like DID lube and clean it fairly regularly and they last as long as I would expect them to with out much if any adjustment. A little loose is alright in my book. So if it looks right at cleaning time, I lube it and it check it again after the lube sets up. My opinion is a properly installed and maintained quality chain shouldn't need a lot of re adjustment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted February 23, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 23, 2015 I just did mine last month at 30K...for the price of the sprockets I'd go ahead and replace. Sprocket Center sprocketcenter.com had outstanding service, can't recommend them enough. The 17/45 gold 530 kit came out to $200 with tax, and you can select the chain brand you want. I'm guessing you mean the 520 conversion? I did that previously and there was no performance difference that I noticed. I did only get about 13K-14K miles out of that chain before it was toast, the 530 usu. get's me about 25K miles, little more this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNRabbit Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I've put 26,000 miles on mine in the past year & a half & haven't had to adjust it yet. Depends largely on the brand of chain & your maintenance regime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspanglish Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Usually son after installation I have to adjust mine... then maybe evey 15,000 km... but one should resist the temptation to tighten overzealously... a slightly loose chain will last umpteen more miles than a slightly overtight one. That's an old school rule that's still good as gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Even the cheapest 530 chain should be better than the best 520 or atleast on par. Its physically a weaker chain. If the desire is life and reliability, you go with the Best top rated 530 and steel sprockets, any other view I rate as Foo Foo. Ive ran 520 chains for more than 30 years, I know them well, and no fkn way would I install one on a vfr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Mohawk Posted February 23, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 23, 2015 Well a couple of things for this old thread, one all chains wear, unsealed ones wear faster, ones left dirty all the time wear faster. X-ring is the best compromise for wear verses drag. ALWAYS replace sprockets when fitting a new chain, always buy 2 front & 1 rear sprocket if steel, or 2 rear alloy & 1 front steel. The reason is to balance out the wear, think STD gearing 17/43 or 16/43 means the front sprocket receives a chain link 2.5-2.6 times as often as the rear, then consider the front sprocket has a tighter radius, so puts more strain on each tooth than the rear thus wears significantly faster than the rear. When I was courier we would replace the front whilst turning the rear over, this kept the chain hitting good shaped teeth longer. We only used unsealed 530 chains back then, as they were cleaned/lubed everyday. To measure wear, try to lift the chain off the rear sprocket, a new chain on new sprockets will hardly move, but once worn the amount of lift increases, if you can see daylight between 3 or more rollers & the teeth on the sprocket, the chain is quite worn. PS, good quality 520 chain is more than adequate for the VFR, yes it will need replacing more often, but as a strength/distance compromise I use 525 chain and sprockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted February 23, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 23, 2015 I don't agree with the "ALWAYS replace sprockets when fitting a new chain" theory. Also I don't agree that front sprockets wear faster than rear sprockets. I've run many, many bikes that have had to have the rear sprockets replaced several times and front sprocket was never replaced. Of course this was back before O-ring chains, and we ran 520 chain. Those chains only lasted about 10,000 miles if you oiled them religiously. Usually quite a bit less. This is just from my experience, and of course YMMV. Literally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer wagzhp Posted February 23, 2015 Author Member Contributer Share Posted February 23, 2015 OK, looks like the consensus is that replacing everything together is the best way to go. I am really happy with the number of miles I got out of this chain and sprocket set, and I know that vfrcapn and I ride our bikes in a similar fassion. If the 320 setup only good for 13-14k miles, I'm going to stick with the DID 530 ZVMX. Thanks for the input everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Most cases the fronts do where faster than the rear, even though they are normally hardened steel, and that's why they are hardened steel to increase life. Rear steel sprockets are normally not Hardened steel in comparison, but last about 5 times longer than an aluminum, Actually, if you cut metal to metal contact of the sprocket teeth with heavy film strength, a steel rear may last near a lifetime. Normally the front will require more turn over. Your not going to beat the oem vfr sprockets life wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer PairOfAces Posted February 24, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 24, 2015 Interesting thread. My '86 has original chain and sprockets at 39K mi. I do lube it Obsessively. Mostly with gear lube until recently a wax based spray. Less mess. Chain is within specks. Will likely consider replacement after reading this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Conedodger Posted February 24, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 24, 2015 I've got 32K miles on the OEM chain and sprockets on my 6th Gen. I bought replacements, but the originals aren't done yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer wagzhp Posted February 24, 2015 Author Member Contributer Share Posted February 24, 2015 Interesting thread. My '86 has original chain and sprockets at 39K mi. I do lube it Obsessively. Mostly with gear lube until recently a wax based spray. Less mess. Chain is within specks. Will likely consider replacement after reading this. I've got 32K miles on the OEM chain and sprockets on my 6th Gen. I bought replacements, but the originals aren't done yet. I'm pretty good about keeping the chain clean and lubed, but was really surprized to see how long this chain lasted. I commute with the bike almost daily and try to clean and lube after every 3rd or 4th tank of gas but there have been times when it would go longer. Since I wasn't "religous" about it I figured I'd get 20 or 25 thousand miles out of the chain/sprocket set. I also use 90w gear oil, and yes it's stinky and messy, but it appears to work pretty well. Other than the 90w gear oil, I occasionally use a spray chain lube, and clean things up with WD40. What are folks that don't have a pro-oiler (or similar) using to get such long life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 The lube I use is not legal for sale in California, so wouldn't do you any good. But you need something that will build a Heavy lasting film base on the sprocket teeth, if you can see the metal teeth, then the film base is inadequate to eliminate metal to metal contact. Also the lube needs to stay fluid, so all the little chain rollers spin freely, unlike waxes that clogg up the whole chain up. Ive bought two cans of chain wax in my life, once in the 80's and once in the 2000's. I forgot Id bought the first can , but then remembered what crap it was. Still have both cans to this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted February 25, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 25, 2015 Only WD40, little elbow grease and a little more WD40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Conedodger Posted February 25, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 25, 2015 I wipe the chain with a dry rag and lube with Dupont Chain Saver every 500 miles. (Or after washing or riding in the rain.) About once per season, I clean it with Dupont Motorcycle Chain Cleaner/Degreaser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted February 25, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 25, 2015 I use 90W-140 gear lube out of a Zoom Spout about every tank of gas. I just wipe the chain down each tim with a rag or paper towel. I can only remember using a bit of WD40 on it a time or two. It stays amazingly clean - the oil seems to take the dirt with it. If I'm on multi-day trips I take along some disposable latex gloves for the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted February 25, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 25, 2015 That's what I use: 90W-140 gear lube through the Hawke Oiler. You're right, it keeps the chain lubed and clean, wish the same could be said for the rear wheel. But at least it cleans up easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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