aluminum or steel sprockets????

[mbaird]

should I go steel or aluminum for sprockets ?

I ride single track and some enduro, desert racing ,etc

1.) My thinking is that if you should replace the sprockets and
chain together , wear wont be an issue . But I dont want
to bend a sprocket 50 miles from nowhere . (In Idaho thats
almost every ride! )

2.) Does it really make a difference if you go with o-ring vs.
x-ring vs. gold etc... as far as stretch and performance.

let' here your opinions

 

[SpeedyManiac]

Definitely get a sealed chain (either O-ring or X-ring, both are good. I wouldn't use an aluminum sprocket just due to the wear factor. That said, some coated aluminum sprockets are pretty good. The new Tri-metal sprockets (made by Ironman? I can't remember) are pretty cool and come with a good guarantee. For the countershaft sprocket I run Ironman steel sprockets.

 

[mbaird]

will I notice a difference in stretch between the high buck chains and the budget ones ?

I am asking who makes a bang for the buck combo .

 

[KDX607]

I just got a deal, last month I bought a parts unlimited X-ring chain for $60 over on dennis kirk.

 

[snb73]

What bike do you ride? I use an O-ring chain and steel sprockets on my 03RM250. I have gone two seasons without having to change or adjust them. With a smaller bike you might notice the drag.

Pro racers change chains and sprockets every race. They need every edge to win. For you and I the added weight of a steel sprocket and O-ring chain really won't be noticed.

Bottom line; To make your dollar and maintenence go far, it's steel sprockets and an O-ring chain.

Good luck, Steve.

 

[mideastrider]

I get a lot more ride time out of steel than aluminum.The best rear sprocket I've had was made of tool steel.

 

[rostifer]

WHat your looking for if you want a lot of bang for your buck is Primary Drive chains and sprockets. You can get them at rockymountainmc.com. Thats the best supplier in the states (at least I think) for common bikes. If you got some weirdo bike you wont find it very good.

 

[kmccune]

Steel hands down! And yes quality oring chains last longer.

 

[CaptainObvious]

If you keep a plain-chain clean and lubed, and run it properly adjusted on an aluminum sprocket, they will both last a long time. They will certainly out-last an o-ring chain/steel sprocket combo that is poorly adjusted and maintained.

The weight difference between plain-chain/aluminum vs. o-ring/steel is significant. And all of that weight is in the one place you don't want it - unsprung weight.

If you maintain your bike well, go with aluminum.

 

[XRpredator]

if you don't maintain your bike well (like me) and you outweigh your bike anyway (like me) then you can run a stainless steel sprocket and o-ring chain (like me). It will still wear out, but not as fast as aluminum and standard chain.

but then again, my ride has enough snoose to turn it without breaking a sweat.

 

[mbaird]

sounds like steel and o-ring is the way to go. My main concern with aluminum is not wear but the possibility of
bending when I collide with a boulder, which of course will
occur at the furthest point out on the trail.

I checked Rocky Mountain out and none of their combo's
are in stock. Which leads me to believe that they are having
a vendor problem.

BTW, I ride an '03 cr250 smoker.

 

[motometal]

I don't like the off brand/el cheapo chains. this is not a place you want to skimp. Get a name brand chain, RK, DID, Tsubaki and not their lowest line either.

by the way, if after a year or two your sprockets look pretty good but the chain is showing signs of wear, feel free to just replace the chain and not the sprockets....that is perfectly ok in spite of what you may have read.

 

[Jaybird]

If you land on a boulder hard enough to bend an aircraft aluminum sprocket, you will more than likely also see damage to a hard steel sprocket as well.

You are always going to get recommendations to use nothing but a hard steel sprocket...and the harder the better, according to conventional wisdom.
But the harder material only fights the wear a worn chain will place on the sprocket teeth. Super hard steel sprockets only benefit those who are running a chain that is past it's service.
Sure a worn chain on an aluminum sprocket will show the wear on the teeth sooner...but is is only because the chain is stretched past it useable length, or a bad adjustment, that a sprocket tooth sees deformation to begin with. IF the chain is within it's useable pitch length, and you have the drive adjusted properly, then any sprocket you choose to run will be fine and remain useable with no deformation to the teeth. And the teeth of any sprocket will remain useable as long as the chain is within spec.

Folks will often say things like "my chain is fine and dandy, but the sprocket teeth on my aluminum sprocket are wearing out fast". Their next conclusion is that they need a harder rear sprocket, but the fact is that they are running a worn out chain, or they simply have adjustment or tension all hosed up and don't realize it.

Same for the front CS sprocket. If your chain has worn, and the pitches have elongated, it will start to wear at the teeth of the front sprocket as well.
The same guys who claim you need a hard steel rear will also claim you need to change out the front about 2-3 times for every chains worth of riding.
Mainly because that is what they are seeing...BUT...it is not because this is just the way things are, because the same holds true for the front as it does the rear sprocket.
If their chain was still within specification, and they had proper adjustments, they wouldn't be seeing the need to change the front twice or more during the life of the chain.

If your chain is within specification for useable length (no more than 2% of it's original pitch length), and you have the drive adjusted properly as far as alignment and tension are concerned, then the sprockets...ANY quality sprockets including aluminum, will last and last and last.

And you will not find any sort of advantage to the different rings available. Some rings do actually provide a better sealing surface, and provide less friction than others, but the life of a ring chain is completely dependent on the care given it.
Just ONE ring that is torn or cracked can let water and grit in. And just ONE link that has been violated like that is subject to being worn past what the other still protected links are. This ONE hosed up link can foul up a whole drive system, including each and every tooth on both sprockets.
You will still get guys telling you that there is no substitute for the maintance free ring chain..but they are failing to add that the ring chain requires a bit more close maintenance to keep it intact. Oh sure, you can ride for many hours on a ring chain and do nothing at all to it..and it may or may not provide you good service, depending on if you get lucky and no rings get worn or torn.
A standard chain will allow you to forget about fretting over the rings. It can be easily cleaned lubricated to keep it in good shape. The ring chain needs a bit more care than the standard chain does, simply due to the fact that you need to keep the rings in good shape to allow the chain to perform properly.

Gold (or other colors) is nothing but a surface treatment to keep the sideplates from rusting. It has nothing to do with the quality of the chain.

Tensile strength is a gauge of the materials used in a chain, but it by no means is a guide to how well the chain will perform. Yes, many top shelf chains will have a super high tensile strength rating, but you don't really know if the mfg is providing you with numbers that are pertinent. Is that ultimate tensile strength, or yield tensile?
It doesn't matter much, as most any top shelf moto chain will have more than enough tensile strength to handle the power of ANY dirt bike made. Tensile rating and wear factors provided by the mfg, are for the most part, a bunch of marketing BS that should not really even be considered.

And I also agree that you should buy a chain that is a #520 and made for a motorcycle, and not simply a ANSI #50 chain you find in a 50ft. roll on gaybay.
Even though either would work.
And I also agree that if the chain is starting to measure past recommended pitch length, then you can change it out without changing the sprockets. Ony if there is deformation of the sprocket teeth do you need to change it out. But, let the chain grow too far, and you will start to see wear on the aluminum sprocket teeth. The steel sprocket may well not be showing wear yet, but if you leave the worn chain on...the hard sprocket will eat the rest of the chain up in short order.

Some simply don't want to mess with chain and sprocket maintenance. And that is fine too...but just realise that the keys to having a proper chain drive are to keep things cleaned, lubricated, and properly adjusted, rather than trying to find a gimmick that will help them to be even more lazy.
Gimmicks such as super hard sprockets and 20,000lb tensile strength chains with mauve side plates and fancy sealing rings.

 

[XRpredator]

Gimmicks such as super hard sprockets and 20,000lb tensile strength chains with mauve side plates and fancy sealing rings.

dude, I run chartreuse plates. Not mauve.

get with the program!

 

[Jaybird]

LOL...who am I to tell you what color side plates to use?
Although chartruese is a very...aaa...light-in-the-loafers sort of color.

(Not that there's anything wrong with that...) :)

 

[XRpredator]

LOL...who am I to tell you what color side plates to use?
Although chartruese is a very...aaa...light-in-the-loafers sort of color.

(Not that there's anything wrong with that...) :)

My loafers are saying there's nothing light about me.

 

[motometal]

great post, once again Jay...no fretting about rings in this household though (but you already knew that). Just went to check the chains on a couple of bikes, both have ring chains that were new with the bike, and have seen a lot of service with minimal maintenance (I belong to the "WD-40 after I wash it and no other chain lube" club.

The XR650, which is a '93 with a 13 year old chain, needs a chain. It is worn. Has not significantly worn out the sprockets yet, but it's time (they are steel by the way so that explains it).

The CR250, which is an '03...I figured it might be time to get a chain for this one, but no...it's still ok other than a bit of rust on the side plates from a time or two I forgot the WD-40. I may replace it this year anyway.

That's pretty impressive I think...

regarding the cracking or failure of just one oring...I have seen chains where one link would become stiff probably due to loss of the lubrication (probably failure of the oring) but generally from the ones i've seen, by the time this happens the chain has met or exceeded it's expected life span, and looking closely there are other rings that are getting cracked/tired.

 

[Jaybird]

If a number of riders were to each take their ring chain off after only 10 hours of service, I bet the majority of the chains would have at least one kinked up section.
Many are often surprized when they actually do take it off for a good look.

 

[jason33]

junk aluminum is junk-
inexpencive steel is stonger than the cheep aluminum sprockets out there

a bad chain will kill a new sprocket no mater what kind you have
if the rollers in the chain are loose replace it

what ever happened to krause? are they still in buisness they seemed to have some really good ,cool stuff back in the days
of corse renthall is a good brand-
why pay twice when you can get the better product 1st-