You do NOT always get what you pay for in the chain drive world.
Always remember that it is the chain elongating from wear that causes sprocket teeth to wear down and deform.
An aluminum alloy rear sprocket will last every bit as long as a steel sprocket will...as long as the chain is within safe running specifications.
The biggest difference between a steel and an alloy rear is, the steel will fight deformation of the teeth due to the stretched chain running on it, far longer than the aluminum alloy rear will.
Problem is, if your chain is a bit lengthened from wear...the hard steel sprocket, that fights deformation, will actually accelerate the death of the chain. And as a result, pass on this mismatch to the front sprocket and help kill it faster.
An aluminum alloy will let you know that you are in fact running a chain that is past safe running specifications.
Actually, as long as you kept an eye on the chain measurement and change it out before it reaches 2% elongation from new, you could run an alloy sprocket forever and a day...on several chains if need be.
StuckInJersey.
I feel pretty confident in saying that you are running your chain way too tight. In fact, if you wore out a steel rear in ~3 months I can just about guarantee it.
Every time you compress the shock you are helping to wear out that drive with a tight chain.
Now...if you swear that it is tensioned properly, then I would seriously look at my lubrication regimine.
What you are experiencing is NOT normal wear and there IS a root cause.
StuckInJersey said:
I just noticed a leak on my front sprocket as well. I'm ripping her apart tonight so I will tell you what I find. Although I do not think it's all that uncommon of a thing.
Another thing that is common when running too tight of chain drive.