Sproket weight?

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flynbryan

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May 22, 2000

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• Apr 4, 2003

• #1

Hey everyone, I have a question. I went to a steel sprocket w/o much thought of any kind of consquences of the added weight, until I went back and read the comments on steel vs. aluminum sprockets. But this thing is pretty darn heavy! And to top it off I believe I'm missing some of the low-end snap my bike had prior to the sprocket change. I know I'm gonna get a big fat "I told ya so" from Jaybird :o , but I need to know if this is my culprit for a lack of the same snap I had prior?

 

Farmer John

T.C.F.<br>(tire changin' fool)

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Mar 8, 2000

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• Apr 4, 2003

• #2

Originally posted by flynbryan
I need to know if this is my culprit for a lack of the same snap I had prior?

Click to expand...

Yep.

Remember there is more to it than the physical weight of the sprocket. Not only are you adding unsprung weight, but you are also adding weight to the power transfer dynamic which is never good.

 

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flynbryan

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May 22, 2000

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• Apr 4, 2003

• Thread starter
• #3

I knew it would be added unsprung weight, but didn't think of any other possible problems. Think being the functional word in that sentence.......:( What a bummer, lesson learned........back to an aluminum sproket

 

R

Rcannon

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Nov 17, 2001

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• Apr 4, 2003

• #4

Was it the same size? Honestly, I have never noticed a difference in response.

Do your brakes not work as well? I would imagine the heavy sproket could act liek a type of flywheel following this theory.

 

Jaybird

Apprentice Goon

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Mar 16, 2001

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Charlestown, IN

• Apr 7, 2003

• #5

Jaybird doing an "I told ya so" ???

Ha! Not me.
I've always found that it helps nothing to smear mud on a man after he's done quite well by falling in the puddle all by himself.
:)

 

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flynbryan

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May 22, 2000

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• Apr 7, 2003

• Thread starter
• #6

:o ............. :ugg: .........Well deserved. :confused:

 

R

Rcannon

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Nov 17, 2001

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• Apr 7, 2003

• #7

My friend just added a new steel sprket to his sons cr 80. This must be a really bad idea on a small machine, right?

 

Jaybird

Apprentice Goon

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Mar 16, 2001

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Charlestown, IN

• Apr 7, 2003

• #8

IMO there is very few advantages in using a steel sprocket to be found. However, there are lots of disadvantages.
They add weight to both suspension and drive mass. They also more than likely will be stamped as opposed to precision machined, which can mean they are not as exact as they should be.
They also will trash a chain faster since they don't show wear as bad as an aluminum sprocket will when the chain pitch changes. This often times will result in people running chains longer than they should be ran, and can lead to breakage.

 

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flynbryan

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May 22, 2000

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• Apr 8, 2003

• Thread starter
• #9

Originally posted by Rcannon
My friend just added a new steel sprket to his sons cr 80. This must be a really bad idea on a small machine, right?

Click to expand...

I had a Noticeable difference in throttle response w/a CRF450.......55hrp vs. 25hrp.,you be the judge ;)

 

M

motometal

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Sep 3, 2001

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• Apr 10, 2003

• #10

if anyone would make a really good steel sprocket, they would be as good or better than an alloy one all around. And i'm not talking about those sidewinder stainless ones...they are too soft! If they made a lightened rear steel like the premium front ones, it would last forever, and like jaybird says you could have a really crappy chain and not really wear it out.

the chain only "sort of" acts like a flywheel.
it is not solid with the crankshaft, there is always a lag between acceleration and decelleration, depending on chain tension. Also it is connected to the crankshaft through a gear system, in other words since it spins slower than the crank, it has less of a flywheel effect (I realize that last statement oversimplified the physics of it, but you get the idea).