SuzukiSavage.com - Chain conversion and chain length

runrun

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Erie, CO

Chain conversion and chain length
01/23/12 at 07:15:40

I'm about to convert my Ryca to chain drive. I'll be experimenting with different rear sprockets but will use an 18 front for best swingarm clearance. My plan is to start with a relatively large rear sprocket, and decrease rear sprocket size til I get the gearing that I want.

My question is about chain length. If I start with a 49 rear, would I be able to go down to a few teeth on the back without removing chain links? If I start with the chain adjusters most of the way in/short, maybe I'll be able to compensate for smaller rear sprockets just by moving the adjusters out/longer?

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #1 - 01/23/12 at 07:30:05 Check the tech section. This has been well documented. Hutch pioneered it & some other guy jumped in at the same time. You can get close with a tape measure & a pencil & paper & buy long & cut to fit, too. Id sure buy the cheapest chain I couldfind till I was sure I had the sprocket sizes all sorted out to suit me,
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MotoBuddha Serious Thumper Offline Let's roll! Posts: 1416 Charlotte, NC	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #2 - 01/23/12 at 11:10:48 I have an 18/49 setup. I bought a 120 link chain and cut off what I didn't need. This is the piece that's left over.
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runrun Junior Member Offline Thump thump Posts: 77 Erie, CO	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #3 - 01/25/12 at 07:15:23 Thanks MotoBuddah, I'll be putting your sprocket spacer washers to use soon. Is that a 530 or 520 chain? Also, please remind me if you had any front sprocket cover clearance issues using an 18 front. Hutch's original chain conversion thread said that an 18 would not have enough clearance.
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MotoBuddha Serious Thumper Offline Let's roll! Posts: 1416 Charlotte, NC	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #4 - 01/25/12 at 11:14:13 530 chain. Plenty of clearance with an 18T sprocket.
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runrun Junior Member Offline Thump thump Posts: 77 Erie, CO	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #5 - 01/25/12 at 11:17:41 Thanks. Your pictures are really helpful.
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Savage_Rob Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Mechanically Inclined Amateur Posts: 6972 Texas (Dallas area) Gender:	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #6 - 01/25/12 at 12:16:26 I find the chain conversion interesting. What advantages do y'all see in using chain instead of belt (aside from aesthetics)?
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SurfJunkie Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 66	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #7 - 01/25/12 at 15:39:17 Savage_Rob wrote on 01/25/12 at 12:16:26: I find the chain conversion interesting. What advantages do y'all see in using chain instead of belt (aside from aesthetics)? The fact that you can re-gear to whatever you want is likely the #1.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #8 - 01/25/12 at 17:05:44 MotoBuddha wrote on 01/25/12 at 11:14:13: http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk182/motobuddha/1f0b7576.jpg 530 chain. Plenty of clearance with an 18T sprocket. Im hoping you havent decided exactly what to do yet & thats why the washer isnt bent over.
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MotoBuddha

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Re: Chain conversion and chain length
Reply #9 - 01/25/12 at 17:53:37

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 01/25/12 at 17:05:44:

MotoBuddha wrote on 01/25/12 at 11:14:13:

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk182/motobuddha/1f0b7576.jpg

530 chain. Plenty of clearance with an 18T sprocket.

Im hoping you havent decided exactly what to do yet & thats why the washer isnt bent over.

I did a quick test fit for that shot. What you don't see is the chain held to the rear sprocket with zip ties. Rest assured that since then the washer has been bent over (and the chain connected with a master link, and the chain properly tightened and the rear axle aligned). Wink

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #10 - 01/25/12 at 17:57:44 Whats up with that nut on the front sprocket? Thats not the stock one is it? Looks like thers a tin inset with a blade that binds into the last thread to make it a lock nut..
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MotoBuddha Serious Thumper Offline Let's roll! Posts: 1416 Charlotte, NC	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #11 - 01/25/12 at 19:21:25 All I know is that it was on the bike when I got it, and it works.
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baker87 Junior Member Offline ridin since 06 Posts: 84 venus tx Gender:	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #12 - 01/26/12 at 19:44:04 whats a good gearing combo for gas mileage on a 5 speed bike that lost 5th gear?
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BrettKeiselsbeard Full Member Offline 2007 S-40, 2003 GZ250 Posts: 146 Sebastian Fl Gender:	Re: Chain conversion and chain length Reply #13 - 01/27/12 at 08:37:11 In regards to the question of advantages....it may be that its cheaper to convert to chain than buy a new belt? If that is your problem of course.
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MotoBuddha

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Re: Chain conversion and chain length
Reply #14 - 01/27/12 at 09:23:46

baker87 wrote on 01/26/12 at 19:44:04:

whats a good gearing combo for gas mileage on a 5 speed bike that lost 5th gear?

It depends on what trade-offs you want to make. The closer the front and rear sprockets are to the same size (hell, you could even go with a rear that's smaller than the front) the better your mileage. That's because the engine needs to turn fewer times to get the rear wheel to turn the same speed. Besides dropping fuel consumption per mile, you can also either cruise at a given speed at lower RPM, or cruise faster at the same RPM. But if you make the sprockets too close together in size, your acceleration starts to suffer, because the mechanical advantage the engine has starts to decrease.

Over in the technical section, on another thread about chain conversion, there's a graph of various gear ratios, including the stock one.

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