Chain links

[tomale]

I've had several chains that seemed to be in ok shape until I check them for stretch and to me on my big bore bikes that seems to more important. I guess I am not sure how a o ring chain could slow down chain stretch, any ideas?

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
74' 1/2 440 maico
70' 400 maico (project)
72' cr125 Husky (project)
93' RMx 250 suzuki

[Daniel P. McEntee]

Chains don't really "stretch." For a chain to do that, the side plates would have to get longer, and this would change the pitch, and then the chain wouldn't fit the sprockets anymore. What does happen is the pins and rollers wear, and when that happens, the collective additional clearance of all the pins in all of the rollers adds up, and is what makes the chain get longer, or loose and sags as it sits on the sprockets. Compare a new chain to the pins and rollers of a worn out chain and you'll see what I mean. The big enemy of a chain is dust and dirt, and the o-rings and seals on the modern chains keeps the factory applied lubricant in the rollers, and the dust and dirt out. I don't ride anywhere near as much as some of you guys do, so I know I'll never wear out even a cheap, plain link chain, but I almost never hear of a chain breaking these days like you used to see it back in the day. This is one area where metallurgy and design has greatly improved and changes the old saying to, "They don't make them like they used to, they make them better!"
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[brian kirby]

Right, chains dont stretch, the pins and rollers wear. On an o-ring chain everything but the bushing/roller that actually sits in the sprocket valley is sealed and basically never wears. They still need to be lubed because that one roller/bushing isnt sealed.

Brian

[Mike Hufnagel]

For my vintage bikes that don't get ridden that much, I just use a good quality standard chain and keep it in good shape.   On my modern bikes that I use more often, definatly a good o ring. Don't care about the newer x ring types as I have found they drag are stiff enough that it seems that I have the brakes on when moving it around.

'12 Husaberg TE300
74 Yamaha TY 250
84 Yam IT200
75 Jackpiner w/ 250 eng.
82 KTM GS250II (import)
82 KTM 495 (2)
98 KTM 300mxc
04 KTM 125 SX
00 KTM Duke 2/rd. racer
06 KTM 950 Adv.
08 Suzuki DR70Z

[Mike Hufnagel]

For my vintage bikes that don't get ridden that much, I just use a good quality standard chain and keep it in good shape.   On my modern bikes that I use more often, definatly a good o ring. Don't care about the newer x ring types as I have found they drag are stiff enough that it seems that I have the brakes on when moving it around.

'12 Husaberg TE300
74 Yamaha TY 250
84 Yam IT200
75 Jackpiner w/ 250 eng.
82 KTM GS250II (import)
82 KTM 495 (2)
98 KTM 300mxc
04 KTM 125 SX
00 KTM Duke 2/rd. racer
06 KTM 950 Adv.
08 Suzuki DR70Z