520 chain

[unkobil]

Hey guys out there in Pentonland. Would anybody know if there's a 520 countershaft sprocket made for a 73 Jackpiner? I want to switch over from the 530 chain. I'm using a 520 size rear sprocket.

[Larry Perkins]

The KTM motors are all the same shaft and Al B. has the 520 countershaft sprockets.

Larry P

[Mike Lenz]

Also a modern c spk from a modern KTM still works with a spacer behind it!

[Kip Kern]

Al also has some 525 stuff.  The chain is available from Dennis Kirk (525)

[tomale]

525 chain sprocket, really,  now I know what that sprocket that is too small for the 530 chain and too big for the 520 chain that I am currently running...

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)

[tooclose racing]

Good morning - looking at moving to 520 chain and sprocket for my MC5 and I have a few questions.  First - a thread below mentions that I should use a spacer on the countershaft. If YES, where would I get this or how thick should it be?  Second - do I need to go ahead and change the countershaft also?  Finally - should I go O-ring or not?  Sure has been muddy THIS season so far, but that's not always the rule.

Thanks,

Bob Close

[tomale]

It has been a few years since I made the switch but I seem to remember getting a counter shaft sprocket from Al that all ready had the spacer on it. No need to replace the counter shaft.  Living in the Pacific Northwest we ride pretty much all year, and except for a couple of months in the summer, it is always muddy.  The average rain fall for lots of places here is 70 plus inches per year.
I personally do not like o ring chains. What ever you do, do not use a cheep chain, you will wear out the chain and the sprockets after just a few rides.

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
Honda TL 125
2004 Suzuki DL1000

[adrian_goold]

I use the spacer from an 81 250.

Adrian

[tooclose racing]

Thanks - I'll check with Al.   I was going to be ordering the rear sprocket from him anyway.

[Dale Sonnenschein]

tooclose,
I have found with a non O ring chain is they stretch A LOT. The O ring chains do rob some power but I don't have to worry about a loose chain half way through a race. My 73 husky has a non O ring chain. I rode a 6 mile loop and then a few laps on an MX track and the chain was very loose. I rode my 76 husky with an O ring in the CC at unadilla, practice and 2 motos and the chain still doesn't need adjustment. Just my 2 cents.

74 puch 175 SD
73 Husky 360 WR/RT
76 Husky WR360
75 Penton 250
10 ktm 250xc
02 bmw r1150r

[tomale]

Dale, I found the same problem with cheep chains but not so with a quality non o ring chain.  If you are spending less  than 80 bucks on a chain, your waisting your money and you'll wear out those sprockets.  O ring or not.

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
Honda TL 125
2004 Suzuki DL1000

[Lew Mayer]

I get the 520 front sprocket from Al and have the rear made by Rebel Gears for my 73 JP.

Lew Mayer

[Dale Sonnenschein]

Tomale, Your right. This chain came on my bike. It looked new when i got it but it does stretch like crazy. I usually don't skimp on chain and sprockets. You always get what you pay for.

74 puch 175 SD
73 Husky 360 WR/RT
76 Husky WR360
75 Penton 250
10 ktm 250xc
02 bmw r1150r

[Daniel P. McEntee]

Chains don't stretch, they wear. The pins and roller wear, and when they get sloppy, the extra clearance is accunulative over the length of the chain, and it looks "stretched". This usually comes from running a chain too tight, and with longer suspensions it's easy to get a bit too tight at the top of the travel. This is what wears chains out, in my opinion and not so much as dirt. Most of us can't compress the suspension fully when we adjust the chain in the garage or in the pits. With what is available for chain guides and spring loaded adjusters, I try to run a chain as loosie goosie as I can and make sure the rear guide is set well where the chain goes back onto the rear sprocket. I learned this from Speedy Clausen when I go involved with the VINDURO Group. A chain will break in and the length will increase about 15 to 20% pretty quickly, then slow down for the main life of the chain. A close inspection of a new length of chain and a worn out one will show you what I mean. I just try to keep them clean, adjusted and lubricated as best I can. Like any part of the bike, if you take care of it, it will take care of you.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[tooclose racing]

MC5 Update (should have included photos  - looks purty) - ordered the 520 rear and counter-shaft sprockets from Al B - went up a few teeth on the rear in the process.  Not sure what this will do on a MX track, but really looking forward to it in the woods - I grab first gear waaaay too much with my 52 rear in the slower stuff.   BTW -the countershaft Al sells already has an integral spacer cast into it.  Grabbed a non-O ring chain from Motosport (DID  520ERT2 gold chain), we are mounted up and hopefully ready to go for Allen's Farm MX this weekend in NE Pennsylvania.  And YES - there is also an XC race in my region on the same day about 60 miles west in Osceola, PA.  Just a royal ARHMA bummer that both events scheduled same day, but that's getting a bit off-thread now, isn't it?

ANYWAY -scratched my head a bit about how "forward" to bring the chain adjusters with new chain, but went all the way to front of swingarm slot minus maybe a 1/4".  This bad boy should turn pretty quickly for at a little while, huh?

Dan McEntee's comments are interesting regarding tension, but make sense to me - I'll start with some play.  Understand chain is new - but plenty of chances to check tension between practice and 4 relatively short races.  Now - if they can just be mud-free races.