Chains & Sprockets

[roofinggun]

Hi Fellas, I was wondering about chains and sprocket replacement. I was always told that you should replace the chain and sprockets as a whole. Is that true or is it all right to replace just the chain? How much wear is too much on the sprockets? How much better are o-ring chains than non-o-ring chains?

[NOS_350X]

everything should be changed at once. basicaly when the teeth on the sproket are bent then you need to change them. O-ring chains last Very much longer. you will go through about 5-8 regular chains to 1 O-ring chain.

[crazyorigin]

when the sprocket teeth look more like little spikes than sprocket teeth, the whole shabang should be changed. some front sprockets will outlast the rears, but it is much better to replace the whole thing at one time. o ring chains are much better because they provide better lubing and longer lifetime. X-ring chains are the best on the market, and sidewinder titanium chains.

[TimSr]

I would strongly disagree with replacing everything at once, unless everything is worn. A worn (stretched) chain will greatly speedup sprocket wear because it doesnt fit right. Worn sprockets will speed up chain wear, but not nearly as fast as the other way around. If they are all worn, do NOT replace just one, or the worn componenets will kill your new part, but if only one component is worn, you are throwing money away to replace them all. They all wear at different rates. Your front sprocket turns several times for every one turn of a rear, and wears accordingly. I can wear out 3 or 4 front sprockets for every one rear. Also aluminum rears wear faster than steel. O-Ring chains will last longer than several standard chains, and are less expensive to run, and much lower maintenance, and because they dont stretch out as fast, make your sprcokets last longer. I usually find that an O-ring chain will last as long or even longer than a front sprocket. Steel rear sprockets seem to last forever if the chain is replaced when necessary.