G: Gearbox (Twin) ‘O’ Ring Chains

[Robert Watson]

Hi John. You shouldn't have to adjust the chain for 20 times that far. A decent oring (WXYZ ring!) should go 10,000 miles and have been known to go almost twice that. When you need to give them more than a couple of clicks it is usually because some rings have failed. The last one I changed really taught me. I had adjusted it a couple of times just before hand and looked at what of the chain I could see which appeared to be all good. On the third time I got serious and found a couple of places where a few links in a row were totally failed with a good portion of the chain still looking good. New chain right then and there. I also run the re ringed hardened front and a hardened rear in steel. Before I sourced these I ran anodized alloy ones and several of us found that they go about 10,000 miles and then within a couple of hundred miles just get destroyed. It's easy to spot as the whole rear wheel is covered in alloy shavings, just like an alloy large idler letting go only no bits reaching into every orifice and opening in the engine, but still takes a bit of cleaning up!

 

[Monkeypants]

My Oz Rapide went 16,000 miles on the first 520 O chain and 22,000 on the next chain, a DID xring. Maybe the X ring claims of superiority over the old O ring are valid.
Did not adjust either chain until the bitter end and I might as well have not bothered adjusting at all. At that point it makes good sense to fit a new chain instead.
As one Sport biker observed of his very high mileage x ring chain-
" Now I see what's wrong. Those little rubber things are sticking out like an Old Man's nose hairs!"

Glen

 

[johncrispin]

Hi John. You shouldn't have to adjust the chain for 20 times that far. A decent oring (WXYZ ring!) should go 10,000 miles and have been known to go almost twice that. When you need to give them more than a couple of clicks it is usually because some rings have failed. The last one I changed really taught me. I had adjusted it a couple of times just before hand and looked at what of the chain I could see which appeared to be all good. On the third time I got serious and found a couple of places where a few links in a row were totally failed with a good portion of the chain still looking good. New chain right then and there. I also run the re ringed hardened front and a hardened rear in steel. Before I sourced these I ran anodized alloy ones and several of us found that they go about 10,000 miles and then within a couple of hundred miles just get destroyed. It's easy to spot as the whole rear wheel is covered in alloy shavings, just like an alloy large idler letting go only no bits reaching into every orifice and opening in the engine, but still takes a bit of cleaning up!

ROBERT,
Thanks your help and advice has been invaluable. Its just that now having invested in it, It is perhaps the 'is it all too good to be true' type syndrome plus a bit of old man cynicism, me that is!.
Plus the fact that even decent quality conventional chains were clapping out noticeably after several thousand miles (and I am not a hard rider) after a period of frequent adjustment ended up like an elastic band! IMHO I think the shock absorption on the vin twin is a bit lacking , especially with that
type of ESA being the only thing to soften those punches.
So i will keep a weather eye on the alloy sprocket, and find myself a decent steel one when it gives up.
It is British winters and the copious application of salt that ruins open chains in the UK as you probably know. ON nicer winter days I do like to go out for a ride. cheers J

 

[Robert Watson]

I do have another batch of alloy steel salt bath nitride hardened ones (520 chain) due in about a month's time, again they will be somewhat more expensive than what is on offer currently but will outlast them by a long shot.