Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: hunterso on October 16, 2013, 01:46:48 PM
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I need to put a new chain and sprocket set on my bike but i'm a bit confused as to which one i actually need.
520, 530 x-ring, o-ring, D.I.D ???
What is the difference in them?
Can any of you helpful souls point me in the right direction
Only one thing - I want a gold chain
If you could post a link to something suitable without costing an arm or leg (or both) that would be great
Thanks
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Do not use an o/xring chain as these are too wide and can grind away your engine casings.
David Silvers does the correct one for £19. I have over 4000 miles on mine so far and it looks fine.
http://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/parts/part_28916/
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Thanks for the reply Les
So is the crucial part for our bikes 530?
I take it that is the chain pitch?
Are X Ring and O Ring methods of sealing? Do these make the chain wider?
I have seen 530 (in both X-Ring and O-Ring)
So what is D.I.D? Standard chain without either X-RING or O-Ring sealing?
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Lots of millimetres in there Oddjob.
In the 70's we have gallons (still do!), Fahrenheit and inches...
A 520 chain has a pitch of 5/8 inch and a width of 2/8 inch (1/4 inch)
A 530 chain has a pitch of 5/8 inch and a width of 3/8 inch
A 630 chain has a pitch of 6/8 inch (3/4 inch) and a width of 3/8 inch
Tell me I'm stupid and completely wrong Bryan!
Steve
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Hi,
SteveD you are right with you sizes, and 530 (5/8-3/80 was a very popular size, but I can confirm as far as the 400/4 is concerned, a heavy duty X-ring chain 530 will wreck the engine castings at nearly 8mm wider than a standard 530 chain, my gold coloured HD x-ring is hidden away in my box of silly buys after trying it on the bike
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I did most of my sidecar milage on a 0 ring chain, not sure of the exact type, beyond that Dave Silvers offered it as a choice for my 500/4. Lasted really well, think it's still on there and no case dammage in 100,000 miles of use - not all out of 1 chain I don't think but o ring chain from DID will run on a 500, cann't comment on gold finish chains. I'd bother going the extra super heavy duty chains on a 500 or 550 given that even with a sidecar attatched and running chains with links removed to get that extra few miles out of them I never broke a chain on the 500, I think the power delivery being smooth helps with that as my 125 and 250 have broken chains that are hardly anywhere near as worn.
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Oddjob
Thats amazing info you've given there - thanks
Think i will add a 525VX DID to the shopping list.
If i need to remove any links is this easy to do (with a proper link remover of course) with regard to the x-peened rivets?
I've done plenty of pedal cycle chains but never a motorcycle.
Thanks for all replies chaps
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First "O" ring chain I remember was the 630 fitted to the 750F2 and I distinctly remember it had to be oiled with EP 90.
I too have run O ring chains on a 500 with no problem but have also seen others that have rubbed badly, the chain spec "standards" only relate to the width inside the plates and so they can be made with thicker plates which increases the overall width and makes for rubbing so, as oddjob said, with modern chains being better anyway a "standard" 530 is more than adequate.
Steve---you are perfectly correct with your sizes we used to fit Reynolds 5/8 x 3/8 to all the 750/500/550/400 as we bought it by the roll
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Blimey Oddjob I remember doing all that shit aswell.Are you older than me?
Cheers
Bitsa
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Me (1958)
I remember Duckham's Chain Lube cans on the cooker too.
Thank God we don't have to go through that nowadays...
I could put "Age" on the profile display. We tried it on sohc.net but everybody lies!!
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OK I'll admit to January 53 so yes oddjob you are a bairn!!(but only just)
I can remember the first airarsole chain lube on sale and WD40 being new, although we sold Castrol DWF at half the price, Reynolds chain, Avon squaremasters and re-grade quality Dunlop ribbed tyres---on the front of my Triumph T110.
Anything else you want to rwmwnis about.
By the way Oddjob I don't doubt that your spec sheet shows the pin length but from what i remember the BS spec was the width inside plates and distance between pin centres plus breaking tensile strength
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As everyone is putting in their thrupence ha'penny worth I shall join in. In my humble opinion the finest way to go is to fit a standard chain (530) and with the money you save, invest in a scottoiler. I cannot speak highly enough of these things. They are especially good for rural winter use and keep the chain in very good order with very little effort. I have managed to hide mine under the seat so I don't even have to worry about spoiling those lovely 70s lines.
http://www.scottoiler.com/
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Hmm, I'll just spend £19 on a chain every once in a while thanks Florence.
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Hi,
Fitted a EK o-ring 530 chain in 1985 to the 400/4, run for 4yrs. and stood for 19yrs in damp outhouse, chain was red rust, but every link moved on removal from the bike-amazing!
PS I am 1944 vintage and wish sometimes I wasn't
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Ok - one more question chaps
Is it ok to use a connecting link with a split link as opposed to the riveted type on something like a 525vx D.I.D Chain?
Thanks again for all of the very helpful info on this.
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I've never had issues with split link chains on the 500 or 550 - Ive seen a split link go Awol once on my 125 twin, but both the 250 and 125 twins I have from the 90's have had a long history of being very harsh on chains - I think due to power delivery being a bit lumpy on twins and the chains not really being up to the job. On the 500 however they are really smooth bikes in power delivery terms and the chains seem to take everything you can throw at them, right to the point on one occasion where the chain started to slip on the sprocketts as I was skint and had removed 2 links from the worn out chain. Split links are fine for the 500 in my books and make life nice and easy.
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Hi Chaps
Just a quick update on this and some help if possible
I bought a 525vx chain and its been sat, waiting for me to organise a new sprocket kit too.
I bought the new standard sprocket kit this week and.......bugger...... the chain doesn't fit.
It just wont sit into the teeth of the sprockets :(
So what do i need to do?
Are there any sprockets to suit the cb550 that will accept a 525vx chain or do i just need to forget my gold chain thoughts and buy a standard 530 chain?
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Hi oddjob
The chain is a DID 525VX
I think you have hit the nail on the head there my friend
Just had a measure up and the gap between the plates of the chain is 8.1mm while the sprockets are 8.6mm
What can I do?
Get my file out? (Is that even safe) or buy a 530 chain?
Really appreciate all your help on this
Thanks
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Hi,
Sorry to say but buy the correct 530 chain (5/8 by 3/8) while yours is "5/8 by 5/16",the modern metric sizes are based on the old imperial sizes, 5 being link length and 30 being roller width,and don't buy heavy duty X-ring 530 either, I have a new one of those sat under the bench that catches the engine castings, (learn by one's mistakes).
Rivit links are usually found on more modern H/D drive chains, older drive chains were never much of a problem with split links as long as they were new and fitted with the clip closed end facing direction of chain travel, they did not have to deal with the raw power of modern bikes either.--Ken
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Thanks again for the help on this.
It seems more trouble than its worth - which is a shame
All i want is a groovy looking chain, daft i know.
Might just buy myself a 530 with a split link and be done with it.
Saying that, i have just come across this on ebay. Its gold, its 530, its non o-ring and has a split link.
What do you think?
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Obviously it would have helped if I had included the link
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lextek-Heavy-Duty-Motorcycle-Drive-Chain-530-100-Links-Gold-Finish-/181284746990?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item2a3569b6ee
Yes it's Chinese made.
Am I going to die in a huge chain related fireball?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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It's hard to argue with a price like that.
That's a tank of fuel...
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Hmm, I work & live in Asia (Brunei) .... and for love nor money can't buy quality stuff. It's all CRAP from China, and ya just know will only last 2 washes, or survive one rainfall, or fail due a power surge to 245V!
Bottom line, some things we'll buy, others we give a wide berth. And something that has the potential to significantly affect your health (!)... I'd run a bloody mile!
Seriously, stuff that's safety related isn't worth skimping on. In my opinion.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
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I have run a couple of chineese made chains as they were dirt cheap, had one off a Hong dou 250 I broke and fitted it to my wifes cb250 nighthawk - it snapped a link at quite low milage, think I picked up another and had the same story, snapped a link within 500 miles when I was riding. I reacon buying a decent brnd chain probably pays off in wear terms. Safety wise I've lost a few chains over the years - the 250 nighthawk seeming to be harshest on chains along with my smaller but similar rebel 125. So far the worst I've had in the inconvienience of being late for work. Sadly a fair ammout of stuff from China is poor quality - not all but enough to make me want to avoid it, having in the past year had 2 sets of rear brake shoes drop their linings and the front brake pads did the same. I geuus I'm lucky as with this list of failiures I have only been made late twice and not actually gotten hurt or come off.
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^^ this is a family forum.... but the second word is "hell"
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Hmmmm - so it seems i really could die in a chain related fireball :o
Looks like a std 530 is the only way to go which is a shame.
Seems you can get purdy lookin chains in most sizes - but not not in 530 std :(
I see plenty of cb550 cafe racers on the net with gold chains - suppose they must be going down to 520 or so and getting custom sprockets made.
Really didn't think it would be so hard to sort out.
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Hi,
I bought one from Carpys site I know its in America but I didn't pay import tac etc on it !!!
Its a good quality chain I bought a black one but he does a gold and other wild colors one as well here's the link
http://www.cb750cafe.com/products-page/cafe-parts/530-o-ring-chain-goldred-nickel-blackwhitegreenblue/
Cheers
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Carpy is a member here - I suggest you drop him a PM or an email.
Steve
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Hi,
I bought one from Carpys site I know its in America but I didn't pay import tac etc on it !!!
Its a good quality chain I bought a black one but he does a gold and other wild colors one as well here's the link
http://www.cb750cafe.com/products-page/cafe-parts/530-o-ring-chain-goldred-nickel-blackwhitegreenblue/
Cheers
But that is an O-ring chain!
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Does it matter if its a o ring chain ??? cheers
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I will get in touch with him but i thought the issue was that 530 O-Ring chains hit the crankcase on the 550,
hence trying to find a 530 standard chain.
Saying that i did read somewhere yesterday that Tsubaki 530 O-Ring chains are able to be used on the 550 without grinding the cases so maybe carpys are thinner the average 530 O-Ring too.
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Does it matter if its a o ring chain ??? cheers
O/X-rings are a no-no on the 550. Unless someone has found one that isn't.