Age a Factor??
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
From: Ontario California (near LA)
Front Sprocket ??
I am new to irohead in this age. Had 2 in the 70's. I am very interested in the front sprocket comments here. Is 22 the magic number or can it be higher?? The notion of 80 mph and 4000 rpm is OK.
Where i am all the IronHead guys run 23 front and 51 rear, or equivalent.
With a 23 front and an o-ring chain you have to grind a little from the standoff behind the sprocket cover. If you need more info about that i can post a pic.
With a 23 front and an o-ring chain you have to grind a little from the standoff behind the sprocket cover. If you need more info about that i can post a pic.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
For highway riding a 23T sprocket (with the 51T on the brake drum) is the best. Also, this is the largest you can run, as a 24T is just too tall a gear.
An O ring chain is just that, a chain with O rings. The problem with this chain is that it is physically larger and using one with a 23T is going to be to large to fit into the sprocket area.
So use a 23T but also use a standard chain.
You can buy a 23T at J&P Cycles and many other places as well.
pg
An O ring chain is just that, a chain with O rings. The problem with this chain is that it is physically larger and using one with a 23T is going to be to large to fit into the sprocket area.
So use a 23T but also use a standard chain.
You can buy a 23T at J&P Cycles and many other places as well.
pg
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 751
Likes: 6
From: 500 miles south from Artic Circle
About putting 23T on front with O-ring chain, you need to remove some material from cases and sprocket cover. O-ring chain is wider and taller, but it last longer it's lubricated with special wax and that don't spread that "black stuff" all over rims, tyre...clothes.
It depends on the style of sprocket cover that your year/model has. With the 1980 sprocket cover, removing material for the o-ring was quite simple - just some off the standoff as in this pic ...
Note that material removed at the top of the pic was caused by an improperly adjusted chain banging around in there. I did not need to remove any material from the cases.
An o-ring chain will last much longer than a standard chain, and does not need to be lubricated as often. Some guys [but not me] claim they do not need to be lube'd at all. It does have small o-rings in the links. There are also x-ring chains which have an x-shaped o-ring that are said to be even better.
If you ride often, i ride 12000 to 15000 miles per year, an o-ring is a good move. I do not need to be lubeing the chain every week.
The "chain wax" products can be used with any chain, not just with o-ring chains. From experience i highly recommend these. As it says on the can "This product does not fling off". BelRay Chain Lube does not have the word wax on the can, but it is a chain wax and will not mess up the back of your bike. You can see it is a wax as it sprays white from the can.
Apply to a warm chain, do not aply too much, wipe off the excess. Remember that any lube that is on the outside, not within the links, does not help the chain - it only attracts dirt.
Note that material removed at the top of the pic was caused by an improperly adjusted chain banging around in there. I did not need to remove any material from the cases.
An o-ring chain will last much longer than a standard chain, and does not need to be lubricated as often. Some guys [but not me] claim they do not need to be lube'd at all. It does have small o-rings in the links. There are also x-ring chains which have an x-shaped o-ring that are said to be even better.
If you ride often, i ride 12000 to 15000 miles per year, an o-ring is a good move. I do not need to be lubeing the chain every week.
The "chain wax" products can be used with any chain, not just with o-ring chains. From experience i highly recommend these. As it says on the can "This product does not fling off". BelRay Chain Lube does not have the word wax on the can, but it is a chain wax and will not mess up the back of your bike. You can see it is a wax as it sprays white from the can.
Apply to a warm chain, do not aply too much, wipe off the excess. Remember that any lube that is on the outside, not within the links, does not help the chain - it only attracts dirt.
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 751
Likes: 6
From: 500 miles south from Artic Circle
Yeah IronMick is right, those pics that I posted apply to 72-77 maybe also older.