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sprocket wear

F

flgoff

New member
I replaced my rear sprocket 5000 miles ago, at 13000 miles. I just discovered, while lubing the chain, that the new sprocket is already showing "hooking". I may be the culprit in that I've been riding with the rear shock on the softest setting . . . at 5' 5 1/2" I will do anything to get a lower saddle height, and fear that this, combined with riding some pretty rough roads, and often carrying considerable luggage, may have produced too much suspension travel, tightening the chain and causing the premature wear. I'm pretty anal about lubing the chain and making sure it has the proper amount of slack, so don't think that is the problem. Any thoughts at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Floyd

Harboring hate or resentment is like taking poison and hoping the other guy dies.
 
chain lube

I use Schaeffer's moly Roller Chain lube. It is formulated using Molybdenum Disulfide, supposedly the be all, do all of lubricants. I ride every day the roads aren't icy, anywhere from 350 to 500 miles a week, more if there's "trip" involved. I lube the chain once a week, more if I've ridden in rain or I've strayed off onto gravel or dirt roads. I clean the chain thoroughly before applying the lube, then let it sit for a while to be sure the lube has had ample time to get everywhere it needs to be. When touring, every other day. This is a superior lube to the waxy ones in that it does not attract or hold dirt.

Floyd

Harboring hate or resentment is like taking poison and hoping the other guy dies.
 
I use the ATF regimen Flash referred to. Works well.

One thing I and another Chain Gang member brought up a couple of days ago while discussing chains and sprockets at a lunch stop - if the number of links in the chain and the number of teeth on a sprocket are evenly divisible, you may see accelerated wear in a distinct pattern. For example, I ran a 16T/49T combo on a 112 link chain for several thousnad miles with a 15T sprocket swapped in for almost half the time. The 16T sprocket wore much faster and had a distinct pattern on it - 16T divides evenly into 112 links 7 times. The 16T sprocket ws also worn much more than the rear 49T sprocket, but there are other variables at work there, too. My riding partner had noticed the same thing about C/S sprockets on some of his bikes.
 
flgoff said:
I replaced my rear sprocket 5000 miles ago, at 13000 miles. I just discovered, while lubing the chain, that the new sprocket is already showing "hooking". I may be the culprit in that I've been riding with the rear shock on the softest setting . . . at 5' 5 1/2" I will do anything to get a lower saddle height, and fear that this, combined with riding some pretty rough roads, and often carrying considerable luggage, may have produced too much suspension travel, tightening the chain and causing the premature wear. I'm pretty anal about lubing the chain and making sure it has the proper amount of slack, so don't think that is the problem. Any thoughts at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Floyd

Harboring hate or resentment is like taking poison and hoping the other guy dies.
Click to expand...

The "proper amount of slack", is that with it on the center stand on "loaded" on the ground? The chain gets tighter as the rear suspension is compressed. I'vve seen bunches of people that check the slack on the center stand and then when they are sitting on the seat the chain is tight, tight, tight. Tightness is "usually" the cause of hooking I think...or being really gritty and lots of hard acceleration...


Jus sayin?? :ear
 
I adjust the chain on the center stand, as per the instructions in the Maintenance Intructions (US Models) that came with the bike. I have been adjusting it to the minimum number given, and have decided that, as I mentioned originally, the combination of bumpy roads and often carrying considerable luggage, and soft shock setting is most likely the source of my problem.

Thanks for all of the input.

Hard acceleration? Gee, not me . . . it is just a little ol' 650 single after all . . .:bolt

Floyd
 
flgoff said:
I adjust the chain on the center stand, as per the instructions in the Maintenance Intructions (US Models) that came with the bike. I have been adjusting it to the minimum number given, and have decided that, as I mentioned originally, the combination of bumpy roads and often carrying considerable luggage, and soft shock setting is most likely the source of my problem.

Thanks for all of the input.

Hard acceleration? Gee, not me . . . it is just a little ol' 650 single after all . . .:bolt

Floyd
Click to expand...

Wheelies, it must be the wheelies.....:whistle
 
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