Regular 520 Chain?

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yooper01

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• Dec 6, 2015

• #1

I just bought a regular 520 chain from parts unlimited and got a half link with it too. This should allow me to run a 14 tooth cs sprocket on my 2008 530 Excr with 2016 LT timbersled.

I found some old posts about using regular chains but it does not seem to be a topic as of late.

I have two O ring 520 chains that will work with a 13 tooth cs sprocket, and I plan on carrying a spare chain and sprocket while riding in case the regular chain breaks.

Anyone been down this road lately? Did the regular chain last a season?

 

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yooper01

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• Dec 6, 2015

• #2

Additionally, this has nothing to do with chain break discussions on the new kits.

I am using the stock tensioner with a clutch spring as seen on the Facebook page.



Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk

 

Motogeek33

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• Dec 6, 2015

• #3

As long as you're carrying a spare, I don't see why you wouldn't try it. I ran a half-link one season and it never broke, but I never really trusted it. If I had a spare sprocket and chain I wouldn't have been worried about it.

 

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yooper01

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• Dec 7, 2015

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I read somewhere else that the regular chains stretched like crazy. I'm thinking if that happens, I could take the half link out and run it without. Should know later this week!

 

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9Miler

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• Dec 7, 2015

• #5

I run DID regular chain on my Snowbike same strength as oring power plant is 650 Berg ran it last season no problems keep it lubed but use chain lube not bee wax I carry spare that I by removing or adding a few links will work as primary or secondary chain it sure does roll easier with the chain

 

needpowder

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• Dec 7, 2015

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9Miler said:

I run DID regular chain on my Snowbike same strength as oring power plant is 650 Berg ran it last season no problems keep it lubed but use chain lube not bee wax I carry spare that I by removing or adding a few links will work as primary or secondary chain it sure does roll easier with the chain

Click to expand...

...,.,. You lost me after that! Rolls easier with the DID chain?

 

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capulin overdrive

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• Dec 7, 2015

• #7

From crap I've read on bike forums, supposedly regular chain rolls better for about 20 miles after a lube job, then the ring chains start to do better as they retain their lube?




For snow, who knows?




I've always ran regular on dirt, but I'm 15 years behind the times, and haven't kept up with the newer X or Z. Just was never very impressed with the early O-ring chains. Plus my sprockets seemed to go before my chain would, so would do both at the same time.

 

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pruner

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• Jan 6, 2016

• #8

I ran my 15 TS all last season on the stock chains. First ride adjusted it twice in the woods second ride same thing. 3rd adjusted when i got home, the rest of the season it didn't move anymore. I had 32hrs on the snow no failures.

 

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SEOINAGE

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• Jan 6, 2016

• #9

pruner said:

I ran my 15 TS all last season on the stock chains. First ride adjusted it twice in the woods second ride same thing. 3rd adjusted when i got home, the rest of the season it didn't move anymore. I had 32hrs on the snow no failures.

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I'm pretty sure the new chain is junk in comparison.

Already replaced the drive chain, and adjusted chain case chain three times. If chain case chain needs adjusted again I'm replacing it. My new drive train already stopped stretching.

 

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cade123

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• Jan 6, 2016

• #10

Been using a DID non o ring chain on my 2015 timbersled st. And it seems to work great. I did 4 trips in the mountains and only had to adjust it twice and it isn't stretching much now. for how cheap the chain was it works great.

 

needpowder

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• Jan 6, 2016

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SEOINAGE said:

I'm pretty sure the new chain is junk in comparison.

Already replaced the drive chain, and adjusted chain case chain three times. If chain case chain needs adjusted again I'm replacing it. My new drive train already stopped stretching.

Click to expand...

Did u go with another o-ring?

 

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SEOINAGE

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• Jan 7, 2016

• #12

needpowder said:

Did u go with another o-ring?

Click to expand...

Did vx2. Although I am definitely curious if you can run without the orings. Extra lubrication and it might be fine. And if anything it might survive well just in the chain case.

 

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yooper01

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• Jan 11, 2016

• #13

Results are in!

I spent last week in Cooke City, I put 35 hours on my 2016 LT with TSS. I ran a 13 tooth front sprocket, with pvc chain slider on the frame, and a 70 link cheapo parts unlimited non-oring chain. I had to adjust it once per day for the first three days, and the last three days it did not move. I did lube the chain each morning before I rode.

so far so good.