If I buy a 108 link 530 X ring chain it will be long enough to fit on the bike including riveting the links together, yes? I'm looking at the 530 DID ZVM-X chain as a replacement but at £130-odd they aren't cheap are they? I was wondering about using a 525, what's the consensus on the difference in chain life?
525 vs 530, your comparing 1/4" to 3/8", so its potentially only 60% of the roller width. The chain plates are the same strength so it doesn't stretch significantly more, but the sprockets and rollers will wear faster. Whether they wear proportionally faster when compared to the price difference, I have no idea. Some people prefer the smaller chain because they are lighter and give less friction, so slightly improve performance. Hope that helps.
I really hope so as I've ordered at 108 and have a new 42T rear sprocket so a tad longer. I have gone with 530 and there is a good seller on ebay at £119.95 Suzuki SV1000S (03-06) : D.I.D 530ZVMX-108 Gold Extreme Upgrade Chain | eBay There is a lot of really useful info. here: http://ducatiforum.co.uk/f6/alternative-530-pitch-rear-sprockets-mts1200-457/
The side plates in fact have nothing to do with the chain "stretching". In fact they don't actually stretch. The increased length over time is caused by accumulated wear in the bushes and pins within each roller. If 108 joints each wear by .002" that's equal to 0.216" or nearly a quarter of an inch. So keeping the lubricant in side the rollers is extremely important. A 1/4" wide chain will "stretch" more quickly that a 3/8" wide chain because the rollers have a narrower bearing surface with a proportionately higher loading. I hope that makes sense.
I'm sure it's been said before, but do make sure to rivet the link very carefully, ideally using the DID tool, or a good clone of it. I have a cheap clone myself which works OK, but after considering the implications of getting it wrong I did use a micrometer to check that the plates had been squeezed together just the right amount, and that the "soft" ends of the pins had been flared out enough (easy to under or over do that). This is not the DID clone I have (or at least not the same brand), but an example: ROTHEWALD DID Chain Splitter and Riveting Tool There is a User Guide button below the picture which has a copy of the correct instructions. Plenty on Youtube too, including nutters using Hammer and cold chisel etc. I know I sound like I am trying to teach people to suck eggs, but I know people who have had chains break (and live to tell the tale fortunately) and it's usually at the rivetted link!
Derek, thanks for expanding, I agree with what your saying, its the pins and bushes that wear. From experience though i have found the chain wears the sprockets faster and hooks them, rather than actually stretching any more.
Good info on 530 vs 520/525 chain/sprocket setups here Cross reference: Alternative 530 pitch rear sprockets for the MTS1200?
