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New chain and sprockets with uneven slack

8K views 48 replies 17 participants last post by  madbaz 
#1 ·
Hello everyone,
This is my firs post so please be gentle with me :wink2:
I guess the title says it all. First maybe a bit of a background before i get to point: I have replaced both sprockets and the chain after almost a year of riding (since I bought the bike) and I have put about 10k miles on it within that time. Couple of weeks ago my old chain stretched really badly within only a week or so. I am not an aggressive rider (and 90% of my travels are motorway miles), but god knows for how long the chain was there before i bought my wee so I think it was about time for it to start dying.
I went for this stuff hoping it will give me nice, smooth ride for many miles to come:

(i will just paste eBay titles here)
- Ognibene Silent Rear Sprocket Suzuki DL650 K7-L4 V Strom 07-14 47T
- Suzuki GSXR600 K6-L0 06-10 Ognibene 16T Silent Front Sprocket (STD Size)
- Suzuki DL650 V Strom K7-10 07-10 DID ZVM-X X-Ring Drive Chain (525-118 )

Yes, I wanted one more tooth in the front just for better motorway cruising experience at the cost of some acceleration, and GSXR600 front sprocket should do the trick :wink2:

After taking old stuff off I have noticed that rear sprocket is not worn off too much but front one had its teeth really slim and bent back (probably the sprocket was there since bike left the factory)

With all already fitted in place next thing was adjusting chain's slack. I quickly discovered the slack was uneven. As I was turning the wheel, play rose from 20mm to the point where i could press the chain against the swingarm and further.
I thought brand new set would match together better than this.

Is there anything i could do to make it better? If there is no other choice I will have to ride on it as is, but I would prefer to have things running smoother.
 
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#2 ·
I've never heard of the rear sprocket brand. Make sure it isn't out of round. A new chain should not have much variation.
 
#3 ·
Thank you for reply. I have checked rear sprocket and it is perfectly fine. Has 1mm wobble but it is in axis with the wheel, so no fault there. However i noticed the chain does not fit teeth on sprockets too well. At some point of turning the wheel links rise a bit on teeth and go in a bit further up the sprockets (both front and rear) just on front one it is less visible as the curve is tighter.
It is my first post and I cant add pictures yet but maybe this will work:

Just add https:// in the front of each link please:

app.box.com/s/6x13jj0bn4srm90u5adtz3f75zfm3ouj

app.box.com/s/yt7zroii929lhz8fo8bt02otqocfxj68
 
#6 · (Edited)
At first I thought the chain was the wrong size. But went into the picture to confirm it is a 525.

Which leaves the rear sprocket as having the wrong pitch! Did you confirm it fits properly on the front sprocket?
 
#9 ·
If every chain roller does not fully seat in every sprocket valley. the sprocket is bad. It will not wear in to spec.
 
#11 ·
But the front one does that too. Both are from same company apparently it sippose to be a good Italian one. I cant imagine both teeth sets would have wrong pitch. All three items suppose to be standard size.
I will try to adjust the slack in loosest spot and see if that prevents links to climb up the teeth.
 
#10 ·
I imagine that sprocket is machined wrong or simply not the correct part. Put the old sprocket, which you said was not worn much, back on and I'll bet all your problems go away.
 
#12 · (Edited)
If both sprockets have the chain climbing up the teeth, then the chain isn't the correct size. It does have 525 stamped onto it, but if it won't fit sprockets from two different sources I would then be wary of the chain.

Just went back and looked at second pic of front sprocket. The chain is supposedly a DID, although on ebay that could be a fake. Both sprockets are the same brand it appears. I am totally confused now. It could be either sprockets or chain, you would have to use the old rear sprocket to see if it fits the chain. If it does, then both sprockets are incorrectly made or the wrong part for the bike/chain size.
 
#13 ·
So the front sprocket isn't a Suzuki part either. I'm thinking something in there is actually a 520.
 
#14 ·
Assuming the chain is a genuine DID, which is stamped with the correct V Strom size 525, then that leaves the sprockets. Not a brand known to me, but I do like the OEM style rubber silencer on them. Possibly a case of the wrong part being shipped........
 
#17 ·
#18 ·
As an aside, make sure you keep the chain lubed. Doesn't need to be exactly at 300 or 500 or whatever, but lubed. And remember that a lot of us keep the chain way too tight. Looser is better than very taut. Check the sag with someone sitting on the bike as the sag will differ between bike on centerstand, and both wheels on the ground. Good luck getting the problem figured out. Sounds like the sprockets aren't correct despite how they are stamped.
 
#19 ·
Mad, I learned the hard way to only use oem chains and sprockets(JT Sprockets are good to go too). I went cheap-er off fleabay for both, then took off on a 7K mile trip. Ended up in Missoula MT getting a dealer to replace all of it.....the fleabay stuff didn't last 4K miles.
 
#21 ·
I spent the big bucks and got my stuff from a known bike shop, Vance and Hines. Or get them from one of the vendors here on the forum. Saving a couple bucks is not a good way to go.
It cost me close to $200 for all threee parts but the ease of mind is worth it.
I did get one chain from a Suzuki dealer but it was a cheapy and didn't last long.
Caveat emptor.
 
#22 ·
Fake

The chain is almost certainly a counterfeit, not a genuine DID chain. All the photographs I can find of DID chains show lettering stamped on the side plate of every link: either "JAPAN" "DID" or the chain size and model. In your photos, there are a lot of side plates with nothing stamped on them.
 
#23 ·
I am sorry for late input. I did not have much time to log on until now. Chain does seem genuine, I have checked seller's feedback which is counted in hundreds of thousands by now, and no one mentioned any chain fakes so far.
I think I have resolved the issue of the chain not meeting with sprocket teeth. In this particular case I decided to go bold and adjusted slack not in the tightest but in the loosest spot, so pretty much the opposite to what I read everywhere I looked. Because of more tension the chain was now forced into place rather than working on its own accord (still had 15 mm play in the middle between sprockets). After 30 mile ride to work I discovered the chain got a bit more slack so I adjusted rear wheel again for correction. Now chain seems to be "broken in" nicely with about 30 mm play.
I will keep an eye on the stretch but so far all seems to run smooth.
I would like to thank everyone sharing their thoughts with me. I have investigated all given suggestions and I appreciate them all.
Many thanks, and stay safe.
 
#24 · (Edited)
IMHO if you ride the bike with the combination of chain and sprockets shown in your photos something Very Bad is going to happen, probably with you as the meat in the sandwich.

The chain looks correct, I think you have the wrong size sprockets. Try JT sprockets -JTF.520.15 front JTR.1792.47 rear (standard no of teeth)

If you have used the bike as it is shown you will have buggered the chain so will need to replace it too.

Many thanks, and stay safe (by changing those sprockets)........

(nice rivet job by the way)
 
#31 ·
The rubber silencers could well be the cause of the slack. Before I get to comfortable with that....I would be VERY sure to inspect it carefully. If indeed the rubber it should seat in quickly. As far as I know no one has ever mentioned this effect using the stock front sprocket, which also has the rubber silencers. These are aftermarket parts so anything goes. If these were my parts, and the rubber was expected to have this effect, I would certainly put a caution notice about it in or on the package.
 
#32 ·
From your first picture if you look at the bottom of the sprocket one of the sprocket teeth is pointed directly at a roller and six teeth away a tooth is in between two rollers where its supposed to be. The chain DOES NOT match the sprockets. Either replace the chain with the correct one or the sprockets. If you're old chain fits the sprockets then your new chain is wrong and vice versa.
 
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