72’ Final drive chain. DID?

worntorn said:
Vincent tried cast steel brake drums for 1 year and the braking was horrible. They went back to cast iron.
Norton brake drums seem to offer decent braking, so I assumed they are cast iron, not cast steel.
After reading your post I checked with RGM. Their Norton drums/sprockets are made in the UK and are cast iron. Cast iron does have wonderful wear properties, even though it is relatively soft.
Glen
Click to expand...
The original thread where it was discussed

Rear sprocket/drum (2013)

Does anyone know exactly what they are made of ? I guess the Indian ones are cast iron but I machined a genuine one, one of the later ones with the 4 gussets and it machines like steel not like cast iron at all ?????
www.accessnorton.com www.accessnorton.com

not 100% conclusion on cast steel or iron but steel looks to be used with the 3 paddle version. Your posts on the end show RGM supplied rear sprocket/drum Made in UK that came were not quality made with rework needed. The boxes look the same as supplied with the front disc I bought from RGM that went back with excessive runout. Suspect all these brown box with Union Jack parts come out of Velocette.

One for Andover Norton to answer on cast or steel, RGM on this part do not use a good supplier.
 
Before I switched to 520 x chain, I always used 2 chains and alternated them when they needed adjusting.
Sprockets and chains lasted longer that way.
 
Schwany said:
Being close to you is why I mentioned Dime City Cycles. Maybe that was a mistake. I have only installed one of the chains they sell. It didn't stretch much initially. However, it has stretched enough to adjust a little after 370 miles. Adjusting a chain is not a major maintenance task. I had to adjust and oil o-ring chains on the big HP bikes I owned. Nothing magical about them or unusual to have to adjust a chain.

The master link on a 530HD chain scraping the inner primary issue is real, so sorry about that. My inner primary was already skimmed by a 530HD master link. So they fit my model now. If you bought an HD chain and can exchange a 530HD chain for a standard 530 chain until you can get whatever it is the seasoned Commando owners think is the ticket to a happy motorcycling life, you might not have any problems or have to come up with a workaround until the better chain solution arrives.

I find my Norton to be hard on chains in general. Not because of a design flaw, but because of the owner's riding style. It is very difficult not to use that low end grunt frequently.
Click to expand...

Maybe I got the wrong one.

www.dimecitycycles.com

Chain - 530 - Izumi - Non O-Ring - ES50H - 98 Link

Izumi ES50H－98 Link Chain Specifications: Pitch: 15.875mm (5/8”) Inner Width: 9.53mm (.375”) Plates Thickness: 2.4mm (.094”) Pin Diameter: 5.09mm (.200”) Bushing Diameter: 10.16mm (.400”) Tensile Strength: 31.36 KN
www.dimecitycycles.com www.dimecitycycles.com

Chain runs fine but Master link scraps. Wonder if it would if I reversed it, or used a rivet master link instead.
 
This is not hard, just check out the ISO spec and then the specs for the IWIS and JWIS chain that most owners fit and have no trouble at all with wide links etc. Why fit a wider and heavier chain that is no better than the IWIS or JWIS product. And yes I have a IWIS 530 motorcycle chain here and I would not fit it to a Commando even though It meets spec that was introduced long after the Commando was on sale.
 
worntorn said:
If a slimmer sealed 530 chain is needed for your application, RK makes a " classic" x ring that is intended to be dropped right on old bikes which have tight clearances at the gearbox.
I believe that one is .870 pin length. I have posted about it in the past.

www.jim-allan.com

RK 530 UWV Silver Chain x 100

RK530 UWV Classic bike sealed chain - silver
www.jim-allan.com www.jim-allan.com

My standard unsealed 530 spring type spare masterlinks measured .860 and .870"

Glen
Click to expand...
Is there a US distributor for this?
 
concours said:
Is there a US distributor for this?
Click to expand...
I could not easily find anyone that sold this version of RK chain in the USA. As good a product as it may be for an old Norton, I don't want the chain that bad. Very pricey from Mr Allen with shipping.

My next rear chain will come from Andover once I get a big enough order together. They carry IWIS chain in 102 links in addition to the other Elite 5/8x3/8 chain they carry.
 
Madnorton said:
This is not hard, just check out the ISO spec and then the specs for the IWIS and JWIS chain that most owners fit and have no trouble at all with wide links etc. Why fit a wider and heavier chain that is no better than the IWIS or JWIS product. And yes I have a IWIS 530 motorcycle chain here and I would not fit it to a Commando even though It meets spec that was introduced long after the Commando was on sale.
Click to expand...
As detailed earlier, 530 sprockets outlast 520 by a large margin.
That's one good reason.
That might not matter if the bike doesn't cover much distance.
When I was touring the UK we averaged 75 miles a day.
Back at home on tour it's 350-400 or more. So quite a different set of needs.

Another reason might be that you already have good 530 sprockets on there and don't want to throw them away to purchase narrow sprockets.
At one time this was necessary in order to upgrade to a sealed chain. Now it isn't.

Glen
 
worntorn said:
As detailed earlier, 530 sprockets outlast 520 by a large margin.
That's one good reason.
That might not matter if the bike doesn't cover much distance.
When I was touring the UK we averaged 75 miles a day.
Back at home on tour it's 350-400 or more. So quite a different set of needs.

Another reason might be that you already have good 530 sprockets on there and don't want to throw them away to purchase narrow sprockets.
At one time this was necessary in order to upgrade to a sealed chain. Now it isn't.

Glen
Click to expand...
I didn't mention 520. Maybe a look up of the modern big bikes using 520 to save weight. Many owners are not happy as the chains and sprockets are shot in less than the service interval of the bikes.
 
There are bikes in the UK that cover large mileages, one here has 280K miles on it. And my opposite number does over 80 miles a day commute on5his.
 
I guess I'll be needing a new chain soon (and try to find out how to remove the oe oil dripper).

I haven't got to my front sprocket yet, and so I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know how many teeth it's running on at the moment :cool:

But what is this IWIS chain everyone seems to be recommending?

Got a link?
 
Madnorton said:
I didn't mention 520. Maybe a look up of the modern big bikes using 520 to save weight. Many owners are not happy as the chains and sprockets are shot in less than the service interval of the bikes.
Click to expand...
My apologies, I must have misread your post. Will reread.
Yes I'm running 520 on two bikes to save a bit of weight. The sprocket wear rate is very high, might rethink it and switch them to 530.

Perhaps you can explain this part-

"yes I have a IWIS 530 motorcycle chain here and I would not fit it to a Commando even though It meets spec that was introduced long after the Commando was on sale."


Why would you not fit this chain?




Glen
 
Last edited:
worntorn said:
As detailed earlier, 530 sprockets outlast 520 by a large margin.
Click to expand...
mm.. I believe it is the stretching chain that wears out the sprockets.

This is a 6 mm thick alu sprocket (40T) of my Commando:

72’ Final drive chain. DID?


Replaced after 25.000 km, some wear, but still usable.
But : with a DID 520 x-ring chain .
 
Bonzo said:
I guess I'll be needing a new chain soon (and try to find out how to remove the oe oil dripper).

I haven't got to my front sprocket yet, and so I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know how many teeth it's running on at the moment :cool:

But what is this IWIS chain everyone seems to be recommending?

Got a link?
Click to expand...
the-chain-man.co.uk

The Chain Man

Specialising in providing high quality chains and accessories for motorbikes. The Chain Man in Stourport-on-Severn
the-chain-man.co.uk the-chain-man.co.uk
 
Stretching chain , which is really chain wear, is definitely part of the equation, moreso with unsealed chain. With sealed chain there is negligible stretch until the seals finally go, usually around 30-40,000 kms.
As we have learned with 520 conversions on Vincent's, sprocket width is also a factor.
We typically wear out at least 2 sets of sprockets with one sealed chain.
Sometime ago I switched the Vincent from 520 x ring to 530 xring and sprocket wear has reduced such that one set of sprockets will hopefully last for one sealed chain. Right at the moment the mileage on the 530 set is about where I would be renewing 520 sprockets. These 530 sprockets are still looking very good.
When the first set goes, the chain is still virtually as new for stretch (wear).
Vincent's are notoriously hard on sprockets and chains. We think it is due to the strong pulse that is always there, even when smoothly cruising along on a highway.

Glen
 
baz said:
the-chain-man.co.uk

The Chain Man

Specialising in providing high quality chains and accessories for motorbikes. The Chain Man in Stourport-on-Severn
the-chain-man.co.uk the-chain-man.co.uk
Click to expand...
Cheers baz,

I've been on that site before.

I'll count my links. Do I specify an IWIS chain or is that what I'll get? (I imagine he knows what is right for a Commando better than me).
 
Bonzo said:
Cheers baz,

I've been on that site before.

I'll count my links. Do I specify an IWIS chain or is that what I'll get? (I imagine he knows what is right for a Commando better than me).
Click to expand...
It won't hurt to specify it
But he will know what you require
 

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