Sprocket change from hell

 I left work early on Friday to put on a new chain and sprocket before a
saturday ride.  I've had the parts in the garage for two months, but had no
time to work on it.

Surprise #1:  While the mounting hole pattern matched, the new spocked has
countersunk bolt holes, the old one is counterbored.

A hour spent running to Ace Hardware & back for 10mm flat head bolts.
Couldn't get fine pitch, so I had to settle for 1.5mm pitch.

Surprise #2:  two of the old bolts are frozen onto the nuts.  Removing the
brake rotor let me loosen one with an impact wrench.  I had to drill the
other one.

I fitted the new chain, measured three times, then cut it a link too short.
ckckckckckckckckckck

By using a diamond cutter in the dremel I put some new notches at the small
end of the snail adjuster to make it work.

With the wheel all the way forward, and a 2-tooth larger rear sprocket, I
was now hitting the chain guide.  I ovaled the mounting holes to pivot the
guide downward, and trimmed a deeper notch in the guide.

Finally, nearing midnight, I got the new chain on.  Everything worked, so I
liberally greased the new masterlink, slid it into place, and .....

Damn!  The idiots ordered me a chain with a riveted masterlink.

Fortunately, I had a spare clip type x-ring masterlink in my riding pack.

Midnight by the time I got done.

250 miles of epic backroads riding today & it seems to have held together
OK.

 On Sat, 29 Mar 2008 22:01:52 -0600, "HellSickle"


If I didn't see the header on this, I'd swear it was me writing
it.  I don't have a diamond bit for my Dremel though, so that
might have given it away too.


----
Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
----

 
OK.<

The most important part of your story... OF

 wrote:

Didn't know they had diamond cutters for 'em, I'll have to look
around.

The issue with the sprocket is, at the moment, common. I've seen
several reports of this elsewhere. WTF?

I helped a fellow put new sprockets (and change the choke flap and
clean the carb etc etc) on his street-legal XR600 recently, had to
dremel off one of the nuts with the cutoff wheel. Only slightly nicked
the washer, didn't nick the root of the bolt at all (threads did have
a divot, of course). Kids impress easy these days- he couldn't believe
it could come off so easy with just a little cross-cut in the nut.

I won't mention your ride (Damn! Just did) for reasons of jealosy.

I always check my parts as soon as I get 'em, I do it in the parking
lot if I'm doing the brick-n-mortar thing.

Dave

 

I've had pretty good luck pressing out a pin and pressing it back in
again to add a link as necessary...