Topic: Primary Chain - Which one?

[timbo750]

I need to replace the primary chain and have noticed that there are some aftermarket ones but the price seems to rise rapidly so thought I should make sure I actually need a better one. I noticed that CycleX have a new one but its nearly 3 times the price of Honda genuine and classic city cycles have one but they have no advertised price.

I tried searching the forums and found lots when to change etc but nothing on genuine or aftermarket.

I will be using an 836 piston kit and a mild cam so HP will be up from stock.

Also how do I check if the tensioner spring is ok? Can I bench test the height of the roller? I would imagine if the spring was fatigued that the roller would sit lower at rest with no weight on it.

if you are wondering why I need to replace it?    It's rusty, http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126864

[madScientist]

Unless you're going to be turbo-ing that bad boy the stock primary chains (new ones) should do you fine. If I remember right I think i got them from dynoman.
That's what I have in my bike and i've got an 836, stg2 head work, mc165-25 cam and mikuni RS34's. Nice and quiet and I've been beating on it pretty good lately.

Not sure about the tensioner spring. I figured if I was going through the trouble of splitting the cases I was replacing anything rubber. I think I got the from DM too.

[PeWe]

There is a discussion about HD Primary chains here. http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=130017.0

I think the CCC chains are stronger when the holes in CycleX affect the strenght if I had understood the explanation in the thread correct.

I bought CCC chains just for sure when I had my engine apart.
My old chains had 67,5mm in slack when measure according to the manual. Honda's recommendation of replacement is 70mm. New chains 65mm. CCC chains had 64,5 when inserted.

My old chains were used ~30.000km. Most of it touring where I drove rather fast on highways all days long in an even speed. ~22.000km.
Important to replace the rotten tensioner. I use Honda original. I guess that original primary chains can be good for about 50.000km's depending on how you drive. Constant jerky driving with wheelies affect the lifetime.

My engine: 836, ported head and moderate cam Action fours SS-1, same numbers as WebCam 41.

[Terry in Australia]

As has been said, the stock Honda chains are more than adequate, I haven't been able to break mine in the last 6 years use in my hotrod engine, despite several 120 MPH @ 11000 RPM runs when I had to "test" my CR carbs. Yamiya in Japan are selling stock chains for $79.00 per pair at the moment, which is about half of what I've paid for a pair in the past. Cheers, Terry.

[timbo750]

Thanks guys.
I guess I got sold buy the sales bull#$%* on all the web sites that I have to replace it because its a Honda weak spot.

However I would still like to know if there is some way to check the spring on the tensioner. Even if the roller is worn and the spring is good it would be very cheap to get a new roller made compared to the $150 advertised for a new tensioner.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks guys.
I guess I got sold buy the sales bull#$%* on all the web sites that I have to replace it because its a Honda weak spot.

However I would still like to know if there is some way to check the spring on the tensioner. Even if the roller is worn and the spring is good it would be very cheap to get a new roller made compared to the $150 advertised for a new tensioner.

I don't know how to test the spring tension mate, but you can buy an adjustable tensioner from Cyclex, which would be a much better investment than a new set of H/D chains with the standard OEM tensioner. Cheers, Terry.

[PeWe]

It is the tensioner rubber wheel that become rotten and fall into small pieces, same with cam chain tensioner.
HD cam chain  is not expensive.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I have my doubts that you will find many, if any, of us that have broken primary chains even with big engines. Stretched, yes. IMO unless you are seriously drag racing it why spend the extra $$. For the street you should be fine. Yes, it will stretch with miles but how many will you be putting on your bike?! And will it just be a little noisier?!

Like PeWe says the Camilla Tsubaki cam chain is cheap. Less than stock chains.

[timbo750]

I have my doubts that you will find many, if any, of us that have broken primary chains even with big engines. Stretched, yes. IMO unless you are seriously drag racing it why spend the extra $$. For the street you should be fine. Yes, it will stretch with miles but how many will you be putting on your bike?! And will it just be a little noisier?!

Like PeWe says the Camilla Tsubaki cam chain is cheap. Less than stock chains.

Thanks, the reason for questioning this cam about because I read on classic cycle city that in the early days of these bikes the racers had problems with the chains stretching. although I have no intention of racing, I will be increasing the hp from standard and wanted something that was going last for as many miles as possible and as the hi-po primary chains are at least twice the price of basic unit I did not want to spend money that was not going to give me any real benefit.

Thank you all.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I am using new HONDA chains in my 750/900 and expect upwards of 90+ hp. I couldn't bring myself to paying $350 for HD aftermarket chains that have not PROVEN to be superior to the HONDA chains and I have invested serious money in this build.

[mick7504]

Here ya go mate.

http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=99d88788f6a9b29a346b6d5a5&id=aa5ac0bb01&e=436c7a47bc

What we use to do back in the day was to braze a piece of 3mm flat under the spring seat on the tensioner arm to give it a bit more beef.

[timbo750]

I was thinking of getting a new roller made, I have a plastic guy near work that specialises in turning and milling plastics and has all sorts of grades available. I had a look at cycle x and the only seem to sell the reassembled units for $150, that roller would only cost $10-$20 to get made.

With regards to spring height I checked the two I had (one came with a bunch of other parts that I forgot about) and there is a definite difference in the height between the two. The strange thing is the roller with more wear has a higher spring height