Topic: cb 550 O ring chain seems to be okay on mine

[78_SaltLick]

I have a 74 CB550, Lately alot of people on here told me i need to get the O ring chain off of my bike, that 550's cant have O ring chains on them because of the clearance. So im wondering if theres different widths of O ring chains. I took the cover off, and took off the sprocket and there is no wear to be seen anywhere, the O ring chain is not hitting anything. I took my motorcycle in to have the wheels trued and talked this over with the mechanic there, he popped the cover off and took a look himself cause he said hes been putting O ring chains on 550's for 30 years with no problems. He didnt see an issue either. I know there is an issue though with some, because ive seen the pictures people post of the damgage done....so how can this be? That some O ring chains hit and some dont? The mechanic said there are some O ring chains that are wider than others, mine is an inexpensive o ring chain that is not very wide.........what you guys think?

[Chris Liston]

Sounds feasable to me that if the oring chain you purchased is the same width as the stock standard chain that you wouldn't have issues. 

What brand and part number are the chain your running?

[78_SaltLick]

i have no idea, somone else put it on i just got it a month ago. How can i tell by looking at the chain what type it is?

[Chris Liston]

maybe stamped onto the links.  or at least the master link on the chain

[78_SaltLick]

Stamped onto the links it says 530.

[eldar]

I think standard o-ring chains are a bit narrower than say the X-ring chains. Something like this is difficult to say. maybe when someone goes to get a chain. maybe they can get width measurements on various oring chains. This could go into the FAQs. Then we know what chains would fit without clearance issues.

just an idea.

[78_SaltLick]

Good idea, see i heard that the standard O ring chain is an inch wide, this one is under an inch, id say its closer to 3/4" wide, maybe a little over.

[TwoTired]

What is the measured width of your chain?
Can you post a pic of it?

My 74 has marks in the case from an o Ring chain.

Have you checked the clearance between chain and case?  What is it?

The front sprocket floats some on the output shaft splines.  The fit of the sprocket on the splines varies with tolerances and specific example.  This allows the sprocket to "wobble" a bit.  Further, the sprocket teeth wear from chain engagement and the teeth narrow.  This allows the chain to wander closer to the engine case.  And, the combination of wear and tolerances eventually add to create the interference.

The front sprocket center on my CB550's is 1/2 inch from the rubber shaft plug on the engine case.  The 530 oring chains I've measured are about 1 inch wide.  Which gives no clearance allotment for front sprocket wobble, sprocket tooth and chain side wear, and runout from the transmission output shaft.

I could not find an offset front sprocket to use on the 550.  Perhaps you have one?


Are you certain you have an o ring chain?  My stock non-Oring chain is .805 in width.

[78_SaltLick]

i will take a pic of it and post the chain, i believe its an O ring.

[78_SaltLick]

heres a bad pic of the chain, i just couldnt get it into focus. So this is an O ring chain i believe?

 It measures about 13/16 of an inch. Def not close to an inch.

[Gordon]

heres a bad pic of the chain, i just couldnt get it into focus. So this is an O ring chain i believe?

Can't tell from that angle.  You have to look at it from straight on. It should be very easy to tell if you have an o-ring chain or not, because you can see the o-rings if they are there.  They will be between the outer plate and inner plate, and will be circling the link rivets.  They keep the two plates from rubbing agains each other.  If you don't see any o-rings there, and the plates are touching each other, then you have a standard chain.