The Maintenance Bug
A couple weeks ago, when I was changing the oil in both of our wheelers, I took some time to do my normal walk around to check for anything out of place. One of our earliest blog posts was about the importance of PMCS (Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services). The gist is that by taking the time to do some basic maintenance and being on the look out for small issues, you can avert most major repairs. Case in point: As I was looking over Beth's Warrior, I noticed that there was a tooth missing from the rear sprocket and that the chain was very loose.
...two more o-rings...
“Lay a scale along the top chain run, and measure the length of any 21 pins in the chain. The nominal 21-pin length for a 520 chain is 318 mm (12.5 in.). If the 21-pin length is 327 mm (12.75 in.) or longer, the drive chain is excessively worn and should be replaced."
According to the Clymer manual, this chain is tired and wore out -- time for a replacement. At the time, I wasn't able to see the front sprocket very well but decided it was probably time to be replaced also. So I started to price around. When it comes to chains, there are two types: o-ring and non o-ring. Deciding on the type of chain was a no brainer for me. O-ring chains are virtually maintenance free (ok nothing is maintenance free, but they are very close) whereas non o-ring chains will need to be cleaned and oiled after every ride. I knew I wanted an o-ring style chain. There are also two types of sprockets: steel and alloy. A steel sprocket will last a long time but is heavier. An alloy sprocket will wear out faster but is lighter. As I've said before, we are not hardcore racers. Since we are not too concerned with adding an extra pound or two, I went with the steel. If you've been following us for a little while, you know that I can't make a purchase without doing some research first. Right off the bat, I found that kits with front and rear sprockets and a chain were so much cheaper than purchasing the pieces individually. Plus, if your ATV swing arm is stock, the chain comes precut to length. Beth’s Warrior is stock and while I don't need a super heavy duty chain, I really don't like to buy off brand, here today and gone tomorrow, parts. So I found myself at Rocky Mountain ATV/MC looking at Primary Drive chain and sprocket kits. You can find the exact kit we purchased here. All the reviews I read were pretty good and the prices were very reasonable. I placed the order at 1745 (5:45 pm for the civilian types) on a Tuesday and it was here by Friday at lunch with the standard shipping. Of course when it arrived, we tore the box open like it was Christmas.