Harley Sportster, Chain & Sprockets Conversion !
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2022
- Converting your Harley Sportster to "Chain & Sprockets" !
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Just fitted the exact same chain in black /was 53€ more expensive just for it's blackness/ on my GSX1250FA .. you make things seem so easy, yet for me flaring the pins was an absolute pig of a job with bike on the ground on it's center stand a me down on my knees with a wall close behind my back .. But it's on and rolling now, and I'm glad to see that I have the exact same measurements as you, 22.04mm and 5.8mm resp., thanks for the peace of mind!
Never thought I'd be watching a chopper rebuild, let alone a Harley, but I've been hooked coz' let's face it, the fundamentals are the same whether a sportster or a supersport. Bike's looking great! And thank you for all I've learnt from you over the years!
p.s. Lathe and bike lift on my "10 things to buy before I die" list 😇
Hey Ghassan, good to hear from you, and glad to hear we're on the same page. The manuals all advise between 5.7 and 6mm for the flare.. but my chain tool has a contersunk tip that prevents it flaring too wide, much beyond 5.9 and you can crack the end of the pin.! Glad yo hear that our videos have helped you out sir, like you say, most general maintenance is generic and translates to other bike.. Take care and have a great week..
@@Moonfleet41 My JTCT2 tool has and does exactly the same, I couldn't justify buying the original DID chain tool for over 150€ when this knock off seemed identical and was 100€ cheaper.
The pleasure is all mine sir! and likewise!
Huge improvement. I've never liked the Harley belts, although I understand they last a long time. Just a personal preference. As for riveting the chain, I've always found this a sort of "zen" like process, to be done with patience. The same goes for static balancing the wheels after I've installed new tires. It's really coming together. Like the results. Cheers.
Sure thing, the belts are a little longer lived for sure, but not as much as you might think... a belt will hardly ever break unless seriously abused, the usual Achilles heel is the plating starts to peel off the teeth on the rear pulley (as it's been on there so long), and this starts slicing chunks out of the belt teeth, then there's the cost! A belt and pulleys is maybe 5x the price of a chain and sprockets, so I don't really see any benefit other than you have to oil it, but you still have to keep it clean of course!
It would seem that you need an additional washer on the rear axle so the castle nut will be further out on the axle after being torqued down. As it is, the safety pin doesn't appear to engage the castle nut slots, and the castle nut is free to back off, (at least, until is meets the safety pin).
What you see is the factory setup.!
Will the lack of a cush drive shorten the life of the bearings and cogs in the gearbox?
Imo a bit... yes...
how wider rear tire you'v got? just trying to understand if i need any offset sprockets for standard wheel and tire?
In 60 years, the best final drive I've ever owned was a CX500Turbo with shaft drive. The worst, a BMW with Belt drive. (F800ST, an absolute NIGHTMARE of ownership lasting 3 years before I gave up in financial ruin and tears lol) Chain drive? Love 'em. Split links? A 100% success rate for me installing them. Dealer installed rivet links? 100% FAIL rate, two different bikes, many years apart. Me installing rivet links? 100% success rate. There's something so satisfying seeing those beautifully mechanically formed pin ends!
@Delboy's Garage What rear tire do you recommend after making this conversion?
Great tutorial again Del, great for anyone to learn from, no matter how many chains they may have fitted in the past. I particularly like that you mentioned to allow for the weight of the bike compressing the suspension and over tightening the chain; easily forgotten when engrossed in the job 👍
Sure thing Michael, Thanks for your kind words mate. So important when there is a lot of weight still to bolt onto the bike that the chain has enough room to settle into it.!
@@Moonfleet41 agreed, I fell into that trap in my youth when I was learning this stuff. I always like watching your tutorials as I always pick up something different regarding jobs I know and it's great to learn about stuff I might do in the future. Thanks to you both for a great channel 👍
i have done the chain conversion on my Iron883 do you have any issues with slapping on the belt guard mount on the swingarm? i’m not running the belt guard on there. Am i better off grinding it off if not in use? Thanks in advance
All chains have a certain amount of 'lash' it's inevitable, and bikes that have belts from factory don't have 'lash room' designed into that area, so yeah, if you have to make a little room for the chain to opperate safely then thats just good practice mate .!
Made many changes including chain drive conversion..made a clempton bracket to swing arm & a 17t idle sprocket with sealed bearing & spring loaded for take up & normal surfing during riding...its great..& no need for readjusting rear wheel...i can send details..also.. converted primary chain to spring loaded automatic as the fixed adjustment is wrong on so many levels
The gold chain looks great with the other gold accents on the bike. Great tutorial on chain replacement too Del. Always nice to have a refresher course on basic bike maintenance especially from a pro like you. Many thanks , Del and Penney. I'm going to go back and watch some alignment videos which I'm sure you have on the channel. God bless and stay well friends. ❤👍👍
Hi Rick, great to hear from you and thank you for your kind words... am glad you enjoy the videos and we really appreciate your feedback, thank you! D&Px
I notice at the start of this video the rear sprocket was already in place upon the rear wheel, and the front sprocket was to be installed. The Front sprocket was off-set with 22 tooth, I noticed, but what about the rear sprocket? Is it also off-set too? And how many teeth is it?
Would really like to know, getting read to convert my 1989 Sporty over.
I like the look of the gold chain. That was the colour I went with last time around myself also. Couple quick questions.. was there a guide that you were able to refer to for correct sprocket gearing? Also, should the suspension be loaded when setting chain tension? I actually tend to run my chain on the loose side of factory spec (not out of spec) just to keep tension off the output shaft even though there is a noticeable amount of play at times when I’m doing track days.
Have a great week
From others who have made the same (and very common) conversion, this rear sprocket and a 23 tooth front give factory final gearing.. but ive opted for 22 tooth front to lower the gearing a little, i won't be touring on it, won't need cruising gearing... but a nice crisp launch from the new upgrade power and lower gearing should be loads of fun. ..and i agree, always run a chain on the loose side, ill set that later once the bike had a lot more weight bolted to it and i can measure it properly !
@@Moonfleet41 careful, those V twins suffer from oiling issues if you wheelie them too long. 😂 😂✌🏻
@@myz06rocks 😂 😂
Always a pleasure to watch a craftsman work. Very thorough as usual. Ignorant 'non-Harley guy' question. If the rear sprocket was not inline with the countershaft sprocket with the wheel straight, do you shim the sprockets, move the motor, or what?
Hi Joe, in this case i was able to buy sprockets that are machined to line up. The rear, in my case is flat, and the front has a 1/2" outward offset, this puts them inline. You can also buy "dish shaped" offset sprockets for the rear if you're fitting a much wider wheel, and offset front sprockets up to 3" offset. You cannot ideally shim the back sprocket out because the centre hole in the sprocket locates onto a machined lip on the hub, shimming it out would prevent that location ! Thankfully due to the huge custom aftermarket industry that supports the Harley community, you can buy just about anything to bolt on and hand you a solution.!
@@Moonfleet41 Thanks Del. That makes perfect sense. I've seen jack shafts used for super wide rear wheel mods, but I didn't know about the small offset options. Stay well sir.
I watched you do this several years ago,
and it prompted me to do this recently on my buddies Tiger 955i.
This video is even better than the previous.
You're a great inspiration and instructor for Noob or Veteran DIY wrenches.
Cheers 🍻 🙌, G.
Thank you for your kind words Gabriel, I'm glad to be of help.!
I did account for the rear wheel taking up slack ONE TIME. After that you learn your lesson and don’t make that mistake again. :) I find putting on a new chain so satisfying for some reason. Oh the places we will go.
What size is that socket for the sprocket nut..
From memory, it's 1-7/8" AF I think, but double check in your manual.
Great build... i can't wait to see the Cafe Sporty she will be
Did you ever end up installing a chain slider? I’ve seen the one from Sporty Mob but never see anyone using them.
Isn't there a quad seal in there somewhere. My sporty is leaking oil and all of the engine gaskets are new so im thinking it leaking around pulley.
Thanks for your video, Del. Reminds me to clean the chain on my cbr 600 rr after a summer of riding. Clever alignment tool you've made.
Cheers, Günter from Nürnberg/Germany
Hi , I have a question:) I bought Sportster with 15 inch suspension on it . Belt seems a bit loose. How I supposed to adjust it properly? Sevice says 14-17 mm , but it may be to tight when fully loaded?
Great that you mentioned not to cut the chain too short, need to allow for the weight of the bike once on two wheels. You’re never too old to learn.
Beautiful bike and awesome video my man, you are a great bike mechanic, very clean and organized, I’d have no worries if my bike was in your hands 🍻
Thank you for such kind words of support.
That's a well designed riveting tool. Little set screw so it doesn't fall apart during the wrestle. Smart. Seems better than my motion pro knock-off. Love the alignment tool/design as well, first time I've seen that.
Thanks Travis, yeah, best little chain tool i ever had.. and lots more power and strength to get the full flare on the pin without effort... link here is you want one buddy..! www.spanner-monkey.co.uk/motorcycle-chain-splitter-and-riveting-tool-set-heavy-duty-119022?search=SMC4&description=true I made the alignment tool some years ago from a bolt, nut and some wire.. made a video if you wanna make one too!
I've always found rivet links easy to do, I'm a bit shocked when guys use split links on anything bigger than a dirtbike
There are different kinds of clip link.. the ones that you have to press the outer plate on like a compression link, they're maybe safer as the clip is just a second line of defence... but nobody can deny that a properly fitted compression link is the safest by far.
I just did change the bike on my 19' Triumph Speed Triple and your older videos helped me tackle it on my own. I cracked the first master link by over tightening, but got it squared away on the second try with a new masterlink. This video was even better as a guide, and I love that I chose the exact same chain as you for my bike - gold it is! Looks great on that HD and looks great on my Triumph.
Glad you got it done Scott.. it's easy to overdo the pin spread, but now you know and can do it every time aye. !
What I don't understand now and never will is why a manufacturer HD sends out a bike that the consumer must then throw away parts already paid for , buy new parts , and then spend time or money making it right.... ie ... chain conversion , better rear shocks , better seat...ect. Just to get a bike that rides and handles well.
You don't have to do any of that, a modern Sportster off the shelf rides and handles perfectly well, it's simply become a culture to personalise and customise your ride, simply a matter of choice to stamp your own mark on your bike!
Looks really sharp Del.
Great advice, not too tight, I remember in the 70's, most riders would tighten their chain like a belt, I always did mine like the off raiders did, fair bit of slack. The originall chain (o-ring type) lasted for over twenty years. Enjoyed the video, and documented proper way to setup sprocket and install chain, well done cheers!
Thanks buddy, i appreciate your kind feedback.
So nice to see you using a piece of skrim to protect the paint on the swing arm lol.
Nice job mate 👍. Personally I prefer a belt over chain (less maintenance) but if I had a choice shaft drive would be it. Take care.
Have to agree on the maintenance stand point, that's undeniable, but for every other reason a chain is better, but of course on a bagger you never see it!
@@Moonfleet41 agreed. I was thinking degree of maintenance when I made that comment. Should have clarified that I guess 😆 👍
I was expecting you to fit one of those lock washers that you hammer the tab against the flat of the front sprocket lock nut. Boy oh boy is that some hardcore locking nut device. No wonder HD’s are heavy! 😂
Yeah, Heavy Duty for sure, !
😂
Coming along nicely mate, loving it so far 👍
Thanks buddy. 👍
Precision job Del, like the cherry red marker drops. Maybe go for a few more cherry red accents on the bike.;)
The FAMOUS SCIM NET!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lol
Looking gooooood dude
How on earth do you get the front sprocket nut off!!!!! I know its opposite thread but mine literally won't move I've used impact and breaker bar and it won't budge
Sorry to hear that buddy, try a little heat directly on the nut, the smaller the blow torch the better, and then whilst it's still nice and hot, hold that chain nice and solid and hit it with the impact gun, btw 1/2" drive impact gun at least, a 3/8" drive will struggle on a sprocket nut! Best of luck!!
Hey Del, what was the reason for getting rid of the belt drive?
It's a very common custom Harley upgrade mate.. belts and those huge fat pulleys are clumsy and expensive, and with a chain i can adjust the gearing too.!
@@Moonfleet41 Ok thanks Del good job.
That gearbox sprocket looks like operation overkill with that locking ring. It does look good though the gold chain.
Great bit of kit! Enjoyed Del. Cheers Mate.
Thanks Shaun👍
Bike is coming along very good job 👍🏻
Another great video brother! I find the chain installation very relaxing to watch, such a feeling when your project is coming alone extremely well 👍 the gold chain was the perfect color for this bike 🏍! keep up the great work brother ! stay safe guys cheers from york 🥂🥂🥂🍺🍺🍺
Thanks brother 👍, glad you approve, nice bit of contrast for all the black and silver and it's mirrored in the original Harley paintwork so it's gonna look banging once it's all built! Have a great Sunday both, D&Px
Glad this worked out for you, Del....Poor me... I measured mine once, cut it twice, and it's STILL too short ;)
Sorry to hear that mate, it's easily done!
@@Moonfleet41 I guess you missed the little wink at the end... Just a play of words on the old "measure twice, cut once" mantra... I measured once, cut it twice, and it's STILL too short 🙃
@@tommylitchfield3450 Sorry buddy.. long day.. lol
Nuther lovely one, looks gorgeous. I've often wanted to do that, even had the offer of borrowing the gear to do it, but never have. I somehow doubt if you will run a Scott Oiler on it though. I swear by mine, love it to bits :)
Hi Tony. Easy enough to run an oiler on it, there's a vac take off on the carb, and the rest is just hooking it up.! Thank for your kind support as always..!
Awesome! Thanks a lot for that playlist!
Enjoy!
Who's sprockets did you use and what size are they? That bike is going to be real sweat when completed!
Cool
Nice video Del & Penny. Excellent job mate and very cool with gold chain. Penny and you have a great week. Cheers
Thanks, you too mate! Always good to hear from you, and hope you're having a good week.
Nicely done
Thanks!
How much slack should be in the chain?
Same as any bike chain, no different because it's a Harley !
From Brass in pocket to back on the chain gang! Chrissie I'm sure approves 👌 👍 ❤️
Ahh Chrissie... Still Rock n Roll and older than us mate..!
Bike looks real nice Del …enjoying the vids..😎
Thanks buddy👍
Educational and relaxing watching the Master show us The Way
Looking real nice del....👍👍👍🏍
Thanks 👍
What was the chain conversion you used? I bought a set the other week, but this one looks a lot better quality. Again, love you videos mate
It wasn't a kit mate, I bought the chain from Wemoto (DID 530 X-Ring Gold Heavy Duty), rear sprocket from Attitude Customs and the front off-set sprocket was from PBI...
@@Moonfleet41 cheers del…the pbi front sprocket from arh are very expensive. Is Pbi worth the money?
@@TheZepone Well i can certainly say they're beautifully precision machined and very heavy duty.. you can see why they cost a bit, and maybe that makes them worth it.. ?
looks really good.
Bikes looking mad mate 👍😎
Cheers buddy !
Any plan for a slider to protect the swing arm?
That chain is going to eat up that black powder coating! Not sure if the part is available, but it looks like something that could be 3D printed.
Yes, i plan to design something in with the chain guard !
Looking good! 👍
Thanks 👍
TOP
looks great man!
Great video, Del and Penny. Very well executed... if I may, what's the advantage of chain over belt? I would have thought belt required less maintenance. Thanks a lot for sharing... take care and be safe!
HI buddy.. "less maintenance" is the only advantage, and that's even if you see it as an advantage at all.. for me, looking after my chain is no big shakes, and the other advantages are huge.. not least of all the price.. a new belt and pulleys can be 6 times the price of a chain and sprockets.. and in the looks department there's no comparison aye.!
@@Moonfleet41 I had no idea belts and pulleys were so dear. You learn something new every day. As for you, Del... Keep calm and chain on!
Some lessons learnt there Del 👍
Thanks buddy👍
Congratulations on the 200k subscribers!! Well deserved.
Thank you so much 😀
Even as a kid on my bicycle I learned the value of having a quality chain tool on hand.
your right, I second that !!
Top shelf productions with the video as always!👍Custom chain guard on the horizon? 😎
Yes indeed buddy, Coming soon, just want to get the basic assembly of all the restored parts put together then i can begin on the fabrication work.. Thanks for your support as ever.
Who was the manufacturer of your chain breaker? Heavy duty to say the least.
Here you go buddy.. www.spanner-monkey.co.uk/motorcycle-chain-splitter-and-riveting-tool-set-heavy-duty-119022?search=SMC4&description=true
Great tip I learnt from this channel was the the marking of the rivets so as you can keep a check over them for the next couple of weeks so everything stays put.
Penny pitstops dragons blood works a treat.
I have done this ever since and it's use is also a great reference point for lubing the chain!
Nice video Del and Penny x
Great video!
Where did you get the chain conversion kit from Del or do you have the details for the Individual parts from JT, cheers fella
I got the chain from Wemoto and the sprockets from Attitude Customs..!
Why convert from belt to chain? I'd love to convert from chain to belt, or better yet, chain to shaft.
Looking great Del well done man 👍🚴🤩👏
Thanks Pete 👍
Lovely conversion that Del! Looks brilliant!
Thanks buddy.
This build is awesome Delboy. Everything is coming together so nicely. Is there any advantage to the chain other than it looks tits? Been watching forever and your channel just keeps better dude!
Thanks mate, many advantages on a chain, it's stronger, looks way better as you say, and you can adjust the final drive gearing with different size sprockets to suit the ride you want... plus of course, a chain and sprockets is a fraction of the price of a new belt and pulleys which the bike would have needed!
Another great video - 👍. . .
Thanks for the visit
Oooffffff.....
Great Video The chain job excellently executed & with it being a gold one certainly looks good on the bike Great job Del 👏👌👍
Thanks Chris👍, needed a bit of bling aye !
Hi delboy, with all respect, from a faithful follower of you: why is this conversion? Chain drive has no advantage to belt drive, but there are many disadvantages.
Not so mate.. It's a very common custom Harley upgrade.. belts, and those huge fat pulleys are clumsy and VERY expensive. A chain is classy and visually attractive, way stronger, i am able to adjust the gearing too.!
@@Moonfleet41 thanks for the reply.
I was talking in general.
Me sportster owner n have other bikes, chain, belt and shaft driven one too.
Chain: the worst option, makes the bike dirty, need to spray (or scottoiler) all the time, stretches, need to change including pulleys after 20-30k
Shaft: just oil change, other than that it is excellent, clean, maintenance free
Belt: the best solution, clean, maintenance free, for HD it lasts for life acxording to factory recommendation. (Buell recommends to change it)
The best option in my opinion.
Only Hd related problem is that the hard chrome peels off the pully so then the belt will wear the pulley very quickly
Lovely work.Again.
I wonder how long any poor chain will last on that thumping V-twin with its massive power pulses.
Not being critical of your set up- chains are MUCH easier to replace than belts and far cheaper also.Plus they can( probably?) take more abuse like burnouts and wheelies that this style of hotrod would be subjected to.
Harley discovered years ago that belts are more elastic and forgiving, plus the Big Twins have the Compensators in the primary drive.
Horses for courses.
Lookin trick. Well to both of you on reaching 200k subs! 👏🏻🙌🏻
Thanks mate, big milestone aye, lot of work over 12 years, but well worth it.!
Nice job Del👌
Starting to love this build Del especially as I'm not a Harley fan 👍👍
Hi Del project looking good All your hard work is paying off mate
Thanks Dean👍, always good to hear from you mate!
Looking quite tasteful!
Thanks buddy !
Gold chain - of course - rude not to! Thanks guys x
Yeah, what else would you fit aye..?
Just noticed 200k subs. Congrats
Yes! Thank you!
Good advice mate
I have changed chains and sprockets
I confess that I saw the work with a critical mind, looking for mistakes.
I confess I didn't find any!
excellent mechanic!
hug from patagonia
That adds some sparkle!
Good job Del.
Making me look for a new chain now.
Day later and I’ve ordered one.
Your workshop setup is something I aspire to copy... during lockdown for covid i bought a 2016 sportster roadster( twin discs/ upside down forks) with v
Hurry up Del, the suspense is killing me. I’m sending some elves tonight 😀
I look forward to every new video. Ty!
Awesome! Thank you!
perfect as per m8 atb iain
Cheers buddy !
BLING BLING!
The taste of that bacon sandwich, hastily cooked to disguise & dispel the smell of hot chain grease so recently bubbling away on mother's kitchen stove; the frenzied pantry hunt for a fresh bottle of 'Daddies' sauce before she's back from the WI all England mole strangling final, the still hot chain now hanging flacid & drippy above the still open can of grease, whilst cunningly suspended from a creaky hanging basket mount in the conservatory. Then, an eerily foreboding 'twang-ripply-splash-clunk' arrives to tell me that at least one of the until-recently hanging baskets will likely never rust . . .
Nowadays, I see new chain comes ready greased & with it's own little packet of patent 'grease-doms' to prevent wayward pressure squirt under load, but the thing is, does the sandwich taste as good? Y'all : )xx
Even though it's almost bed time, all i read was bacon sandwich ! why does breakfast food taste so good at night.!
Ah, it's the anticipation of shouting 'Brace yourself gal' as you leap off the top of the wardrobe wearing the obligatory Ann Summer's flying helmet & carrying two handfuls of freshly dampened celery : )
I don't find the videos too bad. Shots are well chosen, easy to follow, informative. Don't understand dirty Garage guy's love affair with you either.
As always Del another great video
Thanks
Nick Australia
Thanks for watching Nick! Always good to hear from you mate. Have a great week and keep safe aye.!
The chain looks great!
Hi Harold, thank you as always for your support. Hope you're keeping well.
Doesn't red loctite mean it's never going to come off?