530 Chain Conversion

[earlfor]

When I changed the drive on my 750 from #630 chain to #530 chain, I approached it as:
#630 sprockets were 15/42 for a ratio of 2.8 #630 chain is 3/4" pin to pin, so a 15 tooth sprocket would wrap 11.25 inches of chain in 360 deg.

#530 chain is 5/8" pin to pin. To preserve diameter, 11.25/.625 equals 18 teeth. 2.8 x 18 equals 45. for the same countershaft sprocket diameter and the same overall ratio, I arrived at 18 countershaft and 45 rear sprockets.
More teeth on a sprocket spreads the load over more bearing surfaces, so wear is reduced.

A 15/42 #630 setup on a 750E requires 96 links. At .75" per link, the chain length is 72". Assuming countershaft sprocket of the same diameter in #530 chain, then since a half wrap around a #630 42 tooth sprocket would measure 15.25" and a half wrap around a #530 45 would measure 14" you can see that aproximately a 1" reduction in chain length with the #530 sprockets will be needed. So, 71" inches of #530 would be a chain length of 113 links (roughly) :-)

Earl

[robinjo]

When I changed the drive on my 750 from #630 chain to #530 chain, I approached it as:
#630 sprockets were 15/42 for a ratio of 2.8 #630 chain is 3/4" pin to pin, so a 15 tooth sprocket would wrap 11.25 inches of chain in 360 deg.

#530 chain is 5/8" pin to pin. To preserve diameter, 11.25/.625 equals 18 teeth. 2.8 x 18 equals 45. for the same counter shaft sprocket diameter and the same overall ratio, I arrived at 18 counter shaft and 45 rear sprockets.
More teeth on a sprocket spreads the load over more bearing surfaces, so wear is reduced.

A 15/42 #630 setup on a 750E requires 96 links. At .75" per link, the chain length is 72". Assuming counter shaft sprocket of the same diameter in #530 chain, then since a half wrap around a #630 42 tooth sprocket would measure 15.25" and a half wrap around a #530 45 would measure 14" you can see that approximately a reduction in chain length with the #530 sprockets will be needed. So, 71" inches of #530 would be a chain length of 113 links (roughly) :-)

Earl

Earl

Very informative post Earl!

Now I am in the process of going to 530 on my Katana and offsetting the chain run at the same time, for this purpose I bought a 13 mm offset 17 tooth sprocket so to keep roughly the stock gearing I would need a 43 tooth rear then?

Oh and I borrowed a 88-89 GSX-R rear sprocket for test fitting today and it has 5 holes :? instead of 6. Which ones do interchange with GS(X)?

[earlfor]

I dont know what your stock gearing was. Just count the teeth on your #630 countershaft sprocket and count the teeth on the #630 rear sprocket. For example, countershaft was 15 teeth and rear was 42 teeth, then 42/15 results in a ratio of 2.8

Now........ you have a #530 17 tooth countershaft sprocket. 2.8 x 17 equals 47.6 To preserve the ratio then, you need either a 47 or 48 tooth rear sprocket if youre going to use the 17 front.

For sprockets for #530 conversions on GS's, here are some that will fit.

Countershaft sprockets:

GSF1200S Bandit
GSF600S Bandit
GSXR750 86-97
GSX600F Katana 88-02
SV650 all
GSX750F Katana 89-01
YZF600R 94-02
FZR600R 89-99
ZX600A/B/C/D/E Ninja
All the KZ650s except the KZ650 H CSR
KZ750 76-79
ZX750 Ninja 87-94
VN800 Vulcan 95-02
ZX-9R Ninja 94-01

Rear Sprocket:

GSXR750 90-95
GSF1200S Bandit
GT750 all

Earl

Now I am in the process of going to 530 on my Katana and offsetting the chain run at the same time, for this purpose I bought a 13 mm offset 17 tooth sprocket so to keep roughly the stock gearing I would need a 43 tooth rear then?

Oh and I borrowed a 88-89 GSX-R rear sprocket for test fitting today and it has 5 holes :? instead of 6. Which ones do interchange with GS(X)?

[earlfor]

EDIT.......... apparently, I hit a wrong number on my calculator when making this post. The numbers are not correct, but I will not re-do it since I feel it would be confusing if someone didnt read all of the posts. The important thing is the method/how to figure it out and that is unaffected by the error.

Earl

When I changed the drive on my 750 from #630 chain to #530 chain, I approached it as:
#630 sprockets were 15/42 for a ratio of 2.8 #630 chain is 3/4" pin to pin, so a 15 tooth sprocket would wrap 11.25 inches of chain in 360 deg.

#530 chain is 5/8" pin to pin. To preserve diameter, 11.25/.625 equals 18 teeth. 2.8 x 18 equals 50. for the same counter shaft sprocket diameter and the same overall ratio, I arrived at 18 counter shaft and 45 rear sprockets.
More teeth on a sprocket spreads the load over more bearing surfaces, so wear is reduced.

A 15/42 #630 setup on a 750E requires 96 links. At .75" per link, the chain length is 72". Assuming counter shaft sprocket of the same diameter in #530 chain, then since a half wrap around a #630 42 tooth sprocket would measure 15.25" and a half wrap around a #530 45 would measure 14" you can see that approximately a reduction in chain length with the #530 sprockets will be needed. So, 71" inches of #530 would be a chain length of 113 links (roughly) :-)

Earl

Earl

Very informative post Earl!

Now I am in the process of going to 530 on my Katana and offsetting the chain run at the same time, for this purpose I bought a 13 mm offset 17 tooth sprocket so to keep roughly the stock gearing I would need a 43 tooth rear then?

Oh and I borrowed a 88-89 GSX-R rear sprocket for test fitting today and it has 5 holes :? instead of 6. Which ones do interchange with GS(X)?

[Hoomgar]

I am also doing this as we speak. My freshly rebuilt engine will be going back into the bike with a 530 conversion.

Man, this gets confusing. Everyone has a different opinion. 15/42, 16/45, 17/48...get a bigger front to improve chain life...
Mark, what sprockets are you going to go with? Do you want to retain the exact same gearing as stock? I like my gearing just the way it is. I don't want the rpm's to be higher or lower at a given speed.
And how about this issue of spacer(s) on the front?

The spacer is on order. It's just a washer. And yes, stock 15/42 for me. I ran my bike with the 630 o-ring chains on a 14/42 setup for the last 10 years and although it gave a noticeable jump out of the hole I don't really care for it on highways. Plus it tears up the 630 fast that way.

The 530 is supposed to be the way to go now. So I am going to try it with a very high quality chain and alloy sprockets and stock 15/42 gearing.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Just another thought. Since the 530 front sprocket is much smaller in diameter, the chain will be much closer to rubbing the swingarm.
Plus I think it's a fact that a smaller sprocket will lessen chain life. When I eventually do this mod, I may go with a 16/45 or 17/48. It also depends on how much clearance the sprocket cover provides for these larger spockets.
Mark, where did you order the spacer from? I assume it's the same thickness as the original "dampening" collar?

[simon lambert]

Now there is a whole new thread.. alloy rear sprocket or steel??
I have an alloy that was on my Astralites of a Ducati, but I went for steel one when I futted the wheels to my bike.. I was considering nylon..
Even though when I used them when I was younger and never had a problem I just couldn,t do it this time..
Regards Simon

[earlfor]

Yes, chain rub on the swingarm is a consideration. I think it is best to try to preserve the original countershaft sprocket diameter. Just as a point of interest, a #630 42 is a larger diameter sprocket than a #530 48.
I had to change the mount holes in the chainguard to lower it enough to cover the chain.

Earl

Just another thought. Since the 530 front sprocket is much smaller in diameter, the chain will be much closer to rubbing the swingarm.
Plus I think it's a fact that a smaller sprocket will lessen chain life. When I eventually do this mod, I may go with a 16/45 or 17/48. It also depends on how much clearance the sprocket cover provides for these larger spockets.
Mark, where did you order the spacer from? I assume it's the same thickness as the original "dampening" collar?

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Earl, with all these numbers being thrown around, I'm getting dizzy.
I didn't think of the chainguard thing. I wouldn't be able to lower my guard easily. The front is a plastic tab that slides under a hook on the swingarm. I could lower the back mount but then the guard would be tilted and look funny and maybe even cause the front tab to break.
Just to help me make a decision, what was your stock gearing and what is it now? You say a 630/42 is larger than a 530/48? By how much? I hope to avoid this chainguard mod'. So I'll go with 17/48 or even 18/51 if that's possible.

[Hoomgar]

Just another thought. Since the 530 front sprocket is much smaller in diameter, the chain will be much closer to rubbing the swingarm.
Plus I think it's a fact that a smaller sprocket will lessen chain life. When I eventually do this mod, I may go with a 16/45 or 17/48. It also depends on how much clearance the sprocket cover provides for these larger spockets.
Mark, where did you order the spacer from? I assume it's the same thickness as the original "dampening" collar?

Keith, the spacer is just a washer. You can use any washer and just get the thickness you need. As for the other comment. My 2 cents is that is a bad idea. The front sprocket is not much smaller. It is only marginally smaller. You have to lay them on top of each other to see the differance. It is not going to be any closer to your swingarm. At least not enough to worry about. I ran a 14t in the front for my 630 for 10 years and it is actually a bit smaller than a 15t 530 front will be. I never had a problem with it hitting the swingarm.

The 15/42 will be maintained regardless and changing it when you go 530 will be the same as if you went with that same tooth configuration with a 630. The ratio is the same. I personally would not want to even think about how doggie it would make your bike if you threw a 17 on the front. But thats just me.


If you just stay with the 15/42 you will have no concerns hitting the swingarm and have no problems with your chain gaurd either. It will fit nicely.

[earlfor]

The stock 15/42 is a 2.80 ratio. Changing to 17/48 is a 2.82 ratio. Its the same for all practical considerations. Speed at x rpm, shift points, etc., will remain the same. My sprockets now are #530 16/44 for a ratio of 2.75.
That was the closest I could find to the original ratio at the time I changed them.

(How much bigger (diameter) is a #630/42 than a #530/48.)............
42 teeth on a 630 sprocket would have a cirfumference at the pin position (when the chain is wrapped around the sprocket) of 31.5". So 31.5/3.14 equals a diameter of 10.03" since #630 chain sideplates are 3/8" high, if we deduct the pin thickness and add the sideplate overlap for the top and bottom chain run, then a #630/42 sprocket will be 10 1/4" in diameter.

a #530/48 has the same sideplate dimensions and pin thickness, so......
48 links at .625" pin to pin (5/8") equals 30". 30"/3.14 works out to a diameter at pin location of 9.55", and adding the sideplate overlap to that gives an overall diameter of 9.80"

A #630/15 sprocket is just shy of 4" in diameter.

A #530/17 is 10.625" in circumference, so 10.625/3.14 gives a pin height diameter of 3.38 and adding .25 yields an overall diameter of 3.63". You chain will be 3/16" closer to the swingarm on both sides of the swingarm.
Not enough to worry about.

Earl

Earl, with all these numbers being thrown around, I'm getting dizzy.
I didn't think of the chainguard thing. I wouldn't be able to lower my guard easily. The front is a plastic tab that slides under a hook on the swingarm. I could lower the back mount but then the guard would be tilted and look funny and maybe even cause the front tab to break.
Just to help me make a decision, what was your stock gearing and what is it now? You say a 630/42 is larger than a 530/48? By how much? I hope to avoid this chainguard mod'. So I'll go with 17/48 or even 18/51 if that's possible.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Mark, Earl, thanks for that info! Much appreciated!

[earlfor]

:-)

E.

Mark, Earl, thanks for that info! Much appreciated!

[Hoomgar]

Earl's the master. He took what I said and made my post sound like trucker talk


Rock on earl! We appreciate it!

While on this topic I am wondering what the general feeling is on o-ring vs standard chain? I am going with a high quality o-ring chain but only because that is what Joe recommended. What do you use Earl and why?

[Jethro]

I'm not Earl, but he's gonna say O-ring all the way. Holds in lube and keeps out dirt much better than a standard chain. Also less noisy.