How old is too old for a chain?

[mikenh]

Hi,

This is a great site as I have owned a 1977 GS-550 since new and last ridden in 1982, or so the registration plate shows. It was stored in an attached unheated garage for these many years and I have decided to get it running again as a retirement project. The bike started pretty easily so I was encouraged to continue on. So far I have new tires/tubes, flushed out the front brake system replacing all the master cylinder parts, caliper gaskets and SS lines from H-E-L. Right now I have the rear wheel off for the tire replacement and will replace the brake shoes since it is apart and they do not cost much.

The question I have is about the chain. The chain looks well lubed, maybe a bit too much gunk on it that I will clean off but no visible rust. I was wondering how well the chain o-rings would have held up over the years of sitting around. The bike was in Connecticut in a garage and covered with stuff, sort of like the stair stepper in the spare room . If the chain should be replaced should I also replace the sprockets, there are only 6500 of lightly driven miles on the bike.

If I should replace the chain any suggestions on brands? I see on Amazon a sprocket and chain set for under $80 by Volar, not sure about the quality.

So far it looks like the helmet and clothing will be the most expensive part of this rebuild. It looks like sneakers and cutoffs are no longer de rigueur for riding.

Thanks all.

 

[RichDesmond]

Hi,

This is a great site as I have owned a 1977 GS-550 since new and last ridden in 1982, or so the registration plate shows. It was stored in an attached unheated garage for these many years and I have decided to get it running again as a retirement project. The bike started pretty easily so I was encouraged to continue on. So far I have new tires/tubes, flushed out the front brake system replacing all the master cylinder parts, caliper gaskets and SS lines from H-E-L. Right now I have the rear wheel off for the tire replacement and will replace the brake shoes since it is apart and they do not cost much.

The question I have is about the chain. The chain looks well lubed, maybe a bit too much gunk on it that I will clean off but no visible rust. I was wondering how well the chain o-rings would have held up over the years of sitting around. The bike was in Connecticut in a garage and covered with stuff, sort of like the stair stepper in the spare room . If the chain should be replaced should I also replace the sprockets, there are only 6500 of lightly driven miles on the bike.

If I should replace the chain any suggestions on brands? I see on Amazon a sprocket and chain set for under $80 by Volar, not sure about the quality.

So far it looks like the helmet and clothing will be the most expensive part of this rebuild. It looks like sneakers and cutoffs are no longer de rigueur for riding.

Thanks all.

As long as it looks good after you clean it up it should be fine. Just keep an eye on it for the first 1000 or so miles, and if it won't hold an adjustment you will need to replace it.
$80 for chain and sprockets is too cheap, not enough really for either one separately if they are good quality.

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

the chain is likely fine
clean with kerosene and lube and be done

watch the wear rate on it but I doubt the thing is gone bad.

 

[tkent02]

Watch for flying O rings. Usually you will find them laying on the swing arm or on the foot peg. You can also look at the chain carefully to see if the are missing. Once even a single O ring is gone the chain will wear very quickly on the links that are missing O rings.

Modern chains are great, they can last nearly forever without even requiring any adjustments. Get good steel sprockets, the best chain you can find. It's worth it because they last so long. I have 17,000 miles on one chain and it hasn't even needed an adjustment yet. I don't even oil it all that much.

 

[Guest]

The Volar stuff is junk.

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

80 bucks for chain and sprockets!!!
DANGER!
Maybe for a bicycle but not for an engine avoid this manu its too risky.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Yea, it's just a 49HP 550, low miles with no rust on the chain.
That's the same chain used on bikes with 3X more power, it would only break on you if it was in terrible condition.
Have close look at the seals after you clean it up.

 

[mikenh]

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks to all! I'll just go with what I have and keep a watch out.

Removing the rear wheel wasn't as bad as I thought it might be so even if I need to replace the chain in a few months it won't be a big deal. Also thanks for the heads up on the Volar chains. I wondered if it would be any good as my bicycle chains run $40 +/-.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[tkent02]

Since you will no doubt be removing the swingarm to renew the thirty year old grease in the bearings, using an endless chain is a no brainer. You have from now until then to figure out what sprocket ratio you want.

 

[Sandy]

If it doesn't spit out the o-rings it should be good. Generally you replace chain and sprockets as a set because by the time the chain wears out the sprockets are also worn. With only 6500 miles on it you can probably get away with just replacing the chain. At that mileage it may have only needed 2 or 3 chain adjustments and the sprockets will only have a small amount wear. If it spits o-rings replace it before a stretched chain ruins the sprockets.

 

[Redman]

How old is too old for a chain..?

It was in the year 1982, so I was 30 years old when I decided I was too old for a chain.
Have not had one since.


. (PS: I know that chains are better these days.)

 

[Redman]

You mention O-rings, like you expect that all-any-every motorcycle chain has always had O-rings.

I would think if the bike has been parked since early 80s, that would be from before chains had orings.
Anybody else have that idea?



.

 

[eil]

If the chain has o-rings, my non-expert opinion would be to swap it out. After 30+ years, those o-rings are as likely to be as good as any other rubber part on the bike. Which is to say, not good at all.

 

[bwringer]

If the chain was covered in oily sticky gunk (which was the chain lube of the time, or 90W gear oil as recommended in the manual), it may actually be fine under all the protective goo. Run it and see what happens -- if it starts spitting out o-rings and/or you see red dust (rust), call up Z1 Enterprises and get a new chain. Might as well do the sprockets too, but then again the sprockets may not have that much wear.

As many have found on other forums, the Volar chains (and the other way-cheap Chinese chains you find for cheap under various brand names) are pure junk. Avoid at all costs. Name brand chains are well worth the few extra bucks.

It's not 100% clear whether the '77 GS550 came with an o-ring chain originally, but I found a magazine article stating that the '77 GS750 did use an o-ring chain. I strongly suspect the 550 did as well. I also found a brochure photo from the rear that appears to show a chain with the slight gaps between the inner and outer side plates that would indicate an o-ring chain. In any case, it's 2015 -- there's no point in putting a crappy roller chain on a streetbike any more.

 

[mikenh]

Thanks again, The original chain is an O-ring chain. I may just put it back together, after cleaning up the swing arm bearings, and see what happens. Not much riding will be done this Fall so a new chain may be a winter project.

Thanks to all again.

 

[tkent02]

Thanks again, The original chain is an O-ring chain. I may just put it back together, after cleaning up the swing arm bearings, and see what happens. Not much riding will be done this Fall so a new chain may be a winter project.

No it is not. If you have an O-ring chain on a '77 550 it is NOT original. I have had a bunch of '77 550s, none had O rings. Swapped out by someone, maybe in about 1980, more likely a few years ago. Do you know when it was last ridden/maintained? There is a huge change in technology between an early and late O ring chain, they have really gotten good in recent years. X rings and other shapes, far better materials in both the steel of the chain and the rubber of the rings.

A new chain and sprockets takes about an hour if you're slow, what are you going to do with the rest of the winter?

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

You must also be wary of online vendors.
On aliexpress there are a lot of D.I.D x ring chains for amazingly little money.
Badly printed graphics on the box
chains made of cheese.

 

[mikenh]

I am just going by what is stated in my GS550 Service Manual which was bought with the bike in 1977. Page 106 figure 3-71 shows an enlarged drawing of a section of chain and points to the 'O' ring and how the grease is held in place by the ring. It states the chain is either a DAIDO (DID 50HDL) or TAKSAGO (RK 50SHO) chain. The chain was never replaced. The manual also has warnings about cleaning with gas and other solvents so as the o-rings are vulnerable to these cleaners.

Could be that Suzuki thought about using o-rings and spec'ed them but actually installed something different.

 

[tkent02]

I see that picture, and it is correct for the later 550s. Not for the '77. That manual covers the 550 until 1982, by then every bike came with O ring chains. In 1977 almost none did.

I have had a LOT of 550s, none had O rings as original equipment...
Again if you have O rings it is not original.

 

[mikenh]

Thanks. My manual was printed in 1977 and not the one posted on the bikeclif page, it does not reference other sub models. It will be interesting to see what is really on the bike. It is 150+ miles away so I can't go look right now.

Either way an o or x will be the replacement.