lazer line up for sprockets

[Guest]

Hey dudes and dudets,

I made a lazer alingment tool out of a piece of scrap alum and a cheap keychain lazer. all you have to do is calibrate it.
All I did was get a ruler, strait edge and a stick. Measured the distance off the surface to the center of the lazer light. Then set up the stick a couple feet away, turn the lazer until it is ligned up with the mark on the stick and a little duct tape and bob's your uncle.

I used a 10mm piece of stock which made the lazer 5mm above that so when I put the rod on the rear sprocket with the lazer in front of the sprocket the light is in the middle of the teeth and then I just aligned it with the front sprocket. More info on my site under "techzone"

 

[Tom MLC]

Ingenious. I just did a 530 chain conversion. Had to get that 6mm spacer for the front to make the sprockets line up. But I wonder just how "true" that is.

 

[Guest]

Tom,

6mm? is that in conjunction with the stock spacer? If you just did a conversion you shouldn't need any spacers.

 

[Tom MLC]

The 530 front sprocket is thinner. It doesn't have the off-set a stock sprocket has. At least on the '78 GS1000. I can't speak for other models. Anyway, without the spacer the chain would rub on the tranny casing. Some genius smarter than me decided it needed to be 6mm thick to keep in in the proper alignment.

 

[Guest]

ahhh, IC, the 80 and newer have a flat sprog and don't need a spacer. It is thinner but the face of the sprog against the spacer is still the same distance from the cases as the 630. I wonder if an 80 spacer would do it for ya?
the stock spacer for an 80 and up 1100 is 18.60mm.

 

[Guest]

Tom,
I just checked the '79 1000c and the sprocket is flat like the 80 1100. it also has an 18.60 spacer. Even though the sprocket is thinner the closest face against the spacer is the same distance from the cases as the stock 630.
the stock 630 even has a cush on it making it even closer to the cases.

I would check yours out. I think you will find no extra spacer is needed unless you go with a wider rear wheel. If I am right, you will destroy your chain and sprockets in a day with a 6mm outline.

 

[Guest]

Tom,

the sprocket listed for your bike is the same as mine...lose the spacer dude.

 

[Tom MLC]

Here's the info from JT Sprockets/Z1 Enterprises on the 530 chain conversion. Scroll down to the bottom to see the explaination for the spacer. http://www.z1enterprises.com/reference/chain630to530.aspx

 

[Guest]

Tom,

ignore that information it isn't relitive to your suzi. You just need to pick up any gsxr front sprocket from late 80's early 90's and your good to go. the rear sprockets fit as well. I run a strait gixxer set of sprockets and you can too with out any difficulty. Your stock sprocket has no off set.
The site you are looking at may be referring to the kawi which has an offset on the stock sprocket.

check you '80 it will be identical to your '79.

 

[Tom MLC]

My stock sprocket had an offset. That, plus the fact that the 530 sprocket is thinner makes the spacer necessary.

Back up a couple of posts Rob. I have a '78 GS1000, not a '79. What a difference a year makes. Still, I know of one other person who needed a spacer. Another Rob, who rides a '82/'83 GS1100. But I think his spacer was thinner. The way he described it, it was no more than a fat washer.

Seems like there are subtle differences between models & even model years. Enough to keep the sprocket people in business.

 

[Guest]

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooops,

ok THEN thats what I was tryin to tell ya. Since you have a stock offset then yes...I was wrong!!!!! the thickness or thinness of the sprocket has no bearing on things though cuz the inside face always remains the same distance from the cases. 1/2 inch thick or 1/8 thick both are the same distance cuz the spacer is in the way.

 

[denydog]

Seems like there are subtle differences between models & even model years. Enough to keep the sprocket people in business.

I agree. And this http://www.z1enterprises.com/reference/chain630to530.aspx may be misleading because I don't see what bike/model they are talking about.

I just put a new front sprocket on my 82' GS1100E. The one that was on it was not the original with damping plate. It had a raised area (maybe 6 MM) facing toward the cases. But I noticed the outside of the teeth were worn shiny, with no wear on the inside. The new sprocket had the same raised/thicker area on one side. I face it inward to move the sprocket away from the cases. A couple days later, I noticed the same shiny wear on the outside of the teeth, no wear on the inside. So I took it off and reversed it, with the thicker area facing out. The chain clears the cases just fine. I'm guessing the first sprocket was installed incorrectly by the shop were I had it done the first time. May be a coincidence, but I know that my last chain didn't last very long.

This subject has caused me more confusion than just about anything. But the way I have it now seems to make sense, because the stock damping plate, that I can see in the diagram, is on the outside, and I think that is the side where you need the thicker buildup of the replacement sprocket, at least on my bike

 

[Guest]

OK, lets be perfectly clear about this.

the 79-83 gs750/1000/1100 all have a flat stock countershaft sprocket. LOok at the pics and you will see under the stock dampening rings or whatever they are you see a flat sprocket. Left is stock 630, right is gsxr 530.

NOw, in the pic also you see I have removed the outer rings from the stock sprog. There is a slight indentation but that is where the rings live. The ridge is in the middle of the sprog so there is no offset.

The only time an offset is needed for these bikes is when a larger or different rear wheel is used.

Maybe this would be useful to add to my website. seems to be some confusion here.

 

[Guest]

My stock sprocket had an offset. That, plus the fact that the 530 sprocket is thinner makes the spacer necessary.

Back up a couple of posts Rob. I have a '78 GS1000, not a '79. What a difference a year makes. Still, I know of one other person who needed a spacer. Another Rob, who rides a '82/'83 GS1100. But I think his spacer was thinner. The way he described it, it was no more than a fat washer.

Seems like there are subtle differences between models & even model years. Enough to keep the sprocket people in business.

Tom,

Your stock sprocket does not have an offset. I just checked. It is the same sprocket number from suzuki from 78-83. Maybe you could post a pic of the stocker? Don't confuse the ridge cut out (if its a new sprog) for an offset.
All the sprockets and spacer are the same spanning 78-83. If you do an alignment you will see your chain is well out of line.
cheers,

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I thought all this spacer/clearance stuff was sorted out long ago?
I haven't done the conversion yet so I haven't bothered to look at things myself. I'm intently watching what you guys decide on.
Without taking off my sprocket I'm a little fuzzy on what's there but the inside "half" of the factory collar/dampening unit isn't really spacing anything is it? Is it just for the chain to ride on or does it actually contact part of the splined shaft and dictate how far the sprocket slips on? If no collar-to-shaft contact happens, then it's not really a spacer but it's first impression is that it looks like one.
As the replies come in, it's still confusing what's the right procedure.
As far as I've seen, the '78/'79 GS1000, straight from the factory, uses the same sprocket with the dampening collars.
katman, what's this 18.60 spacer you mention? Are you saying for GS1000's you need this 18.60 spacer on the outside of the replacement 530 or are you saying you need no spacer, period?
All I've ever heard was that you had to have this 6mm spacer on the inside and it seemed to be from several trusted sources.

 

[Dink]

The 6mm spacer goes on the outside of the sprocket, if needed to allow the nut to hold the sprocket tight,due to the 530 sprocket being thinner.

Dink

 

[Guest]

Right on the money Dink,

The dampening drive only spaces to the outside of the sprocket and has no relation to the alignment of the sprocket. The only need may be as Dink pointed out..something to take up any distance between the nut and the sprocket in case you can't tighten it enough.

The 18.50mm spacer is the bushing that slides over the shaft behind the sprocket. If you take off the sprocket you can slide the bushing out too.

To be clear again. NO SPACERS REQUIRED TO ALIGN SPROGS WITH 530 CONVERSION. They won't hit the cases. Just make sure the nut goes on far enough so the proper torque is reached so the darn thing doesn't fly off and ruin your shoe.

 

[80GS1000]

The other confusing bit in my mind is this whole business that the number of teeth on your sprockets needs to change when converting from a 630 to 530 or 520 chain to keep your gearing ratio the same.

Z1 says you need to change the number of teeth to keep the gearing ratio the same, but JT Sprockets calculates it the old-fashioned way, ie quantity of rear sprocket teeth / quantity of front sprocket teeth, which seems to make more sense.

That's why I bought a 15 front, 42 rear tooth sprocket for the GS1000 520 chain conversion to keep the stock gearing ratio at 2.8. Hope this is right.

I can see how you need more links on the chain though for the conversion because 630 is 3/4" pitch, and 530/520 is 5/8" pitch.

 

[Guest]

you are correct. gearing is constant. 15-42 in 630 is the same as 15-42 in 520.The sprogs are just a lot smaller but there ratio is the same.

What you do want to watch when converting down is the distance between your pivot and the chain. with the much smaller sprogs the chain can contact the pivot and grind out a nice trench. Especially if you upgrade your swingarm to something newer..15-42 won't work.

I run 17-47 on my kat which is a little taller than stock. The rule of thumb is for every tooth gained or lost on the front gain or lose 3 on the back.

I will be posting a gear ratio chart on my site soon.

 

[Tom MLC]

Geez Rob, I was just complimenting on what a nice tool you have. I didn't know this would turn into a major debate!

Okay, here we go. My stock old front sprocket (nice hooks, huh?). Call it an offset, call it a dampener, whatever. My old sprocket definately sits AWAY from the side of the tranny case by about a 1/4 inch.

The new sprocket doesn't have these "things" on the side. It's just a flat sprocket.

Without the spacer BEHIND the new sprocket, it would sit flush with the tranny case. Or pretty damn close.

I called Z1 Enterprises and spoke to Rob. Yeah, another one. Wanna guess what he said? "Without the spacer on the motor side of the sprocket, the alignment will be off, & the chain might rub"

So it's a tale of two Robs!

(See if I ever admire your tool again!) 8-[