#35 is nice if you have no jackshaft and need the bigger sprocket in back to make the low gear ratio happen. other than that there is really no benefit in my opinion. I prefer #41. It stays on much much better. I always have problems with leaves twigs and ice throwing off or binding up and kinking the #35 chains. Sometimes I use 420 or #40 on the bigger bikes It stays on even better than 41 because of the bigger side plates. For your bike i would certainly use #40 or an even beefier motorcycle size with O-rings. When in doubt make it stout 
i went through the chain size exercise when i first got back into mini's.
35 has a higher tensile strength than 41, but not 40. i ended up with 35
because (1) 41 is weaker, it is bigger chain with same material thicknesses
as 35. also, the new sprockets were splitting 41 chain. the teeth on the
sprocket were not tapered as much as needed. going to 40 solved that issue
but then i had a chain fit for a harley on a 5hp minibike. i ended up buying
all 35 chain, sprockets, jackshaft gears, etc. just dont buy cheap 35 chain of
of amazon, all i bought there was crap.
thumbsup:
35 has a higher tensile strength than 41, but not 40. i ended up with 35
because (1) 41 is weaker, it is bigger chain with same material thicknesses
as 35. also, the new sprockets were splitting 41 chain. the teeth on the
sprocket were not tapered as much as needed. going to 40 solved that issue
but then i had a chain fit for a harley on a 5hp minibike. i ended up buying
all 35 chain, sprockets, jackshaft gears, etc. just dont buy cheap 35 chain of
of amazon, all i bought there was crap.
thumbsup:
Yes, quality. I have never broken a chain. Any chain, even cheap chains. (But)
But the difference in quality becomes evident when you're aligning, tightening, adjusting, cutting, pinning, virtually everything you do with a chain when fabricating.
Cheap chain guys: You "think" you don't have any issues. Spend the extra $20 and see how you don't have to adjust but once for chain stretch. See how much smoother your machine rolls across the floor. See how much easier it is to splice links together with your chain tool, without causing binding in the links. See how the extra width keeps those 50 year old split wheels and bend sprockets happy, happy, HAPPY!
Why would anyone buy cheap chain, when it is the heart beat of the drive system? Stop doing it now. Vow to never again purchase bulk chain suitable for cotton gins. Give your machine the love it deserves. (And forget about ever finding a half link, because THAT is where you will see the difference in width, and quality)
Can you build a cheap chain, link by link, using your chain tool? Or will you bind up the links? RLV or EK chain will allow you to do this. It is magic. Recently, I laid the box of EK Silver Kart Racing Chain next to my bike, went in, watched a movie, and came back out, and the chain was on the bike and adjusted! Buhlieve me, it was huge, HUGE!
But the difference in quality becomes evident when you're aligning, tightening, adjusting, cutting, pinning, virtually everything you do with a chain when fabricating.
Cheap chain guys: You "think" you don't have any issues. Spend the extra $20 and see how you don't have to adjust but once for chain stretch. See how much smoother your machine rolls across the floor. See how much easier it is to splice links together with your chain tool, without causing binding in the links. See how the extra width keeps those 50 year old split wheels and bend sprockets happy, happy, HAPPY!
Why would anyone buy cheap chain, when it is the heart beat of the drive system? Stop doing it now. Vow to never again purchase bulk chain suitable for cotton gins. Give your machine the love it deserves. (And forget about ever finding a half link, because THAT is where you will see the difference in width, and quality)
Can you build a cheap chain, link by link, using your chain tool? Or will you bind up the links? RLV or EK chain will allow you to do this. It is magic. Recently, I laid the box of EK Silver Kart Racing Chain next to my bike, went in, watched a movie, and came back out, and the chain was on the bike and adjusted! Buhlieve me, it was huge, HUGE!
Hi Dave. I have a question. Why is traditional mini bike chain 35 and "traditional" dirt bike chain is never less than 420? An example would be the tiny Suzuki RM 65 that would use a 420 or 428 chain. I would bet that even modern Honda 50's use at least a 420 chain. Does chain length come into play?
"Can you build a cheap chain, link by link, using your chain tool? Or will you bind up the links? RLV or EK chain will allow you to do this. It is magic. Recently, I laid the box of EK Silver Kart Racing Chain next to my bike, went in, watched a movie, and came back out, and the chain was on the bike and adjusted! Buhlieve me, it was huge, HUGE!"
beer and chain gremlins are hard at work only in arizona!
:thumbsup:
beer and chain gremlins are hard at work only in arizona!
:thumbsup:
All of those things are true. Why however, would one opt for a cheap chain after spending good money on fancy hardware, powder coating, rare parts, etc. etc. etc? To save $15? That fancy chain will outlast the cheap chain, it has superior corrosion resistance, it rolls better over the sprockets, and it will take a lot more lengthening and shortening, without binding, if you're one of those guys who has to modify a drive system a couple of times. (LOL) (I used to use cheap chain exclusively too.) :laugh: I also quit using master links.
Five years and several tanks of fuel after you've restored a bike, it's nice to go out and ride it and have the chain exactly the same way it was when you installed it. It is the heart of the drive system. If I could find better chain, I would use it instead. Life is too short for cheap chain.
Five years and several tanks of fuel after you've restored a bike, it's nice to go out and ride it and have the chain exactly the same way it was when you installed it. It is the heart of the drive system. If I could find better chain, I would use it instead. Life is too short for cheap chain.
#35 is a throwback to old American industrial spec/ farming/ conveyers etc. its what we had back when minibikes were thrown together from individual parts, just like Azusa kits nowadays. good quality 35 is OK, alignment is important. I personally like 41 sprockets so I can use 420 chain, but the majority of my bikes use #35 as oem, and running good quality i never broke or derailed one.....the jap bikes all run heavier chain, z50 Honda runs 420 seems overkill but that's how they did it.
