Posts: 2227
Joined: 8/5/2015
Location: POL
Looking for some input, as I have approx. 10 hours on DID VX2 X-ring chain and JD sprockets, chain is still in good condition (have not yet stretched to halfway mark on swingarm), but sprockets seem to be pretty beat-up.
Do you change sprockets, without changing out the chain? I have to say I expected more than 10-15 hours lifespan from steel sprockets...
Bike's a 250 smoker, if it matters.
Posts: 1449
Joined: 10/14/2017
Location: 86oh, CT USA
if the sprocket is real beat I would change the chain too. do you run the chain super tight?
Posts: 5835
Joined: 1/31/2018
Location: Mansfield, OH USA
Ive always done mine as a set. They wear together.
Im shocked you only got 10-15 hours on steel sprockets. Ive got aluminum ones on all my bikes and they all have 20+ And look good. I have alum ones on my gsxr and theyve got at least 50 hours on them and they look new.
Posts: 2227
Joined: 8/5/2015
Location: POL
fourfourone wrote:if the sprocket is real beat I would change the chain too. do you run the chain super tight?
No, the chain is always adjusted to 2-2,5 fingers tight in the slider area, never tighter than that.
Posts: 2227
Joined: 8/5/2015
Location: POL
I always did that too, but had way more use out of sprockets my previous bikes. All were 250F's though, could it be that much of a difference in wear?
Right now, I can clearly see the countershaft sprocket's arms being bent to one side plus visible wear on the rear sprocket. I thought I can forget about the chain and sprocket replacements, when I decided to put on steel/X-ring combo. Doesn't look like it. 
Posts: 205
Joined: 10/9/2015
Location: GBR
Edited Date/Time:
fourfourone wrote:if the sprocket is real beat I would change the chain too. do you run the chain super tight?
On the ground or on a stand? Fingers on the chain guide or just behind it? I set my chain to 3-4 fingers, resting against the swing arm just behind the guide, with the bike on the ground. If it's off the ground that seems a bit tight, although it also depends on the bike.
Posts: 5835
Joined: 1/31/2018
Location: Mansfield, OH USA
I have a 450, 250f, and a gsxr 600. The gsxr has a renthal alum rear and steel front. I rip the shit out of that gsxr more than the other 2 bikes 6 months out of the year. DID gold chain & the renthal sprockets like i said. That gsxr has more power than a 450 does.
Anyways i set my chain slack on my dirtbikes on the stand with 3 fingers at the middle of the swingarm. This will make it a bit looser when the bike is on the ground. I do 4 on the gsxr because theres no stand to get the swingarm off the ground. I run mine a bit loose to reduce wear. I also clean my chains after every ride. I use maxima chain wax for lube.
Posts: 132
Joined: 12/16/2017
Location: Lake Elsinore, CA USA
Cleaning your chains and lubing them after every ride makes a huge difference in chain and sprocket life.
Posts: 348
Joined: 8/30/2017
Location: CAN
Edited Date/Time:
Yes you can switch sprockets without chain. Just be aware that worn parts will wear out new parts faster. New sprockets on old chain likely not as bad as new chain on old sprockets.
I have two rear wheels that I am constantly switching back and forth. Off-road/mx tire setups. Right now I need two chains for different sprocket combos I am running. But ideally I'd like to keep the front sprocket and chain the same when switching wheels. Maybe causing some premature wear on chain. But I don't see it being a big deal.
Posts: 1248
Joined: 8/4/2016
Location: Twin Falls, ID USA
Edited Date/Time:
I do both... and I do 3 fingers at the back of the chain slider and clean with brush and lube chain after every ride.. gotta keep that gold chain fresh looking 
Posts: 2227
Joined: 8/5/2015
Location: POL
mwssquad827 wrote:I do both... and I do 3 fingers at the back of the chain slider and clean with brush and lube chain after every ride.. gotta ...more
I do the same, hence I'm surprised about the visible wear after so little use. Chain is always 2-2,5 fingers tight at the end of the slider, when the bike's on the ground. It's an X-ring shain too, so It doesn't even require lubing every ride.
Posts: 554
Joined: 1/25/2014
Location: CAN
Posts: 7424
Joined: 10/31/2013
Location: PA, USA
Your GSXR never sees dirt.....
Tomac and/or Anderson for 2020.....
Posts: 5835
Joined: 1/31/2018
Location: Mansfield, OH USA
Posts: 3826
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: TN, USA
JD sprockets may be the problem. There are better quality sprockets out there.
Take it to the limit, one more time!
Posts: 7791
Joined: 7/1/2008
Location: Las Vegas, NV USA
Renthal twin ring with DID ERT2 gold chain has lasted me over 30 hours and the sprocket still looks great!
2-2.5 fingers at the end of the chain slider is really tight and can affect your rear suspension action and cause excessive wear on the chain and sprockets.
I have always done 3 or a little more for the past 30 years and have never had a problem.
Don’t piss off the old people - the older they get the less “life in prison” is a deterrent for them!
2020.5 KTM 450 SXF FE
2006 KX250
Posts: 1123
Joined: 3/31/2014
Location: Mackay QLD, AUS
Man this Changing sprockets and chains at the same time idea is total BS, just a myth that was probably started by some chain company. If you were to sit down and work out how many times a particular chain roller would meet up with the same sprocket tooth it would be negligible. Unless your sprockets are super hooked out a chain won't get any accelerated wear than what it would from new sprockets. Change your chain when its got too much side to side bend in it and change sprockets when you can notice the teeth starting to hook out.
I've always run Renthal aluminium sprockets and DID Race or X ring chains and change them out when they are done, I regularly get 30 + hours out of X ring chains and 25+ out of sprockets both depending on how much mud and sand I ride in during those hours, I've never counted how much I get out of race chains, they are cheap when I do a top end on my 125 I throw the chain in the bin.
Instagram @_yabba_dabba_dont_
Posts: 5835
Joined: 1/31/2018
Location: Mansfield, OH USA
its not about the chain roller. Its also about the chain stretching and like you said side to side bend. Normally my chain is toast by the time my sprockets are.
Posts: 954
Joined: 9/7/2012
Location: MA, USA
I think something else may be the issue. I’ve run Renthal Al sprockets, Twinring, and JT Racing Steel sprockets all with a DID ERT2 chain and I’ve gotten the most life out of the steel sprockets. I had about 25 hours on them on my 450 with no hooking, only subtle signs of wear.
If you're not mixing gas, you're not haulin ass.
Posts: 5835
Joined: 1/31/2018
Location: Mansfield, OH USA
TrailDigger wrote:I think something else may be the issue. I’ve run Renthal Al sprockets, Twinring, and JT Racing Steel sprockets all with a DID ...more
Hes running his chain too tight. He said hes doing 2 fingers of slack.
Posts: 1740
Joined: 8/20/2013
Location: UT, USA
As a chain stretches it wears the sprockets quicker, you're better off to swap chain and sprockets when you can and the setup will last longer as a whole.
21.5 350 XC-F
96' XR600r
Posts: 132
Joined: 12/16/2017
Location: Lake Elsinore, CA USA
I think running your chain loose wears everything out faster than running it tight. When you tow something you dont pin it right off the bat with slack in your chain or rope, you get it tight then apply more power to start towing. I m o kinda same thing on your chain and sprocket , your constantly on and off the gas so if there’s a lot of slack in your chain it’s “yanking” on the sprocket , but running it tighter there’s not much room to “yank” . Just my opinion. Could be wrong . :/
Posts: 2227
Joined: 8/5/2015
Location: POL
Posts: 741
Joined: 7/30/2013
Location: Louisburg, KS USA
I normally go two sets of sprockets for every one chain. After that it normally needs replaced.
