Unsure of chain size for 13/45 sprocket combo

Hey everyone, I currently have the stock 13/43 setup. I've owned my 08 WR for almost a year now and am looking to get a little more bottom end out of it. The stock chain I have on now is a 520 pitch with 108 links. I heard of people using a 108 link chain with 13/45, but was not sure if 110 links would be better, especially because of the chain guard on the WR. Does anyone have this combination and know for sure which length is best?

You might just get away with a 13/45 and the 108 link chain. I am running the 13/45 combo with a new 110 link chain....but i'm also running a new set of aftermarket axle blocks. These blocks are good as they are longer in length so allowing the wheel the sit further back - plus they are much stronger, better fit & of much better quality alloy than the stock rubbish. So for my 110 link set up i have plenty of scale left for adjustment - including the option of going up or down 1 tooth from the 13 on the front.... So with the aftermarket axle blocks the 110 link is absolutely spot on for my 13/45 combo.


Anyway with the stock axle blocks retained the 110 link may be a little too long - so you would be towards the end of your adjusters.
( So this would put you back to being ok with the stock 108 link chain - aside from the possibility that it's old, worn & stretched ).


Basically if you plan on keeping the bike into the future, i would strongly recommend to replace the complete chain & sprocket set, and if the sprocket bolts are "old", then replace them as well. ( Also depending on what rear sprocket you get, then you may need the YZ style tapered bolts anyway ). So as far as chain length goes just get at least a 112 link, so you can then shorten to suit. Proberly be 108 link if retaining the shitty stock axle blocks, or 110 link if up-grading to aftermarket A/B's. Regardless, the 112 link will cover all bases as a starting point with a 2 link safety margin.

Below link is OZ eBAY site just to show the blocks i used - they are still from a USA supplier so should be available everywhere in the US & at a much better price.




http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/YAMAHA-AXLE-BLOCKS-YZ125-YZ250-YZ250F-YZ450F-WR250F-WR450F-WR250R-X-GOLD-/221194983122?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item33803f96d2



Also another OZ ebay link below just to show some very good quality tapered sprocket bolts that fit on our bikes perfect when running YZ style tapered rear sprockets. I run these & they are 100% spot on.



http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Rear-Sprocket-Bolts-CRF250R-CRF450R-YZ250F-YZ450F-YZ250-KX250F-RMZ250-KX450F-CRF-/190805901700?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid=111000&algo=REC.CURRENT&ao=1&asc=27&meid=6278807570695049746&pid=100033&prg=1011&rk=3&sd=221194983122&


Cheers.

Thanks for the reply. The axle blocks seem like a good idea, but I'm already putting more money into this thing than I had planned on lol. Also, I should have mentioned that I'm buying a new chain regardless; plus a new front sprocket, so I'm don't end up playing "part roulette" down the road. I would prefer to buy the proper length though and not have to deal with breaking links off. That being said, sounds like 108 links would be the way to go. Can anyone with this setup confirm this?

As stated previously, sorry i can't confirm 100% on the 108 link chain - but obviously the consideration is that with the slightly larger rear sprocket will require the need to place the rear axle further forward to allow correct chain tension. So this being the case it's a matter of having enough scale of adjustment on your stock axle blocks to bring the wheel forward ? As i've also said, my 13/45 with those aftermarket axle blocks allows the 110 link to fit very well with perfect range of axle adjustment to cover chain stretch & front sprocket swapping.

In any case it's obviously better to start off with a chain that's too long rather than too short.... If you just go for the 110 /112 link, it can be easily shortened by simply grinding the peened heads off the link pins, then using a punch & hammer to just knock the pins through. So with a grinder, punch & hammer the job can be done in about 10 minuites. ( A small bench vise also helps - but not critical ).

Unless others can confirm the 108 link for sure - and you're really not able to shorten a longer chain, then i'd say the slight extra cost of the aftermarket A/B's and buy a 110 link chain is the gauranteed option. You have already spent the "bigger" $$$ on the other drive line compontents, so even on the "billet bling" factor alone it's almost worth the further $30 spend on those blocks.

Cheers.

IceWolf wrote:

Can anyone with this setup confirm this?

Just changed from a 45 to a 46. 110 is perfect for 45 - dont go with 108!

Ah man. I was hoping 108 links would work. Now I have to spend an extra 2 bucks on the 110 link chain.

Oh well. Thanks for the info. Much appreciated. I do have a few more questions about the 13/45 combo compared to the stock 13/43 combo, if anyone can answer them:

1. Is it easier to pull out from a stop in 2nd gear (i.e. letting out the clutch faster without stalling out)?

2. How short does this make the first gear?

3. How much did it throw off your speedometer and odometer?

4. Did you change any settings on your FMF programmer after the switch?

5. How noticeable is the improvement in acceleration, especially when accelerating out of a stop or an upshift?

Why would you pull out fro a stop in second gear?

motokid wrote:

Why would you pull out fro a stop in second gear?

Because the first gear is too short. The engine starts to scream at 15 mph. I'll do it when there are a lot of consecutive stop signs in front of me and I don't feel like shifting every two seconds. It just makes life easier sometimes.

IceWolf wrote:

motokid wrote:

Why would you pull out fro a stop in second gear?

Because the first gear is too short. The engine starts to scream at 15 mph. I'll do it when there are a lot of consecutive stop signs in front of me and I don't feel like shifting every two seconds. It just makes life easier sometimes.

Dude, I've got over 10,000 miles on my X.

Over 8000 miles with a 13/48 gearing combo.

I use first gear from a stop every single time.

13/45 put my speedo off according to roadsign radar signs, was off plus 8mph

And why are you starting off in 2nd?

I already said why I start off in second (which I only do about 2% of the time) in my previous post. I was more curious about it than anything. If I knew it was going to open a can of worms, I never would have asked. Anyway, the speedometer is +5 mph straight from the factory from what I gather, so I'm guessing that it should only increase it by about +3 mph from what it is now, unless I'm misreading your statement. Correct?

motokid wrote:

Dude, I've got over 10,000 miles on my X.

Over 8000 miles with a 13/48 gearing combo.

I use first gear from a stop every single time.

I don't see the relevance of this. Are you bragging or something?

IceWolf wrote:

I don't see the relevance of this. Are you bragging or something?

I'll let Motokid handle this one

Not going to try and further open the can of worms here, but i don't think the "2nd gear take off" question was the worst in the world hey guys !

Anyway maybe the OP will just have to soon work this out for himself - and if he shortens the life of the clutch.... well then that's proberly as straight an answer as he'll get hey..... ( I'm sure IceWolf will very quickly ascertain if the occasional 2ng gear "slip off" is going to work ok or not ).

I too myself find 1st gear a little short at times for city traffic commuting - but it's more so a trade off in slight annoyance than any deal breaker as such, so all ok. ( Prefer the "feeling" of being a little bit short on the road, than of being to tall in 1st in the dirt ).

Cheers guys.

Simply put: A 45t rear socket will work with a stock 108 link chain. I don't care if you start in 2nd or third gear for that matter. Must be a full moon..I'll check tonight.

Well Swagger says that a 110 link chain is perfect, but he has a WRX, which has a slightly larger wheel base (0.2 inches bigger), so perhaps a 108 would be fine. DragonNester, did you ever try a 108 with 13/45 and can confirm this?

On another note, I don't slip off the clutch when pulling out from 2nd, I baby it and release it nice and slow. Anyway, it's good to know that I'm not the only one who thinks the first gear is too short in certain on-road situations.

I take off in second a fair bit while riding offroad its not a problem dont worry about it lol.
Second gear on this bike is pretty close to first on my KLR if that makes you feel beter lol.
Worse thing that could happen is your clutch will wear a little faster lol.

IceWolf wrote:

DragonNester, did you ever try a 108 with 13/45 and can confirm this?

Well I'm going to take backwater...I can't remember. Getting old and not writing things down. Sorry.

Alright well I'm just going to take Swagger's word for it and get the 110 link chain just to be on the safe side. I'm still curious as to how noticeable the acceleration difference is between a 13/43 and 13/45 though. Is it really noticeable or somewhat minor?

IceWolf wrote:

Alright well I'm just going to take Swagger's word for it and get the 110 link chain just to be on the safe side. I'm still curious as to how noticeable the acceleration difference is between a 13/43 and 13/45 though. Is it really noticeable or somewhat minor?

I thought it was pretty noticable but I went from the stock 42 up to 45 (X model). Go with the 110.

That's good to hear. I'll try and post how the 110 link chain fits when I get around to changing it, since it might help others later. Might not be for awhile though on account of the weather. I'll be sure to also update everyone on how much easier it is to pull out in 2nd gear, since I'm sure everyone is dying to know.

Thanks for all the help guys, especially Swagger.

It may have been my low frustration tolerance at the time but I was unable to fit a 45t with the stock chain (108) on my X. The chain only had about 3k miles on it so it was pretty new.

Dryer wrote:

It may have been my low frustration tolerance at the time but I was unable to fit a 45t with the stock chain (108) on my X. The chain only had about 3k miles on it so it was pretty new.

Thanks for the confirmation. Definitely going with the 110 link chain.

After a lot of research on various forums and precisely defining what my primary mission priorities / requirements were going to be for my WR250X (with PC5, Q4, Megabomb, Twin Air, and usual derestrictions), I took a gamble earlier this year of trying to job-share a 112 link chain with a 13/45 in supermoto trim, and a 13/50 for DS trim. Now I say gamble because it is not supposed to have worked according to a chart I saw on ADVbike due to not enough swing arm slot to tension chain in SM trim. Well, I am happy to report that it has worked beautifully now for 3K miles. I run a fairly light but NOT inexpensive Ironman (YZ) 50 tooth rear because it is highly cutaway hardened Cr steel, and flippable Zeta axle blocks keep you from having to extend adjuster bolt a lot. My primary riding missions are tight canyon carving in SM mode where I rarely exceed 75 MPH, and she then quickly reconfigures into an alpine jeep trail explorer capable of airing down for serious single track running. Bottom line: two great performing bikes, one engine to maintain, less than $4800 tied-up.