Open chain primary

31292 Views 41 Replies 20 Participants Last post by Early Iron, Jun 1, 2012

JERSEYTHUNDER

Discussion Starter · May 30, 2012

Who runs it?.... I saw open single chain primary...bad ass !!!

T

1 - 20 of 42 Posts

Irish Rich

· #2 · May 30, 2012

I set up the 4 speed Tech Cycles/Paul Cox "signature series" chain primary for a client about a month ago. It doesn't come with any setup instructions, but it was a pretty straight-forward install. It ain't cheap, though, but the quality is what you'd expect from a Tech Cycles product. It took about 2 weeks to get it in here.

Before I bought it, I gave Paul a call. Hadn't talked to him in a long time, so about an hour later, we got around to discussing the drive. He said that it's pretty much like a rear chain drive (the primary chain is a nickel 530 Diamond-brand Oring), it'll take a set, and you'll adjust it a couple times like a rear chain drive, and the life on the sprockets and chain is about what you'd get out of a rear chain drive setup, if you do the same maintenance you'd normally do.

I'm still building the bike for the guy, but I'll take Paul's word on the drive's longevity. Safety-wise? I don't think it'd fuck you up any worse than an open belt drive would without any guards on it.

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Dr.Frankensickle

· #3 · May 30, 2012

That is a very cool setup.

kickstarts

· #4 · May 30, 2012

I know most people will probably disagree with me but that thing is a horrible accident waiting to happen. Kids, animals, you...the possibility for serious damage is more than I'd like to contemplate. Useless, dangerous and stupid in my opinion.

G

· #5 · May 30, 2012

I have a photo of a buddy hand that went though a chain primary on his Panhead.

Doctors wanted to take off three of his fingers..

He got to keep them, but don't work very well.

I thought I would post the photo....

But, I'm sure it would gross out many...

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kickstarts

· #6 · May 30, 2012

Dragstews said:
I have a photo of a buddy hand that went though a chain primary on his Panhead.

Doctors wanted to take off three of his fingers..

He got to keep them, but don't work very well.

I thought I would post the photo....
But, I'm sure it would gross out many...

I've had a few times in my life where I thought "If I could just go back in time 20 seconds, this horrible shit I just caused could have been prevented". This gives me that exact feeling.

Just for future knowledge Stew, did the guy's fingers jammed in the chain stall the engine out? That must have been a pretty picture.

G

· #7 · May 30, 2012

The motor didn't miss a beat....
Being a 49 Pan that has the need to adjust the chain from the tranny needing to be moved back, the chain had big time slack in it...

Most likely the only reason it didn't saw off his fingers at the time of the incident. ..

..

I don't believe that God protects... "Fools and Drunks"
Perhaps he should..!!!

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buckman50

· #8 · May 30, 2012

I ran one open for about a year. Not the Tech Cycle unit, but a stock primary chain setup, without compensating sprocket. I tried every known paste, oil and/or jism to keep the thing maintenance-free, but without the use of the shoe, I found chain stretch to be a problem. Adjustments were regular. The vibes were excessive at WOT.

Never encountered any safety issues. The only thing that was problematic was oil/lube/paste slinging. The left side of the bike got awful messy...as did my left pant leg. Rule of the road...dont put yer fuckin hands or fingers near the primary chain when motor's running.

Irish Rich...what goob or paste are you running on the chain in the pic you posted?

Irish Rich

· #9 · May 30, 2012

kickstarts said:
I know most people will probably disagree with me but that thing is a horrible accident waiting to happen. Kids, animals, you...the possibility for serious damage is more than I'd like to contemplate. Useless, dangerous and stupid in my opinion.

That's right, and the same can be said for any primary belt drive that's run completely open as well. Primary belt drives are a horrible accident waiting to happen, too, they don't show any more mercy than that primary chain drive does as far as "kids, animals, you...." getting tangled up in one. Stick your fingers in a spinning belt drive, and see how many fingers you come out of it with.

I think you missed the part where I said I'm still building the bike for the guy. That photo I took was right after the installation, the bike is far from being finished....

Dr. Benway

· #10 · May 30, 2012

I saw one of those Paul Cox drives a couple years ago on an Acme bike. Very nice looking piece, limb-removing potential not withstanding

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Richard D

· #11 · May 30, 2012

Those have probably been around in some form or another for a long time, but they kinda remind me of the "rat rod" dudes with the skulls and spiderwebs all over their rusty cars. "Look how scary and tuff I am!" Tin primary looks way cleaner.

kickstarts

· #12 · May 30, 2012

Irish Rich said:
That's right, and the same can be said for any primary belt drive that's run completely open as well. Primary belt drives are a horrible accident waiting to happen, too, they don't show any more mercy than that primary chain drive does as far as "kids, animals, you...." getting tangled up in one. Stick your fingers in a spinning belt drive, and see how many fingers you come out of it with.

I think you missed the part where I said I'm still building the bike for the guy. That photo I took was right after the installation, the bike is far from being finished....

You posted a picture of the bike in an "open primary chain" thread so I just assumed it would be running open. Sorry about that, never assume I guess.

Hoofhearted

· #13 · May 30, 2012

Both my Norton and sidecar run open primarys. But they have a top run chain guards as per rules. I'm only running them short distances in land speed racing but they still need to be lubed after each run. How the hell do you keep them lubed riding on the road? Or is it a case of look at me I'm dangerous and cool. I don't need no stinkin' lube!

I had one break at El Mirage. It let go a couple of hundred yards before the lights. I had a fiberglass guard. It took a large chunk off the rear as it came around. And I felt a painful whack on the boot as it exited. Coasted through the lights at 121. A few days later my big toenail turned black and eventually fell off.

But hey! Don't let logic and safety interfere with being cool.

Loffer

· #14 · May 30, 2012

Fingers would not even begin to stop a big twin motor. Saw 2 get chopped off clean in a husky 125 with a vice grip Shifter when were kids. Vice grip shifter and no sprocket cover. How cool was he? So we had to find phsycos fingers and he got them attached
Again.

buckman50

· #15 · May 30, 2012

Hoofhearted said:
How the hell do you keep them lubed riding on the road? Or is it a case of look at me I'm dangerous and cool. I don't need no stinkin' lube!

Thats the 9million dollar question now, isnt it?

Be damned if I could find the appropriate jism to remain on the chain and NOT have to be re-applied after every ride.

Dr. Benway

· #16 · May 30, 2012

How would lubing a primary chain be any different than a secondary?
The Paul Cox one looks like it might even be o-ring.

JERSEYTHUNDER

Discussion Starter · #17 · May 30, 2012

Irish rich,
are the sprockets replaceable or would you need a new basket ?

Irish Rich

· #18 · May 30, 2012

Dr. Benway said:
How would lubing a primary chain be any different than a secondary?
The Paul Cox one looks like it might even be o-ring.

As I said in my original answer, the chain in the Paul Cox drive is a section of Diamond 530 Oring chain from the XLO line, in the nickel finish. The maintenance is as it would be for any Diamond XLO rear drive chain, it's the same chain.

Irish Rich

· #19 · May 30, 2012

JERSEYTHUNDER said:
Irish rich,
are the sprockets replaceable or would you need a new basket ?

The sprockets are both replaceable. The front sprocket bolts on to a hub similar to a belt drive front pulley insert, and the back sprocket is bolted on the clutch basket, similar to how an electric start ring gear bolts on to a later Harley clutch basket, only on the back of the basket instead of the front.

Nick-O

· #20 · May 30, 2012

It is ugly and mean, on a butt ugly ride, but has been on our shop mule for couple years now...we try everything out on this poor bike.

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