530 sprocket question and foam in the sprocket cover???

[Diamondj]

I pulled off the sprocket cover on my '78 GS1000 last night (and I only had to drill out one panhead screw) so that I can start converting my GS over to a 530 chain. I know I need a 6mm spacer (more or less) for alignment with the rear sprocket - I just want to make sure I understand how this works. All I really need is a washer behind the 530 sprocket that will hold it far enough out to line up with the rear sprocket, right? Could I simply use a regular washer provided it's a large enough diameter to over the output shaft and thick enough to give the proper offset? If it come down to it, could I use the dampener washers that hold the "O" rings on the OEM 630 sprocket?

Fot the other part of my message - the sprocket cover has a thick foam padding lining the inside of it which I guess functions as soundproofing or does it function as a dampener of some sort? Is this something the factory did or a previous owner? Either way it's got a ton of grease and old chain lube caked into it - any ideas on getting it clean?

Thanks!!

Jim

[Anonymous]

As long as you get full engagemet for the nut, you should be all right using a washer as a spacer. Just make sure the washer is flat, some washers are stamped out and have a ridge on the diameters.

The foam sounds like an owner modification, I've never seen a cover with sound damping stock.

[Anonymous]

Re: 530 sprocket question and foam in the sprocket cover???

Fot the other part of my message - the sprocket cover has a thick foam padding lining the inside of it which I guess functions as soundproofing or does it function as a dampener of some sort? Is this something the factory did or a previous owner? Either way it's got a ton of grease and old chain lube caked into it - any ideas on getting it clean?

Thanks!!

Jim

My '81 GS750E has the same thing. I was not expecting to find anything but the inside of the sprocket cover! I just scraped out most of the old lube the best I could. I thought about spraying carb cleaner on it to clean it out, but I did not know if it would eat the foam. Mine seemed to have a paper type backing on it.

[Anonymous]

The foam is there from the factory. I had to remove mine as I had my covers powder-painted on my previous 750 -83. I soon regreted that....
When going at about 40mph I thought the buzz was from inside my head...but it was my drive gear and chain in perfect harmony humming along with the 5:th gears inside the engine. That is not a problem however if you have loud exhaust or similar....

[Paul]

The foam sounds like an owner modification, I've never seen a cover with sound damping stock.

Fitted as standard by Suzuki.
Don't know what it's for though - some sort of sound-proofing/damping?

[Hap Call]

Re: 530 sprocket question and foam in the sprocket cover???

I pulled off the sprocket cover on my '78 GS1000 last night (and I only had to drill out one panhead screw) so that I can start converting my GS over to a 530 chain. I know I need a 6mm spacer (more or less) for alignment with the rear sprocket - I just want to make sure I understand how this works. All I really need is a washer behind the 530 sprocket that will hold it far enough out to line up with the rear sprocket, right? Could I simply use a regular washer provided it's a large enough diameter to over the output shaft and thick enough to give the proper offset? If it come down to it, could I use the dampener washers that hold the "O" rings on the OEM 630 sprocket?

Fot the other part of my message - the sprocket cover has a thick foam padding lining the inside of it which I guess functions as soundproofing or does it function as a dampener of some sort? Is this something the factory did or a previous owner? Either way it's got a ton of grease and old chain lube caked into it - any ideas on getting it clean?

Thanks!!

Jim

I found that my sprocket did not align with the spacer between the case and the sprocket...I place the spacer between the nut and the sprocket. If the spacer is not there the nut will not tighten up the sprocket...I used a piece of 5/16? precision cut keyway stock to measure alignment. You can also use piano wire.

Hap

[saaz]

I also have a 78 GS1000.

The 6mm spacer for the 530 conversion makes sense if you remember that the original 630 sprocket has that rubber dampening unit screwed onto the front sprocket. To attach the damper there is a metal spacer on both sides of the sprocket. The damper acts to cushion the sideplates of the chain. The 6mm spacer replicates this spacer but spacing the 30 sprocket out to where the 630 sprocker was. The original spacer cannot be used (unless machined down) as the 530 sprocket is smaller than the 630 sprocket. If you can machine down the original spacer that may work.

The foam in the cover servers two purposes...it keeps the gunge off the metal cover! and acts as sound deadening. Along witht he rubber damping on the sprocket and oring chain, this allowed meeting noise regs.