The Ultimate Guide To Go-Kart Chain Size Chart

One of the most critical pieces of building a go-kart is the chain. If you don’t have the right size, you’ll run into trouble.

It is crucial to know what size chain you need before purchasing it. Double-checking the size is always a good idea.

The following guide will help you determine the dimensions of go-kart chains. Besides, we’ll examine the chain size chart in more detail.

Understanding the Chain Size For Your Go-Kart

Knowing the terminology is crucial for reading the go-kart chain size chart correctly. Find out how to use a chain size guide to determine what the main components mean here.

Chain Size

Chain size specifies the length of the go-kart chain in terms of specific dimensions. There is no standard Go Kart chain size, but it is always an eighth of an inch. We will convert smaller measurements like 1/2-inches into 4/8-inches to stay within the naming convention.

Common go-kart chain sizes include 35, 40, 41, 420, 428 and 50.

With a pitch of 5/8-inches and a roller width of 1/4-inches, the 520 chain is 2.0/8. Thus, you may name a go-kart chain by the initials of its pitch plus its roller width.

Pitch

Chain pitch is an indicator of the distance between the inside of one link and another link. The value of this parameter can tell you whether a chain will work with your go-kart sprockets.

To calculate pitch, measure the gap between two adjacent pins and take the midpoint. The larger pitch may seem to provide you with a stronger chain; however, that is not always the case.

The pitch of a 520 chain is 5/8-inches, so there are 0.625 inches between the links.

Roller Width

Typically, a roller width refers to the length of the chain (also called a roller chain). To get the box’s width, measure the space between the two inner plates rather than the outer plates.

The 520 chain, for instance, has a roller width of 1/4 inch. Therefore, each inner plate is 1/4″ apart from the other.

Pin Diameter

Diameter refers to the size of the pin as it measures its diameter. To measure this distance, simply take the distance between the opposite end of the pin to one side of it.

Roller Diameter

A critical consideration is that the roller diameter is of the solid roller. It is quite simple to measure the distance between one end and the other end of the roller since that is the point of measurement.

The 520 chain has a 0.4-inch roller diameter, for instance. Accordingly, this chain has a roller diameter of 0.4 inches.

Tensile

Go-kart chains have high tensile strength, indicating how much force they can handle before they break. Using this, you can get an estimate of how much load a chain can take in pounds.

Remember that the chart above provides only an indication of tensile strength. Calculating roller chain tensile strength requires more work as it depends on several factors, including material, quality, durability, thickness, etc.

FAQs

How do I know my chain size?

You can measure the chain size using the calipers if you have just the rear sprocket. You will need to measure from one center to the other where the chain roller will set between the teeth so that you can get the pitch. Knowing the pitch will help you determine the chain size.

How to choose a chain sprocket size?

Calculate the number of teeth on the small sprocket. The small sprocket should have more than 15 teeth. Large tooth sprockets should have fewer teeth than 120. Multiplying the small sprocket tooth by its speed ratio gives the big sprocket’s teeth number.

Final Thoughts

Once you learn the correct chain size for your go-kart, now is the time for the fun part – getting the suitable chain!!

We hope this resource helped you find the right fittings for your go-kart or the parts you needed to build it.