engine drive sprocket

[Flathead101]

Hello,

To all of you Indian speed demons out there, what is the largest engine drive sprocket (# of teeth) you can run on a rigid Chief before making contact with the chain guard?? I just hate buying parts that are not compatible. Thanks

[Yellow53Chief]

Hi,
I'm not sure about a rigid Chief, but for a skirted Chief, a 26 tooth sprocket is about as big as one can safely go. Even with the 26 tooth sprocket, if it is run with the rear chain loose at all, the chain will chew the bottom of the chain guard, and it will also strike some of the right side lower tube, frame castings. A 26 tooth sprocket was used on the later Blackhawk Chiefs to help them hit 100+ MPH. Jerry Greer sells the 26 tooth sprocket but that is about as big as he goes. Unless you have tons of power, anything bigger than 26 teeth will be difficult for the engine to pull.

[1950Panhead]

15 to 25 tooth are listed in original parts manual, large sprockets can cause engine to run to slow, not good.

[tomfiii]

You will have to readjust even for a 24 tooth as due to bent or improperly made brackets.

[fillibuster]

Back in 1991, on return from Winnipeg Road Run, my partner and I stopped in Henderson MN to visit recently deceased Kenny Trimbo's wife. She allowed us a review of his things that were for sale, and I noticed a batch of sprockets which she allowed me to buy. They included a 19 and a 20 tooth (which I've run on the sidecar in extremely hilly terrain), and a 27 tooth and a 28 tooth. I' already run a 26 T so knew of the fitting limitations. I modified my chain guard to accept both of those. The exhaust pipe barely fit. The sprockets fit just fine. The 28 was a little too tall for starting out, and a little too tall for 65 mph, but I ran the 27 on the 74"solo for many years of highway riding. Loved the interstates. ... Compared to hauling a sidecar around the solo with the 27 is cake.
Also, consider the ratio's of the overdrive 4-speeds at output compared to a 27T. It just isn't that nuts.