[Lahti35]

Doing a conversion to KS only and took my engine sprocket down to get it machined. Well i got it back today and i must say it looks like my sister could have done it better and she's never touched a lathe See picture!

They ground the starter gear off but went too deep and put a 3/16 deep gash 1/2 way around the part that goes on the shaft. Then when they tried to clean it up on the lathe it must have been crooked because part of the machined rim is beveled and part is not All i can say is good thing theres no charge!

The teeth are fine, as is the center that fits over the splined shaft. While i would have liked to seen more care used in removing the starter gear is this still servicable? Were these balanced... i just don't want to trash anything by using if its going to create problems.

[1Blackwolf1]

  Well you know who not to take parts to in the future.  At least it wasn't that he was fixing your jug/head.

  I probably wouldn't trust the part on my machine.  I'd see if he will reimburse you for a new sprocket..since it wasn't gouged up like that when you took it in.  But of course I realize the chances of that are slim.

  Wonder if the store sells a k/s only sprocket and if it would fit your application.  That way you wouldn't have to have the starter drive gear cut off.

  Will.

[Lahti35]

  Well you know who not to take parts to in the future.  At least it wasn't that he was fixing your jug/head.

  I probably wouldn't trust the part on my machine.  I'd see if he will reimburse you for a new sprocket..since it wasn't gouged up like that when you took it in.  But of course I realize the chances of that are slim.

  Wonder if the store sells a k/s only sprocket and if it would fit your application.  That way you wouldn't have to have the starter drive gear cut off.

  Will.

Whats really scarey is that this guy builds and works on race cars!

[1Blackwolf1]

  As another option..you could have the gouge filled and turned down to an even surface.  Then I would have a little more faith in using it.  But spray metal processes are expensive, just gives you another option.

  But of course wouldn't trust that shop to do the work either, since that's what I would have done to salvage the part had I done the work originally.

[Lahti35]

Think i'll just get another one and start fresh....

Anybody have a used one laying around..... isn't there a guy on the board here who turns the starter gears off?

[The Garbone]

CJ Heff over on the Yahoo board has one , at least he did last year when he cut mine off for me.  I sent him my sprocket and he sent me a replacement but the replacement had slop in the fit so he was nice enough to cut my original down for me and swap back.

I don't really think  your sprocket is trashed, it looks to me that it might still be pretty well balanced.  I don't think the thinned section will have that much stress applied to it under normal use because of the way the splines are on the shaft.   Of course its been over a year since I have looked at mine so I could be recalling things wrong.

[Lahti35]

Wonder if the store sells a k/s only sprocket and if it would fit your application.  That way you wouldn't have to have the starter drive gear cut off.

  Will.

Roger that..... i wonder if a KS only one would fit, my Bullet is a 2003..... Anybody know?

[t120rbullet]

They could have done a better job doing that but I think it would still be serviceable.
There's a lot of meat around that spline on both sides of that groove and with the crank spline fitting tightly inside of it it's not really going to go anywhere.

As far a turning that on a lathe that metal is hard. Too hard to turn.
To do that properly it needs to be ground down with a surface grinder.

Terry Crawford of Crawford Sales in S. Lyon Michigan (A RE Dealer) has a surface grinder and did one for me. When he got it done it looked and measured identical to the KS sprocket I gave him to use for a pattern. (Ex-Toolmaker)

CJay over on the Yahoo group does it with a carbide cut-off wheel mounted on a lathe. You could look him up too.

The ES sprocket has slightly smaller splines than the KS sprocket does so a new KS sprocket will be sloppy on a ES crank.
CJ

[Lahti35]

The ES sprocket has slightly smaller splines than the KS sprocket does so a new KS sprocket will be sloppy on a ES crank.
CJ

Yes that would have been too easy

Well it just bugs the heck out of me too..... A buddy of mine knows the guy and his shop looked pretty clean as did some of the work i saw. So i thought why not.... know i know why not!

I'm just going to get a new one and try again, good thing its another month at least until decent riding weather is here or i'd really be pist!

Thanks for all the help gents

[Blltrdr]

Your sprocket does seem serviceable as is. If you do decide to get another look for a local shop like I did to properly remove the material on a lathe. Mine looks like a factory part when they finished. The shop owner definitely thought my project was interesting enough to do the work on the part for a very reasonable price, $20 (beer fund). Definitely bring a photo of your bike to a shop with you, people get excited if the work is for something classic. And something the owner told me that was interesting is, that yes you fry a blade to remove the material but that each blade costs him about $7 to replace.

Good luck

[Lahti35]

I've got a few feeler out looking for a new one but i'm wondering if i should even try to remove the starter gear from the next one, doesn't seem like there would be any harm in just leaving it there....

[t120rbullet]

I've got a few feeler out looking for a new one but i'm wondering if i should even try to remove the starter gear from the next one, doesn't seem like there would be any harm in just leaving it there....

The ES inner primary is held on with 3 flat head screws.
The KS one has larger bosses in it and is held on with 3 studs with nuts. The gear will hit them.
So if it is converted properly to KS you will need the sprocket without the gear on it.
CJ 

[Blltrdr]

The ES inner primary is held on with 3 flat head screws.
The KS one has larger bosses in it and is held on with 3 studs with nuts. The gear will hit them.
So if it is converted properly to KS you will need the sprocket without the gear on it.
CJ 

I used the 4spd primary cases on my 5spd when converting from ES to KS and instead of mounting the inner with the studs and tangs I used bolts and locktite. This IMHO looks better than using the 5spd cases, keeps it looking old school!

[cyrusb]

I'd run it, there's a lot of metal left there. More than enough for 20 hp.  Unless there is something I can't see in the photo. Your piston will probably fail before the sprocket.

[baird4444]

I'd run it, there's a lot of metal left there. More than enough for 20 hp.  Unless there is something I can't see in the photo. Your piston will probably fail before the sprocket.

[/size]

What he said...  trust me; that groove isn't going to be your weakest link or your next
failure. If the looks of it bother you I'd just put the cover on and inspect it again next year. If we start looking at these things to close under a bright light we'd all be in trouble
and never get any sleep....
   just think'n outloud...  - Mike
          

[500KsGerry]

You can use it but I think that is junk now. Sorry man.  >:(Gerry

[Lahti35]

End of the world? Nope.... Talked with the guys overseas and the got me all fixed up for a very reasonable sum Still have the flu so i couldn't put it back together now if i had the parts anyway.... so i wait for the day my order arrives.

Snowed yet again here and covered the ground that had been expsosed by melt yesterday..... riding season still a ways off

[t120rbullet]

Talked with the guys overseas and the got me all fixed up for a very reasonable sum

If it's a KS sprocket from the "guys overseas" source that swore up and down to me that there were no difference in size between the KS and ES sprockets it will be interesting to see if it's a sloppy fit or not.
I got a handful of KS sprockets and they all were a sloppy fit on the splines of a ES and a Hitchcock's crank. I ended up removing gears off of ES sprockets for both of em.

This might be one of those things that you really need a box of a hundred sprockets and find the one that fits just right on your crank.

Let me know how it turns out.
CJ
 

[Lahti35]

If it's a KS sprocket from the "guys overseas" source that swore up and down to me that there were no difference in size between the KS and ES sprockets it will be interesting to see if it's a sloppy fit or not.
I got a handful of KS sprockets and they all were a sloppy fit on the splines of a ES and a Hitchcock's crank. I ended up removing gears off of ES sprockets for both of em.

This might be one of those things that you really need a box of a hundred sprockets and find the one that fits just right on your crank.

Let me know how it turns out.
CJ
 

We'll know in a week or two.... i'll keep you posted. I noticed that it was listed in the catalog for ES bikes only vs sprockets listed for KS only. If not i'll just throw the chewed one back in there

[Lahti35]

If it's a KS sprocket from the "guys overseas" source that swore up and down to me that there were no difference in size between the KS and ES sprockets it will be interesting to see if it's a sloppy fit or not.

Let me know how it turns out.
CJ
 

Got it today and...... its sloppy! I knew as soon as i saw it was  wrapped in the typical RE spares  wrapped that it would have slop..... oh well time to get an ES sprocket and have it turned down. I'm getting a nice collection of sprockets over here

[Blltrdr]

Got it today and...... its sloppy! I knew as soon as i saw it was  wrapped in the typical RE spares  wrapped that it would have slop..... oh well time to get an ES sprocket and have it turned down. I'm getting a nice collection of sprockets over here

Yes there is a difference in the two sprockets. I had thought I would have been able to use my KS sprocket also but after close examination I saw there was really just to much play. As far as your sprocket goes I would probably use it as is, the gouge doesn't really look that deep compared to what's left.

[The Garbone]

When I did mine I received a cut down ES sprocket in exchange for my original and there was slop, had to get mine cut and returned..  I think they have a big bin of sprockets in the factory and they just run through em til they get one that fits..  I would use your original and not worry about it.

[Lahti35]

I will if the ES sprocket coming doesn't fit

I plan to switch cranks next year at some point....probably have to go through this whole thing again!