By mr. tinker on Unrecorded Date: Edit

how many feet of chain is needed to replace all the chains on a older max IV using the # 50 chain?

By Missouri's Max Dealer (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The primary drive chain has 52 pitches, rear has 116, and the front has 122. If you have a brake chain, that one is 48 pitches. I don't know how many feet that is, but that will get you what you need. I buy standard chain from John Deere and just tell them how many links you need. They cut it for you and all you have to do is put it on.

By mr. tinker on Unrecorded Date: Edit

you were exactly right on the numbers. i just count the links which is half the number of pitches .it takes 4 ten foot pieces to get all the chains made with one master link per chain. not replacing my brake chains they just go along for the ride.i bought the chain from grainger like this website says is good chain.maybe next time i can find a dealer who cut the chains to size see what it costs. i spent 100$ this time.

By Gary Faulk (Banshee28) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Lucky you Mr. Thinker I ask a question about my 1999 Max IV chains about a week ago and never got a reply. So maybe you can help me out if you have time.

I was trying to find out if all the chains on the 99 MAX IV are the same size. My MAX has 530 drive chains and all others are #50. Is this the way it came from the factory or has someone put the wrong size drive chains on it???

By Missouri's Max Dealer (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Gary, if your Max came with the 18hp or larger engine, it should have o-ring chain all the way through. Correct me if I'm wrong here (I'm sure someone would), but #50 chain is standard non o-ring. 530 chain is o-ring and is sized similar to #60.

By mr tinker on Unrecorded Date: Edit

i only know about my max IV. it is from the mid 70's.all my chains are the 50 size.sorry if i knew i sure would tell you.

By Gary Faulk (Banshee28) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

My Max does have a 18hp B&S but none of the chains are o-ring.

By liflod (Liflod) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Gary,
I would suggest you call Recreatives if no one on the board can answer your questions. They are all very knowlegeable about their product and they are willing to help.

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Gary, I don't know a lot about chain size, but the new max brochure says chain is 530 and 520. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that 530 is the same as 50 and 520 is the same as 60. If you really have a 1999, it should have o-ring chain (it is wider than regular chain, but the o-rings are not visible - they are around each pin between each joint) unless it was changed by the dealer or previous owner (can't imagine why anyone would go to regular chain after having had o-ring installed during manufacture). All the chain on a Max IV is the same size, but all three segments are different lengths (as indicated by Brandon, above).

If you want to know what the factory put on your machine, call them with your serial number and they will tell you its history. My guess is you have o-ring chain unless the engine was upgraded from a 16 HP machine.

Let us know after you get the info from RI.

By mr tinker on Unrecorded Date: Edit

no you cannot run 530 chain in place of 50 chain. unless you change the sprockets.you might get away with it but it is not a direct replacement for 50.i checked every catalog and could not find a 50 o-ring chain.

By Joe on Unrecorded Date: Edit

530 chain has a pitch (distance between center line of rollers) of 5/8". The roller diameter is .400" and the width (inside distance between plates) is 3/8". #50 chain has the same specifications. An O-Ring 530 will be wider overall, but still has the same critical (roller, pitch, and inside width) dimensions.

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

mr tinker, I have replaced original Max IV chain with new o-ring chain purchased from RI (not sure what the numbers were - just ordered the stuff and put it on for a customer) without changing the sprockets. When the o-ring chain became an option for the Max IV (in 1996, through 1998), I had it put on machines I ordered and I feel confident in saying all that was different was the chain (because I asked). I'm fairly sure that 530 is an equivalent replacement (except for width) for 50 and the 520 is an equivalent replacement for 60 (except for width).

I was told the reason o-ring chain couldn't be used as a direct switch on the Max II was because of the width and that there was not enough room. The Max II (and the front chains on the buffalo) took a complete makeover to be able to use o-ring chain and machines prior to the switchover cannot retrofit with o-ring even though the sprockets themselves are compatible.

By mr. tinker on Unrecorded Date: Edit

just one more question. my harley uses 530 chain but it comes in different types. 530 does not designate the chain as a o-ring chain. it is a size as far as my harley goes.if i want a o-ring chain for my bike i have to buy a 530 size chain in the o-ring version. why would it be different for my harley than other applications?in other words # 50 chain is not the standard regular chain for my harley. 530 is the size and it comes in different types. i know the o-ring chain is slightly wider than regular 530 chain.

By Joe on Unrecorded Date: Edit

As I said before, #50 and 530 chain are the same in dimensions. #50 is the ANSI industrial chain designation while 530 is the motorcycle industry designation for that chain. Both have the same specifications and can be used in place of each other (other than the 530 will be slightly stronger in regular chain and much stronger in the o-ring version). A 520 chain is the same as a 530 or #50 chain other than the inside width is 1/8" narrower. The inside width of a 520 is 1/4" rather than 3/8" as in a 530 as mentioned above. The chain has the same pitch (distance between the rollers, 5/8") and the same roller diameter (.400") as a 530. There is no ANSI version of the 520. 520 is a very commonly used chain in the motorcycle industry.