DIY Go Karts

Chained Up

Measuring Chain Sizes and Resizing

Chain comes in some variety of size (pitch) for go kart applications. You can tell the pitch of your sprockets or chain by measuring the distance from the top of one tooth to the next, or by measuring between the chain pins.

# 35 Chain

This is the most common pitch used with DIY projects, and is good for standard duty. The #35 pitch has 3/8" between pins.

# 40, 41, 420 Chain

This chain is heavier duty than 35, and has a 1/2" between pins. The 41 pitch is narrower than the others. The 40 and 420 will fit on 41 pitch sprockets, but the 41 is too narrow to fit on the others. The 420 is the heaviest-duty.

Fitting Chain

To resize chain, the pins must be driven out. Inexpensive tools are sold that do just this. You can also drive the pins out with a punch that's slightly smaller than the pin. After adding or removing links, the chain is re-connected.

Special connecting links are sold that have a snap that holds the pins. Alternatively you can drive one of the pins pushed out earlier back into the linkage on some chains, and only if the linkage is in good condition.