Funny, I have a Super Combat chain guide and I was looking for a bike to go with it . Yes, I believe I have one. I'm out of town right now so it will be a week from Monday before I can get into my parts stash and dig it out.
Matt--
Do these roller chain guides have any great advantages over the "metal loop" chain guide on my earlier Wombat-94? Would an upgrade be possible/recommended?
Bill, I'm sure someone else will also respond, but the Super Combat/Super Rat swingarm is different from the Wombats and has different mounting points welded onto it. To use a Super Combat style chain guide, you would have to have new mounts added to your swingarm. If you are proficient at constructing/designing things, you could probably make something similar for your Wombat, although I have never had any problem with the original "metal loop" style on the Wombat.
If the old style Wbat-94 style lower chain guide works, I may drop this "upgrade" down in prioriy. I have heard that Hodies tend to 'jumo chain" and break a case screw-boss. I'm planning a "case protector" guard around the front sprocket and figured that the later chain guides might help with that breakage problem.
Anyways, I note that the Wombat 03 chain rollers might work better. There is a lower roller that is in the position of the old stule loop guide. I also note that there is a second roller on the top side of the swingarm, forward nearer the pivot. It looks to be below the chain on a welded bracket.
Hi Bill. Yes, the chain guides got more sophisticated as the bikes and tracks evolved. The more updated guides paralleled the increased rear suspension travel due to the need to maintain tension on the chain as a means of preventing chain derailment. As Dirty Rat pointed out, there are differences in the swinging arms of the M94 and the painted tank models (03 for example) that would necessitate adding mounting bosses to fit the updated chain guide to an older style swinging arm. I have a chain tensioner/guide fitted to my Combat Wombat which required the additional mounting bosses but I didn't feel bad about modding the swinging arm because it was was already cut and stretched a couple inches or so. Hodaka Dave did the modifications - brilliantly as always. I run the bike on some pretty gnarly MX courses so the chain tensioner is needed. I would say it is a really good idea to fit to your scoot if you are doing any serious trailing but for mellow road work and light trailing, it may not be necessary.
I weld so adding/modding brackets is no problem. I'll order the -03 rollers and shafts directly.
I see drawings in the parts book, whick gives me a general idea aboit mounting. Does anyone have suggestions on roller-to-chain clearances? Especially the upper roller at full.suspension compression and extension?
It may not need it but Hofies are prone to throw a chain snd break the csse.
I've decided to use commercial ball bearing chain guide rollers on this upgrade.
But I've not found much online of the principle of operation, particularly for the upper chain guide. I'm thinking the roller needs to be above the chain, towards the front on the c'shaft sprocket side and not strongly contact the chain when the shock is at full compression.
What do we know about chain rollers?