Diablo Rouge Tracks and Sprockets
 

The above picture is from Mike N's 503 rebuild. Note the different muffler used by the 503. He also shared the picture below on how to hold the tracks together for splicing.


 

 

 

Barrie writes about the sprockets above:

I hope you enjoy the attached photo. These are a set I made for my 
machine (just in case needed). There are four total. The one with the 
large hole is for pressing in the two bearings while the other one has a 
key cut into it for the front axle. I am not ready to make hundreds of 
these yet. I can do the rubber part but the metal flanges are another 
story. Once the flanges are set into the rubber , the total thickness 
is supposed to be the same as an original. The flanges are riveted or 
bolted together through the rubber core. This set was a colaboration 
between myself and a tool and die guy from Michigan. They look very 
original and should last much longer than the originals since they are 
solid rubber...no vulcanizing.

 

Gary S writes about this sprocket above:

I also had the typical Drive sprocket issue with mine. So I developed my own from a sheet of 1" thk hyfax material which I had machined to the correct profile. Created my own hub using an existing toothless sprocket that I had. It works great and much more durable that the original. The only thing with mine was the hyfax I had was white (and free to me so I couldn't be choosy) so I tried painting it to make it less noticeable, but it didn't really work.

   

Roy T writes about the sprockets above:
 
I saw the problem Rock had with sprockets and thought I'd show you what I did.  I wanted to drive my Diablo and not worry about the sprockets, so I had new ones made out of 1" black UHMW polyethylene.  So far they are working very well.  I cut the original keyed hubs out of the original front sprockets (2 halves).  I inlayed 1/8" steel flanges into both sides of the sprockets and fitted and welded the hub halves to each flange (inside and out).  The hubs are cast but can be welded like the originals.  I tried to position the 2 hubs and flanges so when fastened together the hubs touched together putting only a slight crush on the UHMW.  I then counter-sunk machine screws in one flange and drilled and tapped the other flange using lock-tite on the screws.
 
The rear hubs had to be built.  First I had a sleeve with a flange added to each end of the rear axle so I could use the larger 6205 bearings  which are used in the chaincase.  Again, 2  1/8"  steel flanges were inlayed in the rear sprockets.  The hub was made to press the 6205 bearing into it and then fitted and welded to the inner steel flange.  The 2 flanges were then drilled and bolted together with machine screws.  Again useing  lock-tite and only a slight crush on the UHMW sprockets.  Add a deep dish washer and nut to secure.
 
I contoured and rounded the edges on all sprockets by hand with a rotary tool.
 
To do this, you need to find someone with a CNC milling machine.  You'd be surprised how many of these machines are sitting idle.  Find someone who knows someone or a friend of a friend and beg, borrow, and barter your way to a deal.


Drive sprockets between the 500 & 502/3 are different. The sprocket hub for the 500 is 1" wide and the 502/3 have a 1 1/4" wide hub. Must have been an upgrade from 67 to 68/69.


I got an excellent question from Ken P up in West St. Paul, Manitoba. He asked about the Idler Sprockets and noted that the cogs are not squared off on each side like the Drive Sprockets are and wondered how they are supposed to mount. I never really gave it much thought, but after searching through my spare sprockets, look what I found:

This is a new sprocket and the directional arrow very clearly shows the sprocket turns toward the beveled edge. Problem is, once you wear in the new sprocket a bit, the arrow gets worn off too. Thanks for asking the question Ken. We all learned something here.

The bearings used in all the Idler Wheels are 6203-2RS which are sealed on each side. 




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