Chaînes silencieuses à rotule EP-9,525–25,4 mm | Chaîne silencieuse à rotule
The EP-9.525–25.4mm rocker joint silent chain series represents a purpose-built solution for demanding power transmission environments where noise reduction and mechanical precision are equally non-negotiable. Unlike conventional round-pin type silent chains, this rocker joint silent chain employs a dual-rocker-pin meshing principle — a structural approach that fundamentally changes how the chain engages the sprocket teeth. The rocker joint geometry reduces the polygon effect during operation, which is the primary source of vibration and audible noise in standard inverted tooth chain drives.
The product range covers pitch values from 9.525 mm up to 25.400 mm, encompassing chain models HV3F3, HV3F4, HV3.5, SC180, HV4F1-10X11W, HV4F1-16X17N, HV6, HV6D, HV8, and HV8D. Each variant is engineered to precise dimensional tolerances, with pin length, plate depth, plate thickness, guide type, plate count, tensile strength, and weight per meter all formally specified.
Drive Chain Series
EP-9.525–25.4mm Rocker Joint Type Silent Chains
A precision-engineered rocker joint silent chain optimized for four-wheel-drive transfer cases and gearbox drive systems — delivering superior low-noise performance, high tensile strength, and long service life across industrial and automotive applications in Colombia and worldwide.
1. Spécifications techniques
The table below lists the complete factory specifications for each model in the EP rocker joint silent chain series. All dimensional values are in millimetres unless stated otherwise. Tensile strength values are provided in kN/bf (kilonewtons / pounds-force) and weight per metre in kg/m.
| Chaîne YHK n° | Pas P (mm) | Width Between Guides W (mm) | Longueur maximale de la broche L (mm) | Plate Depth h2 max (mm) | Plate Thickness t (mm) | Plate Thickness T (mm) | Guide Type | Number of Plates n | Tensile Strength Q min (kN/bf) | Weight per Meter q (kg/m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HV3F3 | 9.525 | 18.24 | 22.20 | 10.90 | 1.54 | 1.54 | Dehors | 13 (6×7) | 36.0 / 8093 | 1.16 |
| HV3F3 | 9.525 | 31.70 | 36.50 | 10.90 | 1.54 | 1.54 | Dehors | 21 (10×11) | 45.0 / 10116 | 1.79 |
| HV3F4 | 9.525 | 20.30 | 25.90 | 10.90 | 1.54 | 1.54 | Dehors | 15 (7×8) | 31.0 / 6969 | 1.29 |
| HV3F4 | 9.525 | 24.58 | 29.80 | 11.90 | 1.54 | 1.54 | Dehors | 17 (8×9) | 48.0 / 10790 | 1.60 |
| HV3.5 | 11.113 | 24.80 | 30.00 | 14.27 | 1.54 | 1.20 | Dehors | 17 (8×9) | 58.0 / 13038 | 2.13 |
| HV3.5 | 11.113 | 28.00 | 32.70 | 14.27 | 1.54 | 1.20 | Dehors | 19 (9×10) | 65.0 / 14612 | 2.38 |
| HV3.5 | 11.113 | 31.20 | 36.00 | 14.27 | 1.54 | 1.20 | Dehors | 21 (10×11) | 72.0 / 16186 | 2.53 |
| SC180 | 11.113 | 31.40 | 36.33 | 13.52 | 1.55 | 1.55 | Dehors | 21 (9×12) | 72.0 / 16186 | 2.37 |
| SC180 | 11.113 | 37.80 | 42.72 | 13.52 | 1.55 | 1.55 | Dehors | 25 (11×14) | 88.0 / 19782 | 2.88 |
| SC180 | 11.113 | 40.90 | 46.60 | 13.52 | 1.55 | 1.55 | Dehors | 27 (12×15) | 96.0 / 21581 | 1.09 |
| HV4F1-10X11W | 12.700 | 32.90 | 38.20 | 14.50 | 1.54 | 1.54 | Dehors | 21 (10×11) | 47.3 / 10633 | 2.20 |
| HV4F1-16X17N | 12.700 | 52.40 | 57.00 | 14.50 | 1.54 | 2.00 | Inside | 33 (16×17) | 86.0 / 19333 | 3.50 |
| HV6 | 19.050 | 72.30 | 81.30 | 20.89 | 2.00 | 2.00 | Dehors | 35 (17×18) | 174.0 / 39115 | 7.40 |
| HV6 | 19.050 | 101.90 | 108.90 | 20.89 | 2.00 | 2.00 | Inside | 49 (24×25) | 174.0 / 39115 | 10.12 |
| HV6D | 19.050 | 38.50 | 50.30 | 27.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 | Dehors | 21 (10×11) | 104.0 / 23379 | 4.52 |
| HV8 | 25.400 | 140.30 | 158.80 | 27.74 | 3.10 | 3.10 | Dehors | 47 (23×24) | 534.0 / 120043 | 20.46 |
| HV8D | 25.400 | 102.00 | 110.00 | 36.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | Inside | 34 (16×18) | 385.0 / 86548 | 14.40 |
Note: All dimensions in mm. Tensile strength Q min in kN / bf. Weight per metre q in kg/m. Guide type "Outside" = outer guide plates; "Inside" = central guide links.
2. Cinq avantages clés du produit
The rocker joint silent chain design employs dual rocker pins that mesh with the sprocket in a rolling contact rather than a sliding-impact engagement. This eliminates the abrupt polygon effect — the geometric irregularity that causes speed fluctuation and impact noise in roller chain drives. In practical terms, this means automotive transfer cases and gearbox drive systems experience dramatically reduced operating noise compared to conventional roller or round-pin solutions, contributing directly to better NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) performance in passenger vehicles operating across Colombian road conditions. This advantage is particularly significant in sealed transfer case housings.
Across the rocker joint silent chain product range, minimum tensile strength values span from 31.0 kN (model HV3F4 narrow) up to 534.0 kN for the HV8 heavy-duty model. This wide range means the correct rocker joint silent chain variant can be matched precisely to the torque and load envelope of any specific application — from compact 4WD transfer cases to heavy industrial gearboxes. The high tensile strength is achieved through precision-hardened link plates and rocker pins that are manufactured to ISO dimensional standards, ensuring consistent batch-to-batch performance and predictable fatigue life under cyclic loading.
With pitch options at 9.525 mm, 11.113 mm, 12.700 mm, 19.050 mm, and 25.400 mm, this Rocker Joint Type Silent Chain series covers an exceptionally wide range of drive system designs without requiring custom engineering. Automotive engineers specifying a compact 9.525 mm pitch rocker joint silent chain for a passenger car 4WD transfer case and industrial engineers selecting a 25.400 mm pitch HV8D for a large-torque gearbox drive can both source from the same proven product platform, simplifying spare parts logistics and supplier qualification processes for maintenance teams across Colombia and the wider Andean region.
The rocker joint silent chain product range includes chains with outside guide and inside guide configurations, covering the full spectrum of sprocket and housing design requirements. Outside-guide rocker joint silent chains locate via guide plates on the outer edges of the chain width, while inside-guide variants use central guide links that run within a groove on the sprocket. Offering both configurations under a single rocker joint silent chain series means engineers can select the guide type dictated by the OEM sprocket design without switching suppliers or accepting dimensional compromises in the drivetrain layout.
Each link plate and rocker pin in this rocker joint silent chain undergoes controlled heat treatment to achieve optimized surface hardness while maintaining a tough core, resisting both abrasive wear at the joint interfaces and fatigue cracking under cyclic tension. Combined with tight manufacturing tolerances on plate thickness (1.54 mm to 3.10 mm depending on model) and pin length, this ensures that the rocker joint silent chain maintains its pitch accuracy over extended service intervals. For fleets operating in the industrial zones of Barranquilla, Cali, or Cartagena where unplanned downtime carries significant cost, this wear resistance translates to predictable replacement cycles and lower total cost of ownership.
3. Principe de fonctionnement
Le rocker joint silent chain operates on a fundamentally different engagement principle compared to standard roller chains or conventional round-pin silent chains. At the core of the design is a pair of rocker pins — two curved contact surfaces that nestle together inside each link joint. When the rocker joint silent chain engages the sprocket, these two rocker pins roll against each other as the chain articulates around the sprocket pitch circle. This rolling-contact articulation replaces the sliding-pin rotation found in round-pin inverted tooth silent chain designs, which is precisely where noise and wear originate in conventional silent chain drive designs.
As the rocker joint silent chain wraps around the drive sprocket, the inverted tooth profile of the link plates engages the sprocket tooth flanks in a smooth, progressive meshing action. Because the rocker joint minimizes the chord-to-arc displacement as this chain transitions from its straight span to the circular sprocket path, the polygon effect — the small periodic velocity variation and associated impact energy that produces noise in chain drives — is dramatically reduced. In practical terms, this means the rocker joint silent chain produces lower peak force impulses at the sprocket mesh frequency, resulting in measurably quieter operation compared to roller chain or standard pin-joint silent chain alternatives.
At the disengagement point, the link plates of the rocker joint silent chain slide smoothly off the sprocket tooth flanks rather than snapping away, which further reduces the acoustic energy of each individual meshing event. The cumulative effect is a quiet silent chain drive system that can run at higher speeds with lower noise output than either roller chains or round-pin silent chains of equivalent pitch and width. This makes the rocker joint silent chain especially valuable in closed gearbox and transfer case housings, where resonance amplification of chain noise can otherwise become a dominant source of drivetrain NVH.
4. Composition du matériau
The performance characteristics of this rocker joint silent chain series depend critically on material selection and heat treatment at every stage of production. Link plates are stamped from high-carbon or alloy steel strip that has been cold-rolled to precise thickness tolerances — 1.54 mm, 1.55 mm, 2.00 mm, or 3.00/3.10 mm depending on the rocker joint silent chain model. After stamping, each plate undergoes controlled carburizing and quenching to achieve a hardened surface layer while retaining a tough, impact-resistant core. This dual-structure metallurgy is essential for resisting the surface fatigue that accumulates at the link plate edges where they contact the sprocket tooth flanks, while the ductile core prevents brittle fracture under shock loading.
The rocker pins of the rocker joint silent chain are manufactured from bearing-quality steel with precise profile grinding to the rocker contour. Surface hardness of the rocker pins typically exceeds 58 HRC after heat treatment, ensuring that the rolling-contact surfaces maintain their geometric accuracy over millions of articulation cycles. Pin hardness is matched to the link plate inner hole surface hardness to achieve a balanced wear couple, preventing the scenario where one component wears disproportionately faster than the other and causes premature total-assembly failure.
Guide plates and guide links — whether outer or inner guide configuration — are made from the same high-strength steel but are generally not hardened to the same degree as the load-carrying link plates. Their function is lateral positioning rather than load transfer, so toughness and dimensional stability take priority over surface hardness in their material specification. The entire assembled rocker joint silent chain may optionally be subjected to shot blasting to improve surface fatigue resistance, or provided with a rust-inhibiting phosphate coating for corrosion protection during storage and transport, particularly relevant for chains being shipped to humid coastal regions of Colombia such as Cartagena and Barranquilla.
4a. Rocker Joint Silent Chain Selection and Procurement Guide
Selecting the correct rocker joint silent chain for a transfer case or industrial gearbox application requires matching five parameters from the OEM specification or the removed chain: pitch (P), width between guides (W), pin length (L max), plate count (n), and guide type. For the rocker joint silent chain series, pitch is the first and most critical selector — a 9.525 mm pitch rocker joint silent chain cannot replace an 11.113 mm pitch rocker joint silent chain on the same sprocket, as the tooth-to-pitch relationship will be incorrect and the rocker joint silent chain will skip or jam under load.
Once the pitch is confirmed, width selection for the rocker joint silent chain depends on the installed sprocket face width and the number of link plates in the assembly. A rocker joint silent chain that is narrower than the sprocket face will operate correctly but may allow lateral movement that accelerates guide plate wear; a rocker joint silent chain that is wider than the sprocket face will bind against the housing walls. The plate count also affects the rocker joint silent chain's overall tensile strength — a wider rocker joint silent chain with more plates has higher load capacity at the same pitch. Verify both the guide type (outside or inside) and the plate count against the OEM part number before ordering a replacement rocker joint silent chain.
Colombian parts distributors and fleet maintenance managers stocking rocker joint silent chain inventory should prioritize the most common 4WD transfer case sizes — HV3F3 and HV3F4 at 9.525 mm pitch — alongside the SC180 and HV3.5 at 11.113 mm pitch, which cover the majority of popular SUV and light truck platforms serviced in Colombia. For industrial accounts, the HV6 and HV8 series rocker joint silent chain units cover the gearbox sizes most frequently encountered in Colombian mining, sugar processing, and cement manufacturing facilities. Contact our technical team for rocker joint silent chain cross-reference assistance when the OEM part number is unknown.
5. Scénarios d'application
The EP rocker joint silent chain series is engineered for drive applications where noise control, power density, and service reliability are all critical simultaneously. The following represent the principal deployment contexts for this rocker joint silent chain product across industrial and automotive sectors.
Four-Wheel-Drive Transfer Cases
The rocker joint silent chain is the industry-standard choice for four-wheel-drive transfer case primary drives in passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks. The transfer case splits engine torque between front and rear axles, and the rocker joint silent chain drive operates continuously at engine speed multiples inside a sealed, oil-lubricated housing. The quiet running characteristic of the rocker joint silent chain design is essential here because chain noise would otherwise transmit directly through the transfer case housing into the vehicle cabin. Colombian automotive importers and 4WD workshop technicians in Bogotá and Medellín frequently specify this rocker joint silent chain as OEM-equivalent replacement parts for Toyota, Ford, Mitsubishi, and other popular 4WD platforms sold in the Colombian market.
Automatic Gearbox Primary Drives
In certain automatic transmission designs, a rocker joint silent chain is used to transmit power from the torque converter output shaft to the transmission oil pump or to drive an auxiliary shaft. The compact pitch options available in this rocker joint silent chain series — particularly 9.525 mm and 11.113 mm — are well-matched to the tight packaging constraints inside modern automatic transmission housings. The inverted tooth chain drive in this role must handle wide-ranging torque inputs as the transmission shifts between gear ratios, and the high tensile strength combined with wear-resistant rocker joints ensures reliable service across the full speed and load envelope of the automatic gearbox during its design service life.
Industrial Gearbox Drive Systems
Beyond automotive applications, the larger-pitch rocker joint silent chain models — HV6 (19.050 mm), HV6D, HV8 (25.400 mm), and HV8D — are used in industrial gearbox drive systems where high torque transmission and low noise are both required. Mining equipment, sugar mill drives in the Valle del Cauca region, and cement plant gearboxes in Colombia represent typical industrial contexts where the rocker joint silent chain outperforms roller chains in terms of noise and vibration while offering better power density than belt drives. The HV8 rocker joint silent chain model with its 534.0 kN minimum tensile strength is particularly suited to heavy industrial gearbox primary drives requiring reliable, continuous operation.
Machine Tool Spindle Drives
CNC machining centers, lathes, and milling machines sometimes use rocker joint silent chain drives for spindle head transmission, where the need for smooth, vibration-free power transfer directly affects machining surface finish quality. The quiet characteristic of the rocker joint silent chain eliminates the periodic velocity variation that would otherwise introduce chatter marks on machined surfaces. For Colombian manufacturing facilities — particularly those producing precision metal components for the oil and gas, automotive, and aerospace supply chains — specifying a rocker joint silent chain over a roller chain in spindle drive applications can yield measurable improvements in finished part quality and reduce scrap rates.
Printing and Packaging Machinery
High-speed printing presses, corrugating machines, and packaging line drives in Colombia's growing consumer goods manufacturing sector use silent transmission chains to synchronize multiple shafts at precise speed ratios. In these applications, velocity uniformity — the absence of speed fluctuation as the rocker joint silent chain meshes with its sprocket — is critical to maintaining print registration accuracy and package sealing alignment. The rocker joint silent chain's reduced polygon effect directly improves velocity uniformity at the driven shaft, making it the preferred chain for high-speed printing and packaging applications where product quality demands tight synchronization tolerances across all machine stations.
6. Regulatory Compliance — Colombia and International Standards
Industrial chain products used in machinery and drivetrain applications in Colombia and exported to other markets are subject to a layered framework of national and international standards. Understanding these requirements is important for procurement engineers, maintenance managers, and OEM equipment manufacturers operating in the Colombian industrial market.
ICONTEC NTC 267 — Colombian National Standard for Power Transmission Chains
Colombia's Instituto Colombiano de Normas Técnicas (ICONTEC) has adopted standards aligned with ISO chain specifications for power transmission chains including roller chains and silent chains. Machinery installed in Colombian facilities and sold through local distributors should comply with applicable NTC dimensional and performance standards, which in turn reference international ISO norms. The EP rocker joint silent chain series is manufactured to internationally recognized dimensional standards that align with these ICONTEC-referenced specifications.
ISO 9001:2015 — Quality Management System
Procurement teams in Colombia's automotive assembly plants and industrial machinery OEMs routinely require their chain suppliers to hold ISO 9001:2015 certification as a baseline quality assurance requirement. ISO 9001 certification demonstrates that the manufacturer maintains documented processes for design control, production process control, incoming material inspection, and product release testing. For critical drivetrain components like a rocker joint silent chain, ISO 9001 certification provides traceable evidence that the quality of each production batch is controlled and that non-conforming products are identified and segregated before shipment.
ANSI/ASME B29.2M — Inverted Tooth (Silent) Chains and Sprocket Teeth
The American National Standards Institute ANSI/ASME B29.2M standard defines dimensional requirements for inverted tooth silent chain products — the category to which the rocker joint silent chain belongs — including link plate geometry, pin dimensions, sprocket tooth form, and minimum breaking load requirements. Products conforming to this standard are widely accepted in North American and Latin American markets, making ANSI/ASME B29.2M conformity an important specification reference for Colombian buyers sourcing rocker joint silent chain drives for equipment that may be exported or maintained by North American partner companies.
EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC — Relevant for Exported Equipment
Colombian manufacturers who export machinery to the European Union are required to ensure that all power transmission components, including rocker joint silent chain drives, meet the essential health and safety requirements of EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. This directive requires that chain drives in machinery be designed so that failure — including chain breakage — does not cause uncontrolled release of energy that could injure operators. Chains should be rated for the application load with an appropriate safety factor, and drive guards must be provided in the machine design in accordance with the directive's protective device requirements.
Resolution 90708 / RETIE — Colombian Electrical and Mechanical Safety
Colombia's Reglamento Técnico de Instalaciones Eléctricas (RETIE) and associated mechanical safety regulations require that power transmission equipment in industrial settings be properly guarded to prevent contact with moving chain components. Employers and machine operators in Colombia must ensure that rocker joint silent chain drives on industrial machinery are enclosed or guarded in accordance with applicable occupational health and safety (OSH) regulations under the Sistema General de Riesgos Laborales (SGRL) framework administered by the Ministerio del Trabajo.
DIN 8190 — German Standard for Silent Chains (Referenced in European Market)
The German DIN 8190 standard for silent chains is widely referenced by European OEMs — particularly German automotive manufacturers — when specifying rocker joint silent chain drives for transfer cases and gearbox applications. Because many vehicles sold in Colombia are German-origin brands (Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz), maintenance technicians and importers sometimes encounter DIN 8190 specifications on OEM part documentation. Understanding the relationship between DIN 8190, ISO, and ANSI standards helps procurement managers in Colombia correctly identify cross-reference equivalents when sourcing replacement rocker joint silent chain units.
7. Related Products & System Compatibility
UN rocker joint silent chain is only part of a complete silent chain drive system. The performance and service life of the rocker joint silent chain depends equally on the quality of the matched sprocket and any associated gears in the drivetrain. We produce a full range of complementary power transmission products to support one-stop procurement and system-level compatibility.
Sprocket for Silent Chain
Notre pignon range is designed and manufactured to match the inverted tooth profile geometry required by rocker joint silent chain products. Each sprocket is precision-machined from appropriate steel grades with tooth profiles calculated for proper meshing with the EP rocker joint silent chain link plate tooth form, ensuring even load distribution across the full chain width and minimizing localized tooth wear. Offering both drive and driven sprockets across all pitch sizes in the EP rocker joint silent chain series, we provide a truly integrated chain-and-sprocket supply solution for Colombian OEM manufacturers, automotive distributors, and industrial maintenance teams.
Gear Products
In gearbox and transfer case drive systems where the rocker joint silent chain interfaces with planetary or spur gear sets, our engrenage product line provides the complementary components needed to build or rebuild a complete drivetrain assembly. From the input shaft gear to the differential drive gear, ensuring dimensional and material compatibility between the rocker joint silent chain drive section and the gear section of the drivetrain eliminates the mismatches that can reduce system efficiency and accelerate component wear. One-stop sourcing from a single supplier simplifies supplier qualification, reduces lead times, and provides a single point of accountability for drivetrain performance in Colombian fleet management and OEM assembly operations.
8. À propos de nous
We are a specialized manufacturer and supplier of precision power transmission chain products, with a product range covering roller chains, rocker joint silent chain units, sprockets, and related drivetrain components for automotive and industrial applications. Our production capabilities span the full rocker joint silent chain series — from compact 9.525 mm pitch transfer case chains to heavy-duty 25.400 mm pitch industrial gearbox chains — with manufacturing processes controlled to ISO 9001 quality management system requirements. Our teams have extensive experience supplying the Latin American market including Colombia, and we understand the specific application contexts, import logistics, and technical documentation requirements of Colombian industrial and automotive buyers.
Our engineering team provides technical support for chain selection, sprocket matching, and drive system design, helping customers in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and across Colombia select the correct rocker joint silent chain model for their specific power, speed, and dimensional constraints. We stock the most common models for rapid dispatch and can manufacture custom-width rocker joint silent chain units for OEM applications requiring non-standard guide configurations or plate counts beyond the standard range listed in our catalog.
Atelier
Foire aux questions
Q1. What exactly is a rocker joint silent chain and how is it different from a standard roller chain used in Colombian industrial machinery?
Q2. Where are these silent chains most commonly used in the Colombian automotive and industrial sector?
Q3. Which silent chain model should I select for a Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger 4WD transfer case repair in Colombia?
Q4. How do I get a quote for bulk supply of this inverted tooth chain series for an industrial maintenance contract in Colombia?
Q5. What is the difference between an outside guide and an inside guide silent chain and which type does my gearbox require?
Q6. How does the inverted tooth silent chain drive compare to a belt drive for a gearbox primary drive application in South American industrial equipment?
Q7. Why do German-brand vehicles like BMW and Mercedes-Benz commonly use silent timing chains instead of timing belts in their engines?
Q8. What lubricant should I use with this type of silent chain installed in an industrial gearbox in the tropical climate conditions of coastal Colombia?
Q9. How do I confirm that a replacement silent chain from a supplier in Colombia meets the original specification of my equipment?
Q10. What are the typical signs that a silent chain in a transfer case or gearbox needs replacement, and how long does a rocker joint silent chain typically last in Colombian field service?
Éditeur : PXY
