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Does anyone know if all of these old chain drive 1/10 4wd cars use the same chain. From what I have seen is that all of these chains that were used on Kyosho, AYK and others all look the same but were different lengths. Can anyone confirm if this is true or not.

My answer is YES all the same.
jerzi

Well, not really, the Yokomo YZ834B, AYK Viper used the same chains as 1/12 4wd on road cars.

The optima series has chains that are slightly bigger.

Definitely not the same

OK guys I think I should have made my question a little more clear. I noticed that most of these old cars used 2 types of chain. A roller chain that was used on the Kyosho Vanning and a smaller version if I remember correctly on one of the 1/12 4wd fantom. The other chain which I have been unable to figure out what the name is that was used on the Optima series, Ayk Radiant and others. What I would like to know is if the chain that was used on the Optima series was the same chain used on the AYK Radiant or a Marui Samurai and other cars of that era?

The chains on the Optima, Ayk, and others are called ladder chains.

ladder chains, and I believe they are all slightly different. you can check out Sterling Drive Products for ladder chains.

metric:
https://sdp-si.com/eStore/Catalog/Group/310

inch:
https://sdp-si.com/eStore/Catalog/Group/169

The AYK Radiants, Kyosho Optimas, Kyosho Stingers and Kyosho Rockys all use the same style (pitch and width) ladder chain. The chain lengths can differ from model to model. Optimas and the Javelin all have the same length.

I don't know about the Samurai, but in pictures it looks like the Kyosho/AYK size chain.

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The mesh of the chain links on the diff gear teeth is probably an important consideration.

tamiyadan wrote: AYK started making clones of tamiya hotshots and kyosho optimas, then made their own designs later.

AYK started in r/c cars in 1978 by being the most successful on road chassis in Japan, winning many national championships. They started in off road with the 556B, while looking like a cross between a Rough Rider and a Scorpion its replacement the Sidewinder was the first mid motor buggy. as for cloning the Hotshot, a bit difficult for them as until the Radiant all AYK buggies were almost all metal - as shown by the company name, the Aoyagi Metals Company. If you are claiming that the Radiant range is a clone of the Optima, you could equally claim the Optima is basically Hirobo 44B suspension mounted on an AYK Viper chassis and drivetrain.

I'd almost say the Radiant takes more design cues from the Ultima, at least the alloy frame part. The Buffalo/Bobcat series' aluminum frame design is indeed very similar to the Scorpion.
I don't think any of them shares much in common with the Hotshot. That one's a stretch.

Phin wrote:The chains on the Optima, Ayk, and others are called ladder chains.

Thanks Phin, I knew that it had to have a name.

jwscab wrote:ladder chains, and I believe they are all slightly different. you can check out Sterling Drive Products for ladder chains.

metric:
https://sdp-si.com/eStore/Catalog/Group/310

inch:
https://sdp-si.com/eStore/Catalog/Group/169

Thanks for the link. This place is like a candy store for me!

The optima originally had a lightweight chain and when the turbo optima was released it had a heavier duty chain which was available as a hop up for all optima series platforms that used chain for its drive, the pitch of the heavy duty chain was identical but it was made from heavier guage wire, unless you have the two side by side it's hard to tell which is which.
It was supposed to be less likely to stretch under the extra power the buggies were being subjected to especially when run on 8.4v as the turbo optima and salute were designed to do.