Roller Chain Guides

Since the invention of ANSI and ISO roller chains in the early 19th century, the industrial power transmission community has been using UHMW roller chain guides to extend the life and performance of their chains. The earliest type of roller chain guides were called roller chain guide strips or roller chain guide rails. These were simply strips of plastic that would be positioned in places for the chain to run on. Though the terms and naming conventions have stayed relatively the same, UHMW roller chain guides have been perfected for each chain size and material type since those days.

USA Roller Chain and Sprockets offers a complete line of high-quality roller chain guides and guide rails. Using a roller chain guide (also known as a conveyor chain guide) properly is highly recommended in situations where a roller chain is dragging or conveying across a surface. At USA Roller Chain and Sprockets, we stock ANSI, ISO, and DIN series roller chain guides and can have guides manufactured for standard roller chains, corrosion-resistant roller chains, and specialty roller chains. All of our roller chain guides are manufactured using high quality UHMW material and are manufactured with precision to allow for easier installation.

Scroll down to browse our roller chain guide options and if you’re interested in other roller chain tools and accessories, visit our Tools page in the main menu above.

When considering the importance of using the right roller chain guides, also known as UHMW guide rails, a key benefit is the way the guide rails help chains avoid wear and tear altogether. Did you know that if a roller chain's side plates get worn down by just 5% you have lost a great deal of chain strength and integrity? Using the proper UHMW roller chain guide will prevent this wear and tear from happening, thus keeping your operation running safely for a much longer period of time.

By keeping roller chains in good standing for longer periods of time, the use of roller chain guides also help businesses avoid stoppages of work that result from broken equipment. When calculating a cost saving analysis or cost benefit analysis report for any business, projected downtime and actual downtime are both major factors. The purchase and usage of a UHMW guide rail can oftentimes pay for itself by both extending the lifespan of your roller chains and also reducing non-productive downtime that business owners would otherwise have to foot the bill on.

Lastly, the right UHMW chain guide can do wonders at minimizing friction that machines with roller chains often endure. UHMW materials eliminate friction to a degree by allowing roller chains to move along at high speeds without dragging against surfaces incorrectly and generating high noise levels. These benefits and more make a real difference in both dry settings as well as wet and moist mechanical environments.