Definition of chain pitch is the distance from axle to axle in inches, and that is what the 5 in 530 represents - .5"
The pitch of the 530 is the same as the pitch of the 520, so the tight radius of the smaller front sprockets should have no worse effect on the 530 than they do on a 520.
The 3 in 530 represents width - the rollers are wider than 520, and the sprockets are as well.
I have a 14T front for my DS, and I have no worries about running it. Many bikes with 520 chains are running 12T and 13T on the front, and nobody worries about the tighter radius on those.

I do think that ideally, you want to keep the front sprocket as large as possible by changing the rear as well, and I agree that 15/43 is a better combination for the sake of life than 14/40. In my case though, I run stock gearing 16/40 for most of my trail riding, and will swap the front only when I go to the dunes wearing my haulers. It is easier and more convenient to just change the front from one ride to the next.

 

the old guy at the shop that i go to told me the smaller the sprocket up front the more power it takes for the engine to turn,not being a expert i left scratching my head. but after thinking about it it seemed to be a leverage thing to me, now i would be the first to agree it would be a small difference, but when at the dunes every ds i run into we have to run over and meet and check out each other quad, kind of a fun thing. well i have meet people with 14-40 and it does seem to work good, but when we run my 15-43 it always has won, i know this doesn't mean much since they are different machine and riders, it just cause me to think old larry may have been on to something. but of late i have been wondering if dsmike and those guys may have been right, get the gearing higher to use first again and just make good shifts. i ran 17-40 once and it worked not as bad as i would have thought. i may try 17-43 next time i go to see how that works. i went to markys speed calulator, and have been working on gearing combs, anyways if it ever stops raining i'll try a couple of combinations and get back to you. the 15-42 with the 20" haulers works great on my wifes ds. hers has a stock engine it does have a woods cdi and clutch springs, k&n filter. but she doesn't lose much, and since mine looks like hers she comes and gets mine for another run at them.

 

You wouldn't happen to have seen that over the weekend now would you?
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Guys my Sidewinmder Stainless stell chain just completely ate my aluminum sprocket! I was told it was from a combination of a stretched and improperly tensioned chain. The chain is over 2 years old.

I might try the 14/40 combo since it's much cheaper to buy a new front.

 

I see some guys have the 43 rear sprocket
Where can you pick one of these up at?

 

If anybody could stretch a 530 chain....
Just be glad it didn't break