Chain replacement questions.

[polecat]

(my guy charges £30 and takes about 90 minutes to do it)

 

never heard of such a reasonable 'guy' £30 for 90mins work amazing... or do you mean 9minutes!!!

Charges £20 per hour so 90 minutes is £30

[Colin the Bear]

How much for an hour and a half then?

[Guest philgale]

Id agree with Techno, for the price let someone else do it. think i was quoted about £15 to put a chain/sprocket on.

[Throttled]

But I want to do it, thats the whole point, I am learning something new and enjoying myself

[Lumor_uk]

Top tip undo the front sprocket bolt with the wheel still attached.Get somebody to stand on the rear brake and undo the bolt bike in gear helps to

 

I just tightened up the rear brake and put it in gear

[pointblank0]

But I want to do it, thats the whole point, I am learning something new and enjoying myself

 

Top man! I do all my bits and bobs myself. Chaine are just something you will have to get used to. First time will take a while, but like brakes, you will learn quickly.

Take the front sprocket cover off, put the bike on side stand, pressure on the rear brake and with a long wrench/ ratchet or spanner, undo the bolt (castle nuts will have a cotter pin that you will need to take off first).

Cut the old chain off (with a hacksaw or grinder - which is a lot easier), remove rear wheel, remove rear sprocket, put new one on (may be a good idea to get new bolts as they are high torque), replace rear wheel, line it up and place new chain over new sprockets. Seat chain ends over rear sprocket, put master link in, then (you will need a chain riveter for this), squash the pins down in position. Job done. A chain riveter will cost around 20 - 30 quid, but will last you forever!

Take up the slack in the chain to your bikes spec, then do up the axle nuts to the correct torque. Invest in a good range torqur wrench, it will last for years and save you loads doing your own servicing etc. Get a haynes manual for your bike or go on ebay and get a CD manual.

Fixing your own bike is not as difficult as people like to make out, just dont rush it.

I have done all my maintanance on my bikes and it cost me about £100 for tools, the rest was spent on parts, labor is the pricey bit. You will know the job is done correctly when you do it yourself (as you will not take shortcuts)

Good luck

Rob

[5thWILDHOG]

haynes manual or other reference information is essential. I have just bought a bike to which i purchased a haynes manual for while checking the chain found that the chain is stretched 10mm longer than the max permissible. other useful information like torque setting and amount of teeth for sprockets and how many links for standard. I know this sounds a bit conformist but if its not standard to the bike the insurance will have a field day if you spill it and they get wind its not standard. i am planning to replace the wheel bearings on the rear wheel at the same time as the cost is under a tenner. Regarding the split link i read on a web site that anything over 60 bhp should be riveted. hope this helps good luck

[oslin06]

I just use a grinder to grind off the tops of two rivets on the same link and pull it apart, to bend the rivet over on the new chain I use two hammers one each side and rivit it over but be careful not to rivit it up so tight that the link will not move you just need to pean it over enough so the plate will not come off and the link is free, and yes as said you need to do all the sprocket nuts and the wheel nuts up to the right torgue, watch the marks on the wheel spindle to make sure the wheel is in line and you have the correct chain free play,

you will need to check the chain free play again after you have done a few miles,

Oh, and do not forget to keep it lubed up.

Good Luck

Keith