chain master link

[mealexme]

well, you all knew this was coming

"hes fitting a new chain, there will be a thread asking for help soon enough!"

Yea...

So anyway, with the help of a mate with some proper tools, the old chain came off with a bit of grief.

The problem here is with the new chain.

The master link looks like the one here

http://www.autohausaz.com/secure/PartImages/0009971298.jpg

but with only one plate, not two.

First off I cant tell how they are meant to fit. The instructions say to slide the plate on, full stop.

I say it should be riveted, but they dont look like rivets, just two small solid poles of metal. They arent the clip type either, which I was hoping for as they are easy enough to install with a pair of pliars. But I figure hey ho, we will see when its on.

Which brings me onto the next problem.

We cant get the bloody thing to fit!

ok, so the main bit of the link is in the chain just fine, but the holes in the plate are physically too small for the link to go through.

We have tried a G-clamp (which bent), pliars, a thing that I cannot remember the name of, so I will call them locking pliars with the weight of me standing on them and various other random tools that we had lying around.

He has fitted many chains to many bikes and the same sort on his SV, which went on with just a pair of pliars.

So any suggestions?

I am thinking about putting the plate in the oven to heat it up and try to expand it before trying again

[Guest Hodgy]

The plate should be a tight sliding fit over the pins of the link, the ends of the pins are the rivetts, you need a proper rivitting tool to splay these out to stop the plate coming back off. There should only be one plate, not two.

There should be some small 'o' rings that are put on before the plate, to seal the grease in, unless you bought a cheap nasty chain?

If the plates won't fit over the pins then something is wrong, unless you have damaged the end of the pins? You must fit the chain to the bike before rivitting the link in place, or you will have to remove the swing arm to get the chain on.

[mealexme]

The plate should be a tight sliding fit over the pins of the link, the ends of the pins are the rivetts, you need a proper rivitting tool to splay these out to stop the plate coming back off. There should only be one plate, not two. There is one plate and the correct tools, check and check

There should be some small 'o' rings that are put on before the plate, to seal the grease in, unless you bought a cheap nasty chain? Check. Greased and everything

If the plates won't fit over the pins then something is wrong, unless you have damaged the end of the pins? nope,checked that You must fit the chain to the bike before rivitting the link in place, or you will have to remove the swing arm to get the chain on. Its already on there

 

Thanks for the tips, but unfortunately it doesnt help

[Guest Hodgy]

Thanks for the tips, but unfortunately it doesnt help

 

Could the chain have been sent with the wrong size plate perhaps? How much too small are the holes?

[mealexme]

Thanks for the tips, but unfortunately it doesnt help

 

Could the chain have been sent with the wrong size plate perhaps? How much too small are the holes?

less than a mm. Imagine drawing a line with a pencil. Yea, its thinner than that, but the metal is to hard to bend. There is no excess grease in there and no dirt but it wont go in!

[Guest Hodgy]

Thanks for the tips, but unfortunately it doesnt help

 

Could the chain have been sent with the wrong size plate perhaps? How much too small are the holes?

less than a mm. Imagine drawing a line with a pencil. Yea, its thinner than that, but the metal is to hard to bend. There is no excess grease in there and no dirt but it wont go in!

 

Sorry, I don't know if heating it will work, perhaps worth a try?

When you do get the plate on, the rivetts need to be peened over enough to stop the plate coming off, but not so tight as to 'nip' the link and cause a tight spot on the chain

[mealexme]

Sorry, I don't know if heating it will work, perhaps worth a try?

When you do get the plate on, the rivetts need to be peened over enough to stop the plate coming off, but not so tight as to 'nip' the link and cause a tight spot on the chain

ah ok, sounds like a very precise job!

[Guest Hodgy]

Sorry, I don't know if heating it will work, perhaps worth a try?

When you do get the plate on, the rivetts need to be peened over enough to stop the plate coming off, but not so tight as to 'nip' the link and cause a tight spot on the chain

ah ok, sounds like a very precise job!

 

Yep it is, my chain tool has a 'press' built in to push the plate over the pins ready for the rivitting to to take place.

[Guest Hodgy]

There's a video here that shows it being done, hope that helps...

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[megawatt]

Buy a split link off eBay or local garage. Rivet links are only needed on high power big bikes. Don't think a 600 Bandit is gonna need a rivet link.

[Stu]

Buy a split link off eBay or local garage. Rivet links are only needed on high power big bikes. Don't think a 600 Bandit is gonna need a rivet link.

 

not what I would recommend!

I had one on my zxr400 and it came off!!! (it was already on when I got the bike)

[eastanglianbiker]

rivet link every time on any bike over 250 as far as im concerned

[Guest Hodgy]

I wouldn't use a split link to be honest, a riveted link is so much safer

[megawatt]

There is nothing wrong with a split link and yes I would normally use a rivet link. I used a split link on one of my dragbikes and never had a problem. As long as the spring part is new and flat and fitted properly to a good link, it will do the job.

[mealexme]

thanks for the help so far guys!

But a couple of things, firstly it still wont go on, and secondly a rivet is hollow is it not? This is solid :s

[Mrbarry]

No a rivet can be hollow or solid.

[megawatt]

Check the size of your chain and buy another link. The end of the pins is hollow or has a dimple in it if it's a rivet link.

[Fozzie]

I'll tell you how I did mine, see if I can shed some light.

Firstly the back plate will NOT just slide on. It needs the riveter tool to do that.

1. Fit the link through the chain

2. Get the o-rings into position

3. Get the back plate and offer it up to the link

4. Using the riveter push plate tool (fits the back plate into it and has two holes to allow the chain rivets to pass through as it pushes it on) or a clamp with bits of metal or whatever you can find to push the plate over the holes and onto the chain. Keep it going until it evenly goes over the rivets to be flared

5. Set the riveter to flare mode (The pin with a dome and cut out circle around it)

6. Once it starts to flare the rivet screw it tight once, then back off half a rotation, then back on a full rotation.

7. As per videos do this 4 or 5 times of backing off and putting on or less. When you see the rivet has so much as flared a tiny bit that back plate is on there tight.

[megawatt]

What he said. You need the right tool to push the plate over the rivets.

[mealexme]

What he said. You need the right tool to push the plate over the rivets.

yea, been through two two G-clamps and a pair of mole grips trying to get the thing on.

I will take it down the garage tomorrow lol

[eastanglianbiker]

so ur going to ride it to the garage with split link not correctly fitted then????????

[Fozzie]

As he hasnt replied we can probably take that as a yes

Someone check the local fields, he'll be in one with a chain wrapped around his leg!

[mealexme]

Lol. Not yet. I have managed to destroy two more clamps though... They were decent clamps too

The garage is only a minute away anyway, but there is too much snow so im not going anywhere for a while. Maybe not even work :s

[mealexme]

The end of the pins is hollow or has a dimple in it if it's a rivet link.

So, I have the right tools now

But the link looks EXACTLY like this (except one plate), right down to the curvature round the edges.

http://www.autohausaz.com/secure/PartImages/0009971298.jpg

No hole, no notch, no groove, just two solid metal pins. Which is why im confused about what to do. I always thought rivets were hollow too.

The instructions are useless, they just say slide the plate on, nothing about riveting it on or anything. But the pins are a couple of mm longer than the pins on all the other links

So, what tool out of my little box of chain tools should I use? Treat it like a rivet and use a rivet tool anyway, or use one of the many tool bits that totally complex me as I have no idea what they are for.

Oh, and the tools came with no instructions either, which isnt useful lol, but i have worked out how to use it

EDIT: I have been looking on the net and people are saying they just followed the instructions, which state to press it on then lube it. Tey dont say anything about riveting, but I really wouldnt feel safe with it like that. Surely thats not how it should be done?

Edited January 19, 2013 by mealexme

[mealexme]

these are the actual pictures of it (the marks in it are from me putting it on too tight the first time and taking them out again)

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd519/mealexme/20130119_140324.jpg

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd519/mealexme/20130119_140429.jpg

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd519/mealexme/20130119_140437.jpg

I know its in black and white, but if this IS how to do it, I will be taking my toolkit with me everywhere I go, and checking it every 10 mins