Chain replacement question

[Phil (CRF 250L)]

Hi everyone. So I decided to buy a chain breaker and riveter and change the chain and sprockets myself. Taking everything off was fine but putting back together was more tricky. Specifically I had trouble putting in the master (rivet type) link. The fixed part of the link was very hard to put in place (I had to use the tool with a decent amount of effort). Once I had put the one side in the chain was already very tight at that link but I have read that most problems begin if you flare the rivets too much so I just assumed that once it spins round the sprockets a couple of times it would be ok.

I then put the plate on master link - which was also very hard work - basically as much force as I could put through the tool. After putting the plate on but before riveting the chain is very tight at that link (cant really move by hand). I dont know what I could have done as this happened before even riveting?

I then tried flaring the rivets - I can see that the inside of the pins has been pushed in but the rivet is not exactly flared - oh and the chain doesnt flex at that link.

I would really appreciate thoughts/comments based on people experience. Its a DID 520 vf chain.

Thanks

Phil

[Beerbelly]

Phil you always get a tight link. I bought a whale chain riveter and although it was £130 it made easy work of riveting my chain. Done 3 chains with it now and don't have any probs.... Happy to look at it for you if you are local to me.

[G-Bru]

Not very helpful now, but when you next buy a chain......

Just get a split link chain and be done with all that riveting bollox!

G

[Beerbelly]

Not very helpful now, but when you next buy a chain......

Just get a split link chain and be done with all that riveting bollox!

G

Gbru you should know better!!!

Two weeks ago and a guy with a split link on his bike had terrible trouble when his link flew off!! Spent 30 minutes on the trail in Newbury trying to put another link in! Lucky he didn't stuff his case up! Chain was all wrapped up and caught... Lesson - Rivet every time! I guess similar to those that choose to run mousses.... It's an insurance policy...

[big yellow tractor]

Only rivet if you can do it properly. Renthal rivet links (others may be the same) come with some little wire clips that you hook around the o-rings so you don't squash things up too tight when you press the plates on.

I use split links on my dirty bikes but you must make sure they are facing the right way and keep an eye for wear on the spring clip. A split link is a little wider than a normal link and can wear as it passes through the rear chain-guide. I probably replace three clips in the life of a chain

[Phil (CRF 250L)]

Thanks for offers and suggestions. I ride the bike every day so wanted to see how it was this morning. It was terrible so decided to detour to my local garage and leave it with them. Didn't feel right riding it making so much noise and I could feel the tight link going round. I will see what the mechanic says but I don't really know what I did wrong. Will post a reply with what they say.

[G-Bru]

Not very helpful now, but when you next buy a chain......

Just get a split link chain and be done with all that riveting bollox!

G

Gbru you should know better!!!

Two weeks ago and a guy with a split link on his bike had terrible trouble when his link flew off!! Spent 30 minutes on the trail in Newbury trying to put another link in! Lucky he didn't stuff his case up! Chain was all wrapped up and caught... Lesson - Rivet every time! I guess similar to those that choose to run mousses.... It's an insurance policy...

Like Big Yellow said - only a problem if you allow the split link to wear dude. All just part of regular maintenance.....

G

[Dave]

duck rivets for the dirt.

[Luke B]

Not very helpful now, but when you next buy a chain......

Just get a split link chain and be done with all that riveting bollox!

G

Gbru you should know better!!!

Two weeks ago and a guy with a split link on his bike had terrible trouble when his link flew off!! Spent 30 minutes on the trail in Newbury trying to put another link in! Lucky he didn't stuff his case up! Chain was all wrapped up and caught... Lesson - Rivet every time! I guess similar to those that choose to run mousses.... It's an insurance policy...

Like Big Yellow said - only a problem if you allow the split link to wear dude. All just part of regular maintenance.....

G

I have used split links on both road bikes (Fireblade) and off road bikes for many years and never had an issue, as long as they are maintained as G says.
To be fair the guy that BeerBelly is talking about is an old friend of mine and has never been very good with maintenance, in fact his idea of maintenance is to put fuel in to make it go and leave it out in the rain to wash it. He also, and this is the main point was and is running the cheapest NON Oring chain you can buy. And it aint new!!

Luke

[Phil (CRF 250L)]

Garage told me that the link I that came with the chain I bought was the wrong one! Bit unlucky because if I had ever done it before I would have realised it was the wrong master link. Oh well.

[Dave]

How in the actual fcuk? Err... Was it one those preowned chains you can find on eBay?

[steve sharp]

Its more of a pain but well worth riveting in my humble opinion...

And you will need the exact rivet link as the chain... once it took me ages to locate the correct DID link, as the dirt bike size chains normally come with split link and the supplier has to get the rivet link, that's probably why they sent the wrong type.