Are non oring chains master links easier to work with than oring chains. Having trouble getting the master link put together. Any ideas would be appreciated.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

The master links work the same way.

 

well, this is my little trick, and it works fairly good. take a pair of 4-6" vice grips, needle nose work best. put the link through the chain with all the o rings in place, put the "cover plate" on, take vice grips and compress the link together. wait about a min. pop off the vice grips and slip the clip in place. take the vice grips and loosen them up so that it DOES NOT LOCK TIGHT. take the adjusting screw and tighten the jaws up to compress the clip into the link. take a strait blade screwdriver and get behind the clip and just pull it into place until it snaps in. if you get the vice grips to tight it will be difficult to slide the clip on so you may need to play with the amount of compression until you get it to where you can work with it. after a couple of trys you will surely figure it out. atleast this is the way i do my chain. until i find a better method, this is it. only takes me about 10-15 mins to change chains.

good lucky

 

On Oring master links I take a rat tail file or a Dremmel and make the holes in the link to where the pins will go in easy but not too easy.

 

The master link goes in exactly the same way, except you have to compress the rings in an O-ring chain. Best help I have are an OLD pair of needle-nose pliers. Use an OLD pair, or get some real cheapos, because what I am going to describe will ruin them for most other things. Heat the last inch or so of the ends of the pliers, and bend the tips inward, towards each other. Doesn't have to be a 90* angle or anything, but you want the tips to come together like 'pinchers'. Now, (after letting them cool) use the pliers to squeeze the link halves together, putting the points of the jaws in the center of both link halves. They should be enough out of the way so you can get the clip started. To get the clip on, you simply get as much 'bend' in the chain as you can at the master link, and push the clip over the 2 'pegs', making sure the clip falls in the groove cut near the ends of the link pins. Once you get it partway on, it will keep the halves from separating. Use pliers or whatever to keep trying to slide the clip on, and squeeze the link halves with your modded needle nose pliers wherever you think it needs it.

Farmr

 

Another thing to remember is that when you install the clip on the master link,make sure that the clip is facing the towards the rear of the bike This is with the chain and master link at the top of the rear sprocket.That way when the master link comes around the front sprocket the opening of the clip is not coming around first ,this way if you hit any objects like sticks and rocks it won't push the clip off the master link.Just a little something to remember.Later.