Okay, I am wanting to get a little education this morning. The topic for this thread will be chains. Here are my issues:

1. I have seen a few times where my master link does not appear to be getting properly lubed. I have noticed that it will sit kinked up just a bit (out of line with the rest of the chain). I can easily rotate it into position by hand, but it seems to have a little bit of resistance. I assume that this is because the master link is the only link that does not have "locked in" lubricant. I make a point of shooting an extra dose of Chain Wax on the posts before reinstalling the o-ring (x-rings actually), but I still notice this after a while. Is there something that I am not doing that would help the master link stay lubed better?
2. I see numerous references to people removing links from their chain. How exactly is this done? I am assuming that you use a Dremel or similar tool to remove the head off of a link rod (don't know the proper name for this). Is that it? Does that leave the bore for the master link rod to slide through?

I am finding these questions difficult to word, so I hope I am clear on these.

Thanks,
Chris

 

That's awesome Chris. "The topic for this thread will be chains." Is that a hint? Just messing with ya. Well first of all I ditched the o-ring chain when I went to a bigger back sprocket. The consensus from most of the guys that I know is that yea they work, but are more expensive, and ultimately regular old chains work too, and are easier to work with. That being said, I also don't like chain wax. I think it just keeps moisture out, and doesn't add any lube to the chain. And if you have tried to clean a chain that has had wax on it for too long, it a bugger to get off. Does your master link have o-rings too? It's supposed to. As far a getting the links off, yesterday was the first time I have ever taken a link out of a motorcycle chain, I guess I always sold a bike before I had to do chain maintenance. It was quite easy. I have a 4" Makita side grinder, and I just hit the peen ed over pins on one side of the link until they were even with the link, and then I finally got to use a tool that I was having doubts that I would ever get to use. I bought it over a year ago, you know just in case. Some people use a punch to knock out the pins. Also keep in mind there is a right side to grind and a not right side. One side will let you tap the pins out individually and the other side will cause you to have to tap each side of the link with the pins attached. In other words you will not have single pins, you will have a link with two pins to get out, a lot harder. I'm not sure why your link is hard to turn or looks like its not laying as flat as the other links in the chain. Anyway if any onehas everwondered if this tool is worth the $15.00, I am here to tell you that it is awesome. It has two thread stages. One lets you get it up ready to turn and the other has finner thread, sort of like two gears.

 

I may be wrong on the pins thing. they may push out individually from either side.

 

No, Deej. I didn't even think of it that way. Now that you point it out, I guess it sounds like I am trying to head off threadjacking at the pass. Actually, I said that because I had a whole different topic that I was also going to ask questions about, but then I couldn't remember it. I will probably post those questions later today once I remember them. I am too young to be so absent minded.

I have definitely seen that cleaning the wax off of parts that get oversprayed (i.e., the swingarm) is a bear. I have yet to clean the chain, though, so I guess I am going to have my work cut out for me. Any recommendations for a good lube that does have the baggage of wax?

Yes, my master link has o-rings. Since I noticed my alleged lubrication issues, I have been coating the pins of the master link with was before putting it back on the chain. I was sort of hoping that once I put the second set of o-rings on and then buttoned the whole thing back together that some of the wax would be trapped inside the link. I don't know if this is happening or not, but the master link is definitely not as lubed as the other links of the chain.

I think I follow you, but I am not sure. How do you know which is the correct way?

Thanks for the response.

 

Chris, a couple things...
1. If you use the vice grips and socket technique to press your master link back together, you can potentially press it too tight.
That will cause the master link to bind as you described...
As you press the link together, keep an eye that you don't over compress the o-rings.
You just want to see the groove for the clip, but not too much of the shoulder behind it.

2. A disc grinder and a bench vise. Clamp the chain in the vise and grind away at the pin head on the wide link. You always remove two links at a time (a fat one and a skinny one). When the pin head is ground off, tap it through with a punch.

 

Funny I use a lube that is called O-Ring chain oil/conditioner and I don't even have an O-Ring chain anymore. Its real tacky and green in color. I guess I'm too cheap. Maybe someone here that has used chain wax can explain it better, but just looking at the stuff it would seem that its not designed to lube anything, I would definitely stay away from using it for that purpose. I thing its made to put over an oiled chain to keep water from mixing with oil, yes oil and water do mix. Any thoughts? I'm not an expert, in fact I don't know anything about chain wax except I don't like it.

 

KW, I think you nailed it. I pretty much go ape on the link when I press it on. I remember from your writeup that you want to see some of the shoulder of the pin past the recess for the clip. I have always been an adherant to the "more is better" school of thought, plus I did not want to have any trouble getting the clip on. I bet you dollars to doughnuts that I have just been oversqueezing it.

Thanks.

 

Hey that's not nice, you're giving apes a bad name.[8D] Sorry.[:-]