Chain removal... grrrr....

[rmemedic]

This is my second attempt at doing a chain on a bike...
First time was on my old MX bike, using a "clamp" style chain breaker, the kind that looks like it has jaws... It couldn't split the smaller MX chain without grinding down the head of the rivet first...

Put on my new chain break tool I got from Royal, the heavy duty c-clamp style...
I left the small pin in it that came with the tool already installed, figuring the small one was more likely to push the rivet out of the old chain... Well, I really messed up the tool. I broke that pin, twisted it up inside the end, and the spring that is in there with it is mangled... Tool is basically junk now as I can't clean the internals out.

I snugged up the tool first, with the pin retracted, made sure it was all centre, and then screwed down the outer, smaller bolt head to push the pin in to the rivet... It was tight on the wrenches, but by no means did it feel harder than I thought it should be to push the rivet out, then the pin gave way and that was that...

So, how the heck do you guys use these tools?? I've youtube'd it, internet searched it and as far as I see I did it proplerly... Do you guys grind down the head of the rivet first???

 

[JohnnyP636]

This is my second attempt at doing a chain on a bike...
First time was on my old MX bike, using a "clamp" style chain breaker, the kind that looks like it has jaws... It couldn't split the smaller MX chain without grinding down the head of the rivet first...

Put on my new chain break tool I got from Royal, the heavy duty c-clamp style...
I left the small pin in it that came with the tool already installed, figuring the small one was more likely to push the rivet out of the old chain... Well, I really messed up the tool. I broke that pin, twisted it up inside the end, and the spring that is in there with it is mangled... Tool is basically junk now as I can't clean the internals out.

I snugged up the tool first, with the pin retracted, made sure it was all centre, and then screwed down the outer, smaller bolt head to push the pin in to the rivet... It was tight on the wrenches, but by no means did it feel harder than I thought it should be to push the rivet out, then the pin gave way and that was that...

So, how the heck do you guys use these tools?? I've youtube'd it, internet searched it and as far as I see I did it proplerly... Do you guys grind down the head of the rivet first???

No matter what style of tool you have, if its rivet style link, you always have to grind the head off the rivit off before pushing the pins out...If you dont you just break your tool...

I always use a chain breaker like this to break chains, never the rivet tool. Although they are designed to also break chains, they cant take a beating like these can. So I save the life of the rivet tool, by using the breaker to break and the rivet tool only to press the plate on and flair the rivet ends

 

[rmemedic]

Thanks Johnny... I feel like a total newb for breaking my tool with such a dumb mistake...
I have that same tool you have pictured from before, so I'll make sure I use that to break my chains from now on after grinding down the rivet head, and the rivet tool for riveting.

Guess I'll order a new tool and hope I find time to give it another go. My front sprocket deffinately needs to be replaced.

I've been working on bikes, sleds, vehicles, etc for about 17 years now so I can't believe I had an issue with this simple task... But it's how we learn!

 

[JohnnyP636]

Thanks Johnny... I feel like a total newb for breaking my tool with such a dumb mistake...
I have that same tool you have pictured from before, so I'll make sure I use that to break my chains from now on after grinding down the rivet head, and the rivet tool for riveting.

Guess I'll order a new tool and hope I find time to give it another go. My front sprocket deffinately needs to be replaced.

I've been working on bikes, sleds, vehicles, etc for about 17 years now so I can't believe I had an issue with this simple task... But it's how we learn!

Dont feel so bad, Ive preobably done over 200 chains, and I still break a tool every now and then.....I find that if you dont spend around $100 on a DID, RK, Motion Pro, etc high end brand name chain rivet tool, they dont last long....Especially if your using them to break chains too....

The $60 no namers will do a few chains for the do it yourselfer, but then the pins start to bend.....If your lucky replacement pins are available for cheap...

 

[RockerGuy]

I got one from Royal too. I think you're supposed to NOT protrude the pin all the way out of the socket. The pin needs a bit of support.

 

[Bobo]

I've got an RK chain tool that I paid $100 dollars for and it will break 530 chains all day long without grinding down the rivet.

 

[frekeyguy]

If that chain is garbage...just grind through the link with a carbon fiber bit....or if you have bolt cutters or metal strap cutters, that might potentially work .

 

[FiReSTaRT]

Angle grinder ftw. If you can't break the chain after grinding off the rivet heads, you can always use it to cut the chain. That $20 tool has all sorts of uses and I'd marry it if my wife wouldn't object and we didn't have anti-poligamy laws.

 

[frekeyguy]

Angle grinder ftw. If you can't break the chain after grinding off the rivet heads, you can always use it to cut the chain. That $20 tool has all sorts of uses and I'd marry it if my wife wouldn't object and we didn't have anti-poligamy laws.

I HATE angle grinders....butchers tool I call it.

Does a great job, but I hate using one...and I hope to avoid it

 

[FiReSTaRT]

I HATE angle grinders....butchers tool I call it.

Does a great job, but I hate using one...and I hope to avoid it

Sometimes the job calls for butchery, and you gotta use the right tool for the job

 

[RockerGuy]

Angle grinder ftw. If you can't break the chain after grinding off the rivet heads, you can always use it to cut the chain. That $20 tool has all sorts of uses and I'd marry it if my wife wouldn't object and we didn't have anti-poligamy laws.

Hope you don;t slip with that grinder, u could leave some nice little marks on your frame, lol.

As for poligamy, just convert to Islam

 

[FiReSTaRT]

Hope you don;t slip with that grinder, u could leave some nice little marks on your frame, lol.

As for poligamy, just convert to Islam

Non-issue if you're being VERY careful. It helps if you have someone with pliers holding the chain steady, but not necessary. And awww... I was gonna become a Mormon instead

 

[caboose56]

If the chain is worn out and destined for the scrap bin just use bolt cutters.

 

[frekeyguy]

Sometimes the job calls for butchery, and you gotta use the right tool for the job

Hope you don;t slip with that grinder, u could leave some nice little marks on your frame, lol.

As for poligamy, just convert to Islam

Non-issue if you're being VERY careful. It helps if you have someone with pliers holding the chain steady, but not necessary. And awww... I was gonna become a Mormon instead

Hope your EXTRA careful with that tool......
http://www.google.ca/search?q=angle...&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1440&bih=746

 

[adamwest]

No matter what style of tool you have, if its rivet style link, you always have to grind the head off the rivit off before pushing the pins out...If you dont you just break your tool...

I always use a chain breaker like this to break chains, never the rivet tool. Although they are designed to also break chains, they cant take a beating like these can. So I save the life of the rivet tool, by using the breaker to break and the rivet tool only to press the plate on and flair the rivet ends

I disagree with that. What is required is patience and attention to details here. ;-)

 

[FiReSTaRT]

There are 2 very important precautions when working with an angle-grinder...

1) If you are cutting something, don't force it and cut straight in.. Don't try to change the angle of the cut when you're already in there.. This is irrelevant when grinding off the rivets, but can be relevant if you decide to cut the chain

2) Anybody working in an area where an angle-grinder is being operated should wear a proper hard face-shield

 

[adamwest]

This is my second attempt at doing a chain on a bike...
First time was on my old MX bike, using a "clamp" style chain breaker, the kind that looks like it has jaws... It couldn't split the smaller MX chain without grinding down the head of the rivet first...

Put on my new chain break tool I got from Royal, the heavy duty c-clamp style...
I left the small pin in it that came with the tool already installed, figuring the small one was more likely to push the rivet out of the old chain... Well, I really messed up the tool. I broke that pin, twisted it up inside the end, and the spring that is in there with it is mangled... Tool is basically junk now as I can't clean the internals out.

I snugged up the tool first, with the pin retracted, made sure it was all centre, and then screwed down the outer, smaller bolt head to push the pin in to the rivet... It was tight on the wrenches, but by no means did it feel harder than I thought it should be to push the rivet out, then the pin gave way and that was that...

So, how the heck do you guys use these tools?? I've youtube'd it, internet searched it and as far as I see I did it proplerly... Do you guys grind down the head of the rivet first???

You figured "the small one was more likely to push the rivet out of the old chain"? This doesn't sound like you had a handle on the physics involved. In general, the tool is setup in a way to shear off the riveting of the pin that you are trying to break out of the chain. The pin should be very close in diameter to the pin of chain link you are removing. Thinking that the smaller one will clear better through the hole is wrong. Anyhow... Using C-clamp type chain breaker, you will notice there is a C-clamp having a threaded end and a smaller, non-threaded hole at the other end. The threaded end receives the special guide bolt which is also threaded to receive the pressure bolt. The guide bolt must be fitted with the right sized anvil which also has a hole to receive the dual ended pressure pin. Back out the pressure bolt, and snug the guide bolt to the link you want to break. The anvil should be cupped in a way to allow alignment as the raised part of the existing riveted pin your are trying to break out, is received by the cupping of the anvil. Once all is aligned and snug, begin to press the pin out by tightening down the pressure bolt -- all the while being absolute sure that the guide bolt remains snug and aligned. I can't stress enough the importance of zero tolerance on alignment and precise fitment of this tool while pressing/breaking the pin out. If anything is allowed to be loose, slipping will cause the whole job to go awry, and likely you will need to buy a replacement pin for your tool. The pin being pushed through should be slowly shearing off the riveting material of the linked pin on the chain. And going nowhere else but through. Rushing this job is usually a mistake. Good luck. Cheers!

Here is a pretty detailed explanation... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vhZTQDx8i0

 

[rmemedic]

You figured "the small one was more likely to push the rivet out of the old chain"? This doesn't sound like you had a handle on the physics involved. In general, the tool is setup in a way to shear off the riveting of the pin that you are trying to break out of the chain. The pin should be very close in diameter to the pin of chain link you are removing. Thinking that the smaller one will clear better through the hole is wrong. Anyhow... Using C-clamp type chain breaker, you will notice there is a C-clamp having a threaded end and a smaller, non-threaded hole at the other end. The threaded end receives the special guide bolt which is also threaded to receive the pressure bolt. The guide bolt must be fitted with the right sized anvil which also has a hole to receive the dual ended pressure pin. Back out the pressure bolt, and snug the guide bolt to the link you want to break. The anvil should be cupped in a way to allow alignment as the raised part of the existing riveted pin your are trying to break out, is received by the cupping of the anvil. Once all is aligned and snug, begin to press the pin out by tightening down the pressure bolt -- all the while being absolute sure that the guide bolt remains snug and aligned. I can't stress enough the importance of zero tolerance on alignment and precise fitment of this tool while pressing/breaking the pin out. If anything is allowed to be loose, slipping will cause the whole job to go awry, and likely you will need to buy a replacement pin for your tool. The pin being pushed through should be slowly shearing off the riveting material of the linked pin on the chain. And going nowhere else but through. Rushing this job is usually a mistake. Good luck. Cheers!

Here is a pretty detailed explanation... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vhZTQDx8i0

That video is exactly how I did it, only I used too small of a pin... The reason I chose the small pin, was to allow the head of the rivet some room to move to once it started to go through the link.

 

[regder]

I used a Mastercraft fake Dremel with a cut off wheel to grind off the rivets, after that all it took was a screwdriver to pull the link out. I have the same chain break tool and didn't even touch it

 

[JohnnyP636]

I disagree with that. What is required is patience and attention to details here. ;-)

And how many chains to you remove and install a year? Im no newbie to chain installs, and Ive had about 3 different tools in the last 10 years. No matter how much patience you have pins wear out, grinding the rivet off and using a chain breaker extends the life of my press tool...A good press tool costs $100 or more, a good chain breaker is only $20....Your not going experience this doing 1-10 chains a year, I do alot more then that....

Also keep in mind there are 1000's of different chians on the market, some way easier to break then others...I dont care how much paitence you have when you go to shorten some chains, no rivet tool will push the pins out without grinding the head off. Not the rivet link when your just removing a chain, the normal links when your are shortening a chain...