Chain replacement coming up...

[stephen.stallebrass]

I've got a motion pro chain breaker in my bike tool kit- it's proved good enough to get me out of trouble on a few occassions .

Got it from adventure spec.

The T6 looks like a good bit of kit (only 170g), but it doesn't rivet, which is fine but it's also a bit pricey @ £54

 

[russ_fae_fyvie]

Have you personally used this item and found it inferior? I want a chain breaker, ideally that will rivet, for my travel repair kit so it can't be humungous... any ideas? Perhaps these 'G-Clamp' style gizmo's are better suited to the clips rather than the rivets???

Just thought I'd chip in.

I bought one of those items to work on my Blackbird Chain and it worked really well.

Just used a Dremel to get rid of the heads on the old link and the tool easily pushed out the pins, it also did a good job of peening over the new rivets and there is no sign of the body bending, so its a from me.

 

[Losttheplot]

The T6 looks like a good bit of kit (only 170g), but it doesn't rivet, which is fine but it's also a bit pricey @ £54

I don't use a rivet link now

trust me, when your chain snaps in the middle of know-where it suddenly becomes worth every penny!

DAMHIK!

Funny thing is, i never had a chain break until i started carrying a chain tool....

 

[ILMV]

SWMBO says my chain has arrived this morning, cheers for that Greg.

My friends at Talon aren't around until Tuesday though, will I get away with running the new chain on the old sprockets for a few days, or should I religiously change both at the same time?

 

[v8legend]

Will I get away with running the new chain on the old sprockets for a few days, or should I religiously change both at the same time?

Don't do it. You'll wear your lovely new chain out. The hardest job is the front sprocket (you might want to search that on here first!), so you may as well do it all in one go.

 

[Greg Masters]

Assuming your old chain will hold together for a few more days, do the chain and the sprockets at the same time!

You know it makes sense!

Greg

 

[ILMV]

Nah the current chain if f***ed, I'll change them both at the same time

Chain looks good Greg, also got the chain tool you mentioned earlier in this thread, pulling the front sprocket will be the fun part.

 

[Greggers]

Did you see my story about sprocket removal..?? Be prepared for a struggle!

Interestingly my OE rear showed no signs of wear after 18k miles... The front was showing wear but still functional. The (cheap) chain I'd got was fooked beyond redemption though ...

Ebay is your friend when it comes to chain splitters ...

G

 

[stephen.stallebrass]

Apparently I was a naughty boy this year, Jebus, I mean Santa, didn't bring me the Motrax chain breaker that I asked for. I'm glad though as I found the king of chain breaking tools! It's the Terra-X from Australia. Apparently, it pushes the pin out without having to grind the head off, it rivets and it pushes on the split links to. AND it's tiny but it packs a mean punch and it has some very good reviews. Priced at $95 (AUD) it aint prohibitively expensive either...

...just waiting for a quote on shipping to the UK.

 

[stephen.stallebrass]

...just waiting for a quote on shipping to the UK.

For anyone interested:

Shipping for the Terra-X Chain Tool from Oz to the UK is $12 but they won't be ready until mid January, there's only 25x remaining and they're not making anymore apparently. So get them while there hot.

Total (inc shipping) £70

That's £10 cheaper that the Motion Pro T6 Chain Tool, 20g lighter, smaller in size and does more (rivets)!

 

[ILMV]

Right, I haven't yet got replacement sprockets but thought I'd make a start preparing the bike now. Cannot split chain as I don't have a 24mm spanner, but could drop the rear wheel and remove the sprockets.

Good news and bad news.

The good first, the front sprocket was easily pulled out by hand, and I'm not strong by any stretch of the imagination. Sounds like you guys had some bad experiences, no tools needed here, just removed the bolt and pulled the sprocket off.

Bad news, in taking off the plastic sprocket protector yet another f**king bolt snapped. This one was not visible so I could only undo and hope, and then the thing gave up. Getting seriously pissed off with the quality of the bolts BMW have used, I'd go round the bike replacing every single one... if I wasn't sure they'd all snap too.

This one bolts to the engine, so might attempt (very carefully) to drill + easyout it... :-(

 

[ILMV]

D'oh! Went to buy a 24mm spanner for the chain breaking tool... turns out it needs a 27mm, check before you buy people

 

[Greggers]

I think one of mine is busted too, but the cover isn't under any stress and I didn't find my broken item until I changed the OE chain at 6k.. I just put it all back as I found it and it's survived without any drama...

Getting the old stud end out isn't a priority IMHO and trying to do so might fcuk it up for the future ...

G

 

[rc mad]

Failures of spring links are nearly always associated with poor fitting - if the circlip is even the slightest bit bent; if it is not fully secured in the circlip grooves or fitted facing the wrong way, failure is likely.

Greg

Try running a spring link on a f650 single I had to replace the spring clip twice and I replaced the whole thing once before I gave up and went to a rivet link.

Don't start about how I must have fitted them incorrectly either I use them all the time at work on equipment with slightly more then 50bhp with no failures at all. Its how we join chains at work, even use em on duplex chains with no issues. I think the dak just doesn't like em

 

[Timolgra]

Anything that looks like a G-clamp should be avoided.



Greg

You mean like the G-Clamp one I've used on every chain, including Dakar Rallye bikewith 2 Moroccan trips and one Portugal, or on my KTM640 on one Moroccan and one Trans American Trail etc etc with no problems at all and the tool is still A1

 

[WindyChuffer]

I found this v good video on You Tube. Shows how to use the DID tool that Greg recommends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isWYsAnZ4jQ

 

[Greg Masters]

You mean like the G-Clamp one I've used on every chain, including Dakar Rallye bikewith 2 Moroccan trips and one Portugal, or on my KTM640 on one Moroccan and one Trans American Trail etc etc with no problems at all and the tool is still A1

Yep!

And my old aunt smoked 20 Senior Service everyday until she died aged 110 .....

But I wouldn't recommend smoking Senior Service and I don't recommend buying a G-clamp type tool.

Greg

 

[Smythson]

To anyone loading up a spring clip - if you fit the circlip part facing outwards it may well catch on the front sprocket guard. I'm using a DID VX 525 chain. It only just catches but i didn't much fancy any stress on the chain that shouldn't be there so a washer under the cover at highest of the three bolts seems to have fixed this.

And Happy New Year!

S

 

[ILMV]

I found this v good video on You Tube. Shows how to use the DID tool that Greg recommends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isWYsAnZ4jQ

Saw the same video only a few days ago, old chain came off so easily with it... didn't need to cut it, just push an existing pin out.

 

[Timolgra]

Yep!

And my old aunt smoked 20 Senior Service everyday until she died aged 110 .....

But I wouldn't recommend smoking Senior Service and I don't recommend buying a G-clamp type tool.

Greg

At the risk of being pedantic, I wasn't using a 3rd party as an example nor a theory

I've always used an angle grinder to shorten or take an old chain off and a G clamp type of riveter.
I'm not arguing the other may or may not be better, just that using either correctly won't and doesn't lead to any problems in reality

So in my experience, I'd recommend using either and certainly not a split link on a powerful bike but not recommend Senior Service