Chain and Sprockets Change

[Brian P]

Forum Sponsor

Completely unacceptable (and unsafe). Flaring the master link requires a delicate touch. Any cracks: remove and start over. A digital caliper is rather essential to do this job correctly.
View attachment 45283

yup, and we have the technology ...

 

[Trials]

In 40 years of riding I have never had a clip link fail, and I ride the **** out of my stuff. I always safety wire, mostly habit as in my poorer days I reused clips when I re&re chains for cleaning.

I prefer them as the make chain replacement simple, you can change a chain with pliers and a screw driver.

all you really need is your swiss army knife.
I smash them on rocks drag them through mud stick logs through them and wrapped a dog leash around one and never had them come off.
but you have to install them correctly and not reuse them too many times.

 

[TK4]

Clip master links got a bad rap back in the '70s when chain technology was nowhere near what it is now.
Chains would break, manufacturers would get sued, lawyers made a lot of money.
It was easier (and cheaper) to install a rivet master.
MotoGP bikes currently run 520 chains, albeit top of the line with rivet masters.
Original Kawasaki Z1s came with 630 chains just to keep them from going through the cases.

 

[Trials]

Seen too many cir-clip master links installed incorrectly to believe the ones you hear about are not related.

Seen one with both plates on one side and just the spring cir-clip on the outside. It looked like it had been like that for a long time. Seen lots on backwards, seen a guy with a half link installed that jumped one tooth on the countershaft sprocket with every single revolution, he ran it like that for 2 years because that's how it was when he bought it. You could hear his bike from way off by the distinct, click, click click, click ...

Forum Sponsor