Some questions about chain.

F

FractaL64

New Member
Hey everyone, I'm struggling to cut my drive chain to the desired length. I measured it out and marked the thing, but I still can't get it cut.

I've tried hammering the pin out, and I've even broken a chain rivet removal tool:
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How do I cut this thing?

Thanks guys!
 
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What kind of chain are you trying to break? Chinagirl kit chain? BMX chain? MTB chain?

I have 3 of the same tool you have in your pic. They are among the cheapest chainbreakers you can buy. They will break BMX and multispeed chain, but have trouble with chinagirl kit chain (which is usually type 415). You need a heavy duty chainbreaker for 415 and larger.

My bike has 3 different chains - 410, 35, and 415H. This is the chainbreaker I use:
www.amazon.com/Koch-7725010-Roller-Chain-Breaker/dp/B004HKIU4C/
 
The_Aleman said:
What kind of chain are you trying to break? Chinagirl kit chain? BMX chain? MTB chain?

I have 3 of the same tool you have in your pic. They are among the cheapest chainbreakers you can buy. They will break BMX and multispeed chain, but have trouble with chinagirl kit chain (which is usually type 415). You need a heavy duty chainbreaker for 415 and larger.

My bike has 3 different chains - 410, 35, and 415H. This is the chainbreaker I use:
www.amazon.com/Koch-7725010-Roller-Chain-Breaker/dp/B004HKIU4C/
Click to expand...

THe china girl chain, its one of those thick ones.
So is there any other way to break this thing without that tool? I've practically run out of money ahhaa.
 
Ideally, a heavier chain breaker would be your best answer.

Without knowing what resources/tools you have at hand, it's hard to say what you could use instead. I might think of more later, but here's some thoughts off the top.

You'll probably need a block with a hole drilled in it (to push the pin in to).
You'll need something to push that pin with... I had some success driving rivets out of something with a (dead) dremel wire brush bit. (When my wife trained as a machinist she had to make a little pin press, I put the flat disk against the top and the end of the bit against the pin.. had to put a bar on the end of the handle to add more pressure).
As for something to push it out with (besides whacking it with a hammer). If you have a bench vise, I'd go there first. Set everything up and start cranking it. Keeping the dremel bit or whatever from slipping will be a tricky job. A similar effect might be achieved with a decent sized C-clamp. If you got really desperate, a scissor jack firmly braced somewhere might provide the pressure needed.

No doubt someone else has ideas, too...
 
Thanks for the ideas. I dont exactly have a diverse set of tools, but my dad does.

I have a couple questions about the chain tensioner, since I'm fairly certain my dad can help me with cutting the chain at least, its not my biggest worry at the moment.

So i have about a half inch of slack (deflection when top of chain is tight, and bottom is slacked).

If I simply dont use the tensioner, would it work? I keep on reading bad things about it and how it could potentially hurt me and wreck my back wheel. What is the most ideal thing I can do in this situation? Maybe get a half link?
 
FractaL64 said:
Thanks for the ideas. I dont exactly have a diverse set of tools, but my dad does.

I have a couple questions about the chain tensioner, since I'm fairly certain my dad can help me with cutting the chain at least, its not my biggest worry at the moment.

So i have about a half inch of slack (deflection when top of chain is tight, and bottom is slacked).

If I simply dont use the tensioner, would it work? I keep on reading bad things about it and how it could potentially hurt me and wreck my back wheel. What is the most ideal thing I can do in this situation? Maybe get a half link?
Click to expand...

You can make some shims to fit under the rear motor mount block which will take slack out when you add shims. Be sure both mounts are loose when you install shims. Takes some fitting to get right but worth the effort.
 
Are your drop outs horizontal? Is your bike a single speed or does it have a derailer and multiple speeds?

Let's start there and see if we can't get you on the road without a tensioner. Sometimes due to frame design the tensioner is a necessary evil. Other times it can be eliminated. It depends on your bike/frame.

Tom
 
If you have a bench grinder or a hand held grinder it will work to cut any size chain, I use both here on my bikes and at work on industrial equipment. I grind the rivets off of the desired link then just pop the link apart, I have done this on chain as big as #100.
 
I do the same. Have not used chainbreaker for years. I re-use the link by putting a tiny tack weld over the pin after it's reassembled. Almost invisible, just as strong as untouched chain, and best of all FREE!
If you don't own a welder, you can peen the pin with a sharp prick punch to lock it to the plate, but this is not totally foolproof. Tack is much better.
 
The chain breaker you have is a piece of Walmart crap. It'll break apart on you when being used on any quality chain. I speak from experience on this. Staton Inc sells very good chain breakers. You should also get a crank puller and spoke tool. You're going to need the proper quality tools to work on your bike. They'll save you a lot of heart aches in the long run.
 
Staton's chainbreaker is also a piece of crap, IMO. I bought one, it lasted about as long as me pulling it out of the box and trying to break a chain.

I'm still pretty annoyed about that. I've had to break a lot of chains and the only good one I've found is the Koch one I linked to.
 
Staton has 4 different chain breakers ranging in price $5.99 to 22.75. I've got the SunLite $9.09 one and never had a problem with it. The $18.89 and 22.75 are for large chains. However I've broken KMC 415 with my SunLite.
 
2door said:
Are your drop outs horizontal? Is your bike a single speed or does it have a derailer and multiple speeds?

Let's start there and see if we can't get you on the road without a tensioner. Sometimes due to frame design the tensioner is a necessary evil. Other times it can be eliminated. It depends on your bike/frame.

Tom
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I have vertical drop outs, and the wheels are quick releases. It is not a fixie bike, it has gears.

Here is my current to-do list:
-Break Chain
-Install Chain
-Figure out if I need tensioner or not
-Adjust my brakes (They aren't functioning very well right now)
-Somehow adjust throttle (because my throttle line is so long I had to loop it around my seat which = friction, which = throttle sticks open.) << This is a big one.
-Possibly align wheels. I have a spoke tool, so I can do this.

If you don't mind me asking, how do I trim my throttle cable? As you can see I have an after-market carb but on both end of the cable there are the stoppers, so I can't exactly trim it like I can did with my clutch cable, which was suffering the same problem (or can I?).

Thanks for the support guys, you are an awesome community.

Here are pics btw:
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So I think my break pads are worn out because my rims are just sliding against it. I used this guide (http://sheldonbrown.com/canti-trad.html) to adjust my brakes for a ton of mechanical advantage, which it didnt really have before, but the back brakes are shot because one of my pads had been rubbing on it for almost a year. Removing the pads/shoes are impossible without a vice, I swear, I can't even get it to budge.

My front brakes have a little bit of life in them on the contrary, but the rim also slides against it if I push REALLY hard.
 
I don't own a chain breaker and I never grind the pins. I use a 3/32" punch with the pin centered over a small socket, center the punch on the pin and give it a solid whack. The pin will drive right out and can be reused if needed. Yes, it takes care to get the punch centered and held securely against the pin but it can be done. You'll want a short punch. It should only be long enough to drive the pin all the way through. The longer the punch the harder it is to control.

As for the OP's question about his current chain slack of 1/2" and the need for a tensioner based on that; the chain will wear and that 1/2" will increase. Without some way to tighten it you'll end up with a loose chain that can/will cause you troubles. It can even hurt you if it comes off or binds at speed.

As for brakes: I'd have saved the money you spent on that carburetor and made sure the bike will stop before adding performance parts to make it go faster. Brakes are nothing to scrimp on or take for granted. They can save your life.

Tom
 
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