Replacing O-Ring Chain

[Antallica]

Hey dudes,

Mate's O-Ring has a lovely big knot in it, so he's getting me to get him a replacement. Was thinking we could change it ourselves as I do think it can be done if we loosen the tension and slip it off. If not that front sprocket will have to go.

Anyone advise me not to do so? Also the O-Rings come all linked up eh.

[Mongoose]

Hey dudes,

Mate's O-Ring has a lovely big knot in it, so he's getting me to get him a replacement. Was thinking we could change it ourselves as I do think it can be done if we loosen the tension and slip it off. If not that front sprocket will have to go.

Anyone advise me not to do so? Also the O-Rings come all linked up eh.

Ever tried joining the new chain to the old and *feeding* it thru, around, the front sprocket and then joining the ends of the new chain together, fit around rear sprocket and retention?

[Antallica]

Nope, but that sounds like a good plan if I could break the join. Not sure about me rejoining it and making sure it won't come loose again.

[Mongoose]

Nope, but that sounds like a good plan if I could break the join. Not sure about me rejoining it and making sure it won't come loose again.

Would have thought that there is a joining link somewhere on the chain. Not hard, as a rule, to split and or join them.

[dss3]

I recently finished doing all my sprockets, I was going to do my o-ring chain too however it didn't come joined and has to be rivited. This pretty much screwed me as I didnt have tools to join new chain, so had to get shop to put the chain on for me. Reckon that it wouldn't have been too hard to do if the chain came joined though, just adjust axle right foward and take off front sprocket if necessary.

Shit, back to work now..
-Daryl

[Antallica]

Just got a quote from the local 'reliable' dealer.... $150 Incl Fitting... seems a bit steep. Might get it from Colemans if it's cheaper and just get the shop to fit it.

[Mongoose]

Just got a quote from the local 'reliable' dealer.... $150 Incl Fitting... seems a bit steep. Might get it from Colemans if it's cheaper and just get the shop to fit it.

And I will go back to remembering why I have a shafty ,chains must have changed over time

[Antallica]

Good on ya mate

[merv]

What sort of bike is this for your mates?

If its a 150 like yours I would think you could get away with buying an O-ring chain with an O-ring clip type link and fit it yourselves no sweat depending on the price. If you haven't got a chain breaker just grind the end of the pins and break the chain that way to get the old one off. If the bike is like a 250 four or bigger the power probably warrants a rivetted link. Then there are two choices, you either need the tools or pay someone to do it for you. Rivetting tools are typically $250 or so. The only other possibility is careful use of a hammer to peen the rivet link pins over while the chain has to have its back against some solid steel like an anvil or a piece of railway iron - not a job for the inexperienced - one slip and your joining link is toast.

The comment above about why the chains don't come joined? - that would be OK if it wasn't for the pesky frame tubes that normally get in the way. Generally bike frames are such you couldn't fit a chain like that unless you removed the swingarm while you are doing it.

[Antallica]

Yeah it's another FXR150 ... will ask about ease of fitting when I get a reply from Colemans. I'm not sure about that clip bit.

[F5 Dave]

Warning, most rivet links are designed to be rolled over with the tool, peening them with a hammer may cause them to fail.

For the 150 the clip link is the way to go though. The only problem you would encounter is to press the sideplate on far enough to slip the clip on. I have used Polygrips (big pliers) on small chains with a bit of grunt works fine. Tiny chains & cheapo older design ones don’t require much pressure. You can build a chain press with 2 bits of metal with 2 bolts either side to clamp the links. You drill a couple of clearance holes on the top piece so the plate is pressed over the pins as you do the bolts up. Once on the clip is applied with some pliers, closed end in direction of rotation, ie on the top run it would be closed end forward.

Hey you really should replace the sprockets as worn ones will stuff the chain quicksmart. If you can't stretch to it replace the chain with a cheaper one until you can afford it, (reverse the spkts if poss in the mean time).