Chain Breaker/Riveter
 

Anyone got any suggestions of a decent chain tool? Ive got a cheap nasty one but dont think I would trust it enough to take it on my travels. Want something sturdy/compact and reliable.

I think carrying such a tool is an extravagant use of available space/weight.

A basic drift/punch, pliers and mole-grip are far more useful and already carried. Plus a few heavy rocks on the track side, as both hammer and anvil.

They did the trick for us in deepest Siberia when a chain snapped which we repaired with a couple of 'soft' links. That got us to a workshop several weeks later!

Biggest difficulty was the hungry mosquitos and no chain tool can deal with them.

A chain tool would have avoided having to get you to a mechanic!
You could have done a permanent repair, and rocks tend to be a bit sparse in some places.
There are some nice light weight chain tools out there.
Motion pro do an ace one. zenoverland.com sell em.

As a mechanic I've seen many a thing "hammered" into a "will get you by" situation where a proper repair was a tool away and would have, well, repaired it!
A chain tool is such a thing
You hammer something, it distorts!
Although, in some cases, a variable pressure applicator does have it's uses!

But, each to their own!
There's lot's of "over loaded with useless stuff" bikes out there.
Just an opinion.

All the best bud.
Dave.

I carry the Motion Pro T-6 Chain Tool. Very small and lightweight. I helped someone fix a chain without a chain tool once and it worked, but I would never have trusted that chain again for any significant distance. After that, I decided carrying a chain tool is a small enough sacrifice to guard against a possibly mangled field repair resulting in the need to buy a new chain. But no, it is not necessary by any stretch of the imagination.

I carry a DRC Aluminium chain tool.
It's not heavy.
It's not bulky.
It fixes chains.

It's wrapped up in a little bag with a few new and used split links and some bits and bobs of chain.

I've done a few chain repairs in the past with wire, bits of nail, etc to limp home. But having seen how much damage a broken chain can do to a bike, I'd much rather do it right and only do it once.

Cheers people, the drc alu tool looks pretty good. Im a mechanic too and would rather do 'first time fix'. No point doin a job twice.

i have a small motion pro one and would say its worth stashing somewhere on bike.
a broken chain from a lashe repair is not the end of the world....but is not quite so rosey when the broken chain wraps round front sprocket and demolishes crankcases...ouch....
i actualy know someone that welded a link plate on a honda crf450 to try it up the road..15 minutes later it was pissing oil out from a hole in left case..oopsy.

Does the Motion Pro tool do the whole gig, split and rivet? I had a feeling it only works on split links, I'm in the market also but sure someone said it isn't a "complete" tool.

Cheers
Pete

Edit, just checked the MP isn't any use for me :(

I suggest this: gear4bikes.com (UK) Tools & Gauges

I just tested this link on a different computer and the page didn't appear correctly. If you use the site's search function, you're looking for this: "790050 - KM500 Style Chain Splitter & Rivetter (replica of DID tool, suitable for 520, 525, 530 & 532 gauge)"

I've used it to split a stretched chain and remove links and re-rivet it. The instructions are in "Chinese" English, but are followable.
HTH
Chris

Terra-X make a good chain breaker which is tiny.

Enduro Chainbreaker

Terra-x
 

How good is it?

I've been thinking about chain tools for a trip so i'd like to get your oppinion of it.

Scroll down the page to find the chain tool.

Yamaha XS650 - Manuals & Service Tools - XS650 Direct.com

I always take one ,it's way better than bashing away with rocks ,chisels and other crap which can result in knuckle bruising ,side plate bending and an imperfect joint :taz:.
Your bike puts out a lot of horsepower ,treat the driveline with respect .

The DRC chaintool looks good as well .
:thumbup1:

The bonuses with these tools is that you can fix the chain in situ ,easily and properly the first time .

Sure I've fixed chains with chisels, punches ,vicegrips ,used old nuts and bolts as anvils and rivetters and even welded them .
But now I prefer to do it the easy and proper way ,thank you very much .

:thumbup1:
Terra X,great little tool,fits in the palm of your hand.
Ben

Perfect.............. exept it's a 20000 mile ride to get one :scooter:

Gutted
Pete

Order one online and get it posted/couriered to you?

What a good excuse for a ride .

Sorry I must have missed the international ordering page... or any ordering page come to think of it! :eek3:

Without wanting to appear cute in any way, maybe you could visit Stockists (I found this by clicking a link from their home page) and call a stockist? Depending on your phone provider it's totally free or maybe a couple of pence a minute. (bear in mind the time differences and that they speak funny doh ).

Or you could search for a stockist using an internet search engine? I found the one that is top left on the page: Their website is Sutto's Motorcycle Supply They have an online shop. Any bricks and mortar retailer without an internet presence in the 21st century isn't going to be doing well (or has already gone bust).

All of the above assumes you're actually interested in purchasing the item. If not I sorry to trouble you.

Kindest regards

Posts moved to appropriate forum
 

Hi
The off topic discussion regarding the BAM has been moved to

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...tire-bam-55110

Hope nobody minds,
Ta
Chris

Bloody excellent bit of gear, used it in anger twice now and it works as advertised. But as is always the way we have just gotten back from a month touring New Zealand and didn't need it once... best thing is that it is so small and light and as far as my experience goes so far well made.

No need to ride 25,000k's to get one, we in the far flung places of the world heard about a new fangled idea called international post a while back and now have a heap of shiny new red vans running around, not to mention all these idiots riding honda C110's on the footpath. :rofl:

another vote for the Terra X -Works a treat, small and well made.

Stange, I didn't want to pay the same in postage/custom charges as the value of the item!

Pete

Hi I see the edit there.

The lightweight tool is a "pin/plate pusher" not a riviting tool but, The biggest prob with "in the field" chain repairs is pushing a rivited or peened pin out of the link.
Some tools require you to grind the riveted head off the pin before use but the lightweight MP one will push them out as is.
It has plates with it that keeps the side plates aligned when pushing them on to a new master link.
It's important as I'm sure most of you know, not to over compress the o-rings on o-ring chains when putting the plates on. This is where a chain tool gives you that control.
Sometimes you get little spacers that you clip in over the o-rings to stop this when pushing the plates on otherwise you have to be careful and try and match to the existing plates as best you can. An adjustable spanner can help as a makeshift vernier gauge.
These clips are very handy for field repairs!
The breaker/riveter tools are usually a bit more heavy duty, and I don't know of a light weight one.
Without a riveting tool, peening of the pin is something that can be done with a hammer and makeshift anvil but it doesn't require too much. The hollow pin type "master link"" will need a centre punch and solid chain pin careful use of a variable pressure aplicator. Again an adjustable spanner will help match the riveted head to the other rivets.
As for hammering the pins out in the field with a centre punch and hammering the plates on ect, well, it's up to you but when your options are limited you gotta do something.

I have seen a few broken chains and a fair few of those have been at the master link ect. Even on chains that have been fitted "professionally".
They can write your crankcase off in some cases!

Don't forget to grease up the new link and o-rings, v important!
I'm no chain expert but I know it's an important area and when you think of the abuse and stress it's under you just know it's something you have to get right.

All the best.
Dave.

can you remember where from & how much?

Can't remember where I got it from but I think it was about ten squids.

A quick goggle search finds lots of stockists

Motion pro do other models too. Adventurespec just sells the split link one but the next one up rivets too

I've just got one, mail order Aus to UK £52. Loooks great- compact and light but pretty strong. Not used it yet but when I have I'll report back

:thumbup1:

I don't want to appear dense but why would you want to bother with a chain breaker? I agree with Tony P, why not just file the heads off and knock them out with a punch/nail... The thing to remember, is that if its a hard link that's broken, nearly every 'chain breaker' out there won't do squat. I'd just replace it with a split link and never worry about it again.

Makes all sorts of things easier as well like taking the wheel in and out,changing sprocket sizes from long geared road size to off road/high altitude windy roads etc.... Can't see that being done with an endless chain.

Just make sure that the chain you buy is over length, split it down to the smallest (road) length , then you've got a short length of matching links that you can use for different sprocket sizes or even to replace a length of broken chain.

In 25 years I've never had a problem with split links failing under use. Carry a couple of spares in case you lose a pin in the sand or just wear and tear and don't worry about working with your chain ever again,it allows you to tailor your bike to different conditions, which as I see it is a good thing.
:thumbdown:

I always use a split link so apart from when I first "trim" a chain to fit, yes in theory I shouldn't need a chain breaker.

However, I have had a normal link break out on the trail (I suspect a stone got caught between the chain and sprocket) and it was a pretty straight forward task to use my little chain breaker to remove the bent and splayed bit of chain and put in a new section (spare from when I first fitted the chain) with two split links. I think that would be a real faff to do with a file and a punch.

I may never need it again but my "chain repair kit" is something I always carry.

Each to there own I suppose.

Hey guys, I sell a pretty good quality chain breaker kit made by Stockton Tool Company.
http://www.pix8.net/pro/pic/20955szlJ/11561132.jpg
Chain Breaker Kit (13 piece)
My price: $39


Cycle Gear carries the same kit for $89.99!
Cycle Gear - STOCKTON TOOL COMPANY: Chain Breaker and Rivet Tool Kit,

Needed one in India - wish'd I'd carried one with me
 

Hi

This is one thing I thought I wouldn't need. In India the chain link started to wear badly causing a click everytime the wheels rotated. This was happening as the worn link came off the top of rear sprocket and suddenly expanding due to pull from engine. This click click click was driving me nuts and I knew it would cause wear and possibly fail so wanted to replace with a spare chain link I carried with me. In the end I changed the sprockets and chain I was carrying with me. However, fitting them was not that easy. The click was getting really bad in Manali so went to local workshop for mostly enfields. This turned into an adventure on its own.

Workshop 1 Manali India.
"Do you have chain tool"? Man attempted to remove using pliers! Cant find spring link.

Workshop 2 Manali India.
another 2 men attempted to remove using pliers, looking confused as to why they couldnt find spring link.

Workshop 3 - on road to Mandi from Manali.
Same again ... no chain split tool and another man with pliers. They tightened chain without me noticing. Stopped by side of road to slacken off overtight chain.

Workshop 4 - Mandi.
same again, no tools yet they had plenty of nice new KTM200s with linkless chains. Fancy toolboxes which were empty. Decided to head further south to large city.

Workshop 5 - Chandigarh KTM.
Lots of bikes there, no tool for chain.

Workshop 6 - Ducatti workshop Chandigarh.
No tools either, resorted to angle grinder and hammer/punch method.

This meant I had diverted south for 300km when I wanted to head north. Wish I'd brought a $30 chain tool.

I made the assumption all bike shops would have one.