Rejoining a SRAM Chain -- Which tools required?

"Peter B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'd just buy two SRAM Powerlinks to rejoin it. That way it retains its
original length and can be easily split for cleaning or removal if it jams
again.

99 pence each from www.wiggle.co.uk/ or www.chainreactioncycles.com
LBS's & Halfords Bikehuts usually sell them.

Pete

www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=871 to see a picture.

I had a chain (SRAM PC-951) fall down between the inner chainring and the bb
shell. Unfortunately this broke one of the links. I took the chain down to a
LBS and he proceeded to break the chain to remove the link and was then
unable to join it together. As I need the bike running tomorrow, I had to
buy a new chain. I knew something was wrong when I saw him take out a
bog-standard chain tool to do the job; I have one of these and if it was
that easy, I'd have done it myself!

So, I now have a relatively new chain in two pieces -- which tool is
required to fix them together properly? I could take the pieces to another
bike shop, but I'd like to know what he should be doing to do the job
properly. I also have several bits of the same model chain hanging around
(from shortening when new) and could join them to make one useful chain if I
had a tool of my own.

Simon Bennett said:

I had a chain (SRAM PC-951) fall down between the inner chainring and
the bb shell. Unfortunately this broke one of the links. I took the
chain down to a LBS and he proceeded to break the chain to remove the
link and was then unable to join it together.

Why not? SRAM pins are tight but still it's possible to join the chains
in the conventional way. And I would expect a good shop to have
Powerlinks anyway......

Quoted message said:

As I need the bike
running tomorrow, I had to buy a new chain. I knew something was
wrong when I saw him take out a bog-standard chain tool to do the
job; I have one of these and if it was that easy, I'd have done it
myself!

So, I now have a relatively new chain in two pieces -- which tool is
required to fix them together properly?

Bog-standard chain tool to break, and preferably SRAM Powerlink to join.
You can use as many Powerlinks as you like in a chain. See www.sram.com
and Google if you're not familiar with these special links.

Quoted message said:

I could take the pieces to
another bike shop,

Don't go back to the first bike shop. If they can't fix a chain, they
can't be trusted for anything.

Quoted message said:

but I'd like to know what he should be doing to do
the job properly. I also have several bits of the same model chain
hanging around (from shortening when new) and could join them to make
one useful chain if I had a tool of my own.

You could use bits from this to make up the length, in conjunction with a
Powerlink. Doesn't matter if you have to completely disassemble links to
get what's necessary when using Powerlinks instead of the normal outer
plates.

Ideally new links shouldn't be added to a used chain but this doesn't seem
to matter in practice when there isn't much difference in wear.

I've done this after needing a longer chain after fitting larger
sprockets.

~PB

Simon Bennett said:

I had a chain (SRAM PC-951) fall down between the inner chainring and the bb
shell. Unfortunately this broke one of the links. I took the chain down to a
LBS and he proceeded to break the chain to remove the link and was then
unable to join it together. As I need the bike running tomorrow, I had to
buy a new chain. I knew something was wrong when I saw him take out a
bog-standard chain tool to do the job; I have one of these and if it was
that easy, I'd have done it myself!

So, I now have a relatively new chain in two pieces -- which tool is
required to fix them together properly? I could take the pieces to another
bike shop, but I'd like to know what he should be doing to do the job
properly. I also have several bits of the same model chain hanging around
(from shortening when new) and could join them to make one useful chain if I
had a tool of my own.

I don't quite understand. If you had to buy a new chain, why do you now
have two pieces? However, as you have a chain tool you should be able
to manage. This link should help.
<http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=25>

--
Dave...

Pete Biggs said:

Why not? SRAM pins are tight but still it's possible to join the
chains in the conventional way. And I would expect a good shop to
have Powerlinks anyway......

He didn't employ a new pin. Just pushed an existing one out, rejoined, then
tried to push it back in, and failed.

Quoted message said:

Bog-standard chain tool to break, and preferably SRAM Powerlink to
join. You can use as many Powerlinks as you like in a chain. See
www.sram.com and Google if you're not familiar with these special
links.

The chain already has a powerlink. Didn't realise you could use more than
one.

Good advice.

Ta.

dkahn400 said:

I don't quite understand. If you had to buy a new chain, why do you
now have two pieces? However, as you have a chain tool you should be
able to manage. This link should help.
<http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=25>

I have the two pieces of the old chain he failed to join. Plus the new
chain.

Simon Bennett submitted this idea :

Quoted message said:

Pete Biggs said:

Why not? SRAM pins are tight but still it's possible to join the
chains in the conventional way. And I would expect a good shop to
have Powerlinks anyway......

He didn't employ a new pin. Just pushed an existing one out, rejoined, then
tried to push it back in, and failed.

Then really, really don't go back to that shop if that's what he tried!
It's bad enough that he pushed the pin right out - which any competent
mechanic knows you shouldn't do (if you're planning to rejoin using
said rivet), but the fact that he then tried to re-insert it makes it
clear he hadn't a clue what he was doing.

What others have said is correct (use a Powerlink), but there's also no
reason why you shouldn't just insert an extra double link with a
conventional rivet - especially if you have the tool. That's what your
mechanic could (should) have done when he'd pushed the pin out...

--
Simon
www.simondaw.freeserve.co.uk

"Simon D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Then really, really don't go back to that shop if that's what he tried!
It's bad enough that he pushed the pin right out - which any competent
mechanic knows you shouldn't do (if you're planning to rejoin using said
rivet), but the fact that he then tried to re-insert it makes it clear he
hadn't a clue what he was doing.

Eh? It's tedious, but I've done it in the past with no problems. (can't
remember why. I do know to push it out only sufficiently to get the chain
apart, ie leave a little bit sticking out on the inside). SRAM, not shimano,
and pre-powerlink though.

cheers,
clive

Clive George explained :

Quoted message said:

"Simon D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Then really, really don't go back to that shop if that's what he tried!
It's bad enough that he pushed the pin right out - which any competent
mechanic knows you shouldn't do (if you're planning to rejoin using said
rivet), but the fact that he then tried to re-insert it makes it clear he
hadn't a clue what he was doing.

Eh? It's tedious, but I've done it in the past with no problems. (can't
remember why. I do know to push it out only sufficiently to get the chain
apart, ie leave a little bit sticking out on the inside). SRAM, not shimano,
and pre-powerlink though.

Well yes, it's possible (with determination). But splitting / rejoining
any chain always damages the chain slightly, and having to faff about
trying to persuade the pin to go back in makes damaging the outer plate
more likely. This in turn makes chain breakage more likely.

All shops get huge amounts of bits of chain left over from fitting new
chains, so extra, odd links are not exactly hard to come by, and don't
really even have any cost to the shop. I stand by what I said - that no
competent mechanic would ever do what he did. I suppose I should have
added "unless he hadn't any extra bits of chain", but if that were the
case I'd still stand by my advice not to return!

--
Simon
www.simondaw.freeserve.co.uk

"Simon Bennett" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I had a chain (SRAM PC-951) fall down between the inner chainring and the
bb
shell. Unfortunately this broke one of the links. I took the chain down to
a
LBS and he proceeded to break the chain to remove the link and was then
unable to join it together. As I need the bike running tomorrow, I had to
buy a new chain. I knew something was wrong when I saw him take out a
bog-standard chain tool to do the job; I have one of these and if it was
that easy, I'd have done it myself!

So, I now have a relatively new chain in two pieces -- which tool is
required to fix them together properly? I could take the pieces to another
bike shop, but I'd like to know what he should be doing to do the job
properly. I also have several bits of the same model chain hanging around
(from shortening when new) and could join them to make one useful chain if
I
had a tool of my own.

I've broken and rejoined SRAM chains with a chain tool to no ill effect. As
long as you don't [censored] it up (ie, push the rivet right out) it all goes back
together fairly smoothly. Powerlinks are easier though.

Simon D said:

All shops get huge amounts of bits of chain left over from fitting new
chains, so extra, odd links are not exactly hard to come by, and don't
really even have any cost to the shop.

Um, can be hard to come by if the shop in question is Richmond Cycles in
Hammersmith IME.

JimP

--
Let's think the unthinkable, let's do the undoable, let's prepare to
grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after
all. - DNA

Doki said:

I've broken and rejoined SRAM chains with a chain tool to no ill
effect.

So have I but still there's the potential for various sorts of damage with
these tight peened pins -- pin not back quite right, bent plate or even a
cracked plate, which might not be visible to begin with. But still I
would expect a bike shop mechanic without Powerlinks to manage for a
customer who needed to ride the bike straight away.

~PB

Simon Bennett said:

He didn't employ a new pin. Just pushed an existing one out,
rejoined, then tried to push it back in, and failed.

It's possible to push a pin back as long as it wasn't pushed all the way
out or too far out, although this can cause damage -- partly why
Powerlinks are preferable. So it would be fair enough if he told you that
the chain should only be joined with a Powerlink (what SRAM state) and
that he didn't have any Powerlinks.

~PB

Clive George said:

"Simon D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Then really, really don't go back to that shop if that's what he tried!
It's bad enough that he pushed the pin right out - which any competent
mechanic knows you shouldn't do (if you're planning to rejoin using said
rivet), but the fact that he then tried to re-insert it makes it clear he
hadn't a clue what he was doing.

Eh? It's tedious, but I've done it in the past with no problems. (can't
remember why. I do know to push it out only sufficiently to get the chain
apart, ie leave a little bit sticking out on the inside). SRAM, not shimano,
and pre-powerlink though.

My Park Tools chain tool (the light weight one) is designed so you
can't push the pin all the way out.

Tim

Tim Hall used his keyboard to write :

Quoted message said:

My Park Tools chain tool (the light weight one) is designed so you
can't push the pin all the way out.

The heavier-duty workshop model has the same feature - they're both
really excellent tools. One has to wonder why a "professional" mechanic
is using anything without, really.

--
Simon
www.simondaw.freeserve.co.uk

Simon D said:

The heavier-duty workshop model has the same feature - they're both
really excellent tools. One has to wonder why a "professional" mechanic
is using anything without, really.

For a pro really handy with a CT the extra "can't get it wrong" feature
is moot, because through lots and lots and lots and lots of practice
they won't get it wrong anyway...

Me, I recently got the Park one, and like it a lot because I don't get
that practice!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/