Topic: About to cry !

[Wheelhorse77]

I just plopped 122 on a new EK630 oring chain with clip style master rated at 10,200lbs tensile from DKirk and for some reason they sent it too long. So, with me being in white collar mode I chopped off too many links on my brand new chain.

I used to rivet chains for chain saw so you would think that I would have had a clue on my counting. Anyways, can I salvage the chain by purchasing a riveted link, add the sections back in and then use the clip master, or should I but two riveted links and do both in order to maintain strength.

The real SOB is I don't have a chain riveting tool.  I do have a brake flaring tool, not sure if I could adapt it somehow.

I purchased new sprockets and everything and if I had to buy the flaring tool I might as well eat a whole new chain.

Bike is stone stock, stock gearing--- I don't do burnouts or wheelies. It is a weekend bike that does see the occasional WOT blast and about 2000 miles a year at best.

Any help is appreciated.

[736cc]

How many links is it now? Sandcasts and K0's run 17/45 teeth and only need 100 links

[Wheelhorse77]

It shipped as 100 links and only needed to be 88. Needless to say I failed to count the intermediate links.

I'm at a catch 22 because if I bought the tool, and the two riveted links I would be right at what a new chain costs. I would surely hate to have to eat another 130 dollars.

[gold01ca]

just put a new EK530 chain on my K4, shipped at 100 links and when installed and adjusted its right at the first notch on the swing arm.
wondering how an 88 link chain would fit at all

[Wheelhorse77]

630 is 88

530 is 100 links

[gold01ca]

oops! thanks wheelhorse.

[ChevelleSSLS6]

I'm wondering about sprocket sizes on mine as well, what's stock sprocket size?  (I just got my bike back in Jan... appears well cared for, it's got adjusters on the rear suspension, and a mac pipe... cant' tell if much else is stock or modded).
-Matt

[gold01ca]

K4-18T front, 48T rear

[crazypj]

Just use a big hammer and a smaller hammer.
The big one as backing and the small one to peen link.
Get two links and rivet it up.
 
PJ

[TwoTired]

I'm wondering about sprocket sizes on mine as well, what's stock sprocket size?  (I just got my bike back in Jan... appears well cared for, it's got adjusters on the rear suspension, and a mac pipe... cant' tell if much else is stock or modded).
-Matt

For a CB550F it is 17T front 37T rear.  530 type chain NON-oring, 100 links

Cheers,

[Wheelhorse77]

Just use a big hammer and a smaller hammer.
The big one as backing and the small one to peen link.
Get two links and rivet it up.
 
PJ

I've got a nice vice with a flat plate on the back that would work well for resting the chain on. It would almost be like bucking rivets.

I think the CB750 lays down a massive 60 rwhp. I noticed that a riveted chain is good for 120 crank hp.

If I rivet the entire chain together, do I have to drop the swing arm down in order to place the chain around both sprockets.

Originally I bought the press fit master with c-clip in order to not have to do that. If that's what I need to do then I will do that.

[Roach Carver]

you will have to take off the swing arm and depending on your clearance between the case and the front sprocket you may have to remove the front sprocket as well.

[Wheelhorse77]

you will have to take off the swing arm and depending on your clearance between the case and the front sprocket you may have to remove the front sprocket as well.

Cool. Thanks for the response. I assume that I would run the wheel in the full forward position, unbolt the swing arm and roll forward so that I may put the chain on the front sprocket and then reassemble and adjust.

I just ordered two rivet links from DK.

Also, I plan to carefully press the side plate on and then essentially buck the rivet ends down. Are there positive stops on the rivet links to prevent over riveting of the link which would cause a binding condition?


Does anyone have a picture of what their finished rivent ends look like after using the tool?

[ChevelleSSLS6]

I'm wondering about sprocket sizes on mine as well, what's stock sprocket size?  (I just got my bike back in Jan... appears well cared for, it's got adjusters on the rear suspension, and a mac pipe... cant' tell if much else is stock or modded).
-Matt

For a CB550F it is 17T front 37T rear.  530 type chain NON-oring, 100 links

Cheers,

thanks!

[Wheelhorse77]

I broke down and bought the tool along time ago from when I originally posted.  I since have log'd about 500 miles and the riveted links are nice and tight still. I'm heading off to the bike shop on Sat to pick up some RK oring chain lube. As I ride and log more miles I will do my best to keep this up-to-date incase anyone else ever makes the same mistake.

[jaknight]

Hello Wheelhorse,

     Some of this ground has been covered, I know......... the K0 came with 100 links.......... Gold01ca mentioned the K4......... which came with 102 links.......... 2 links can make a massive difference, as I sadly found out.......

     I bought a DID 530NZ (like extra heavy duty chain) 102 links, non O ring for my 750 K4, also a front and rear sprocket........... the company selling this chain had cut it down to the 102 links from a 120 link chain........ even put the cut down chain in a new DID box..........

     Problem was that when the seller cut the chain, they nicked the links which were held next to the chain cutter.......... I didn't think the nicks were that bad; installed chain........... binding was the result.......... I had bought a Motion Pro chain breaker and riveter......... the big, jumbo, heavy duty model......... like $140 smackers........ and Motion Pro was truthful enough to let me know that even their jumbo, heavy duty model will not rivet 630 chains.

     Called the company, they were nice, sent me a new master link, side plate, and clip on link for free........... had to use the chain breaker to take out the master link and the nicked link........ then found one more "nicked up" link; removed it too.......... Now I am down to 100 links, like the K0.........

     Pressed in the new master link and side plate.......... Yes, be extremely careful when pressing on the new side plate to the master link......... it is easy to overdo it and it will bind........ watch carefully from right above the link........ don't go any further than what it would take for the "clip on" link to fit over the groves in the pins.......... even if you are not going to use the clip on link......... the press on side plate, which I used, will bind on the pins and other side plates if it is pressed on too far...........

     I believe my 750 has 8 adjustment marks on each side of the frame......... when I initially installed the new chain and sprockets, the adjustment was good, just slightly past the 3rd mark........... now it is perfectly adjusted, but, it is slightly in front of the very first mark.............. I was just barely able to get my rear wheel on the bike with my finished chain...........

     If you have a 630 chain be warned........... very few chain breakers, and,...... especially the riveters, work on 630 chains........ I don't have to tell you, be careful, those link numbers are precious............ 1 link makes a massive difference........
Sorry I am clouding your mind with disheartening thoughts......... just stay totally focused while you are working on this.......

     Believe me, I feel for you in this......... I've been there, not a fun place to go to..........

     ~ ~ ~ jaknight ~ ~ ~

[Wheelhorse77]

I bought the RK chain tool which handled the 630 with no sweat. I believe it was 100 to my door to boot, picked it up off of ebay as a new unit.

I used a grinder to take out links so I would not nick any side plates except the ones that were being removed. Worked like a champ...

[turboguzzi]

there are two types of riveting
1. hollow pin ends that need only a centering punch to be flared out (with a big hammer working as a dolly). Have riveted such a chain on my 140 HP GSXR1100 without any problems and it holds just fine.
2. Straight cut pins that need a quite special tool in order to create four chamfers like the ones in the other links. Asked a near friendly bike shop to lend me that tool to do that one.

So check the chain riveting type before ordering any tools, you might not need one as the hollow pin rivet links are becoming more and more popular, at least here in Italy.

An extra rivet link in your chain shouldnt be such a big danger if the riveting is done right.
TG   

[jaknight]

Hi Wheel & TG,

     I am glad that both of you have the proper set ups and/or have access to the proper tools as needed.

     Let me expand a little on what I do have.

     I have the "sets" for doing both the dimpled or annealed pins and the tools for doing the quad stake pins on the "hard" chains.

     While my chain tools will easily break 630 chains as if they are butter.......... Motion Pro was kind enough to let me know that I can easily rivet 530 chains, annealed or hard "quad stake"......... but that it, and most other chain tools (like ones I have seen by Diamond), cannot do 630 quad stakes...........

     I simply wanted to give Wheel a heads up in case he was wrongly told that riveting a 630 would be a breeze with "any" chain rivet tool........... which just simply is not so................

     I am glad to know that you have ways of quad staking the links........... DID informed me that under no circumstances was I to run the chain without quad staking........... unless I used the clip on link................. go figure??

     ~ ~ ~ jaknight ~ ~ ~

[bobsmith]

I just installed a "Bikemasters" O ring chain, but just gave up worrying about the riveted master link.  Not wanting to spend mucho bucks on something I will use twice more in my lifetime or worrying if I riveted it correctly with a ballpeen, I went to the local stealer and paid $6 for a clip on master link.

[neil young]

im running a 77 cb 550 on a 71 500 frame.does this make a differance on the sprocket size?i would like to buy new sprockets front and rear with a new chain.i dont know if the P O did any mods prior to purchase.so what do i need teeth wise and chain length and what kind of chain

[Wheelhorse77]

there are two types of riveting
1. hollow pin ends that need only a centering punch to be flared out (with a big hammer working as a dolly). Have riveted such a chain on my 140 HP GSXR1100 without any problems and it holds just fine.
2. Straight cut pins that need a quite special tool in order to create four chamfers like the ones in the other links. Asked a near friendly bike shop to lend me that tool to do that one.

So check the chain riveting type before ordering any tools, you might not need one as the hollow pin rivet links are becoming more and more popular, at least here in Italy.

An extra rivet link in your chain shouldnt be such a big danger if the riveting is done right.
TG   

Mine are the hollow pin. I wanted solid and a tool to perform the solid, but to no avail so I settled for the riveted hollow set up. This is probably why the RK tool handles the riveted hollow ones with ease. I just wanted to clarify which links I was using.

[Gordon]

im running a 77 cb 550 on a 71 500 frame.does this make a differance on the sprocket size?i would like to buy new sprockets front and rear with a new chain.i dont know if the P O did any mods prior to purchase.so what do i need teeth wise and chain length and what kind of chain

If you're happy with the current set-up, then just count the teeth on the sprockets and links on the chain and get exact replacements.

[Wheelhorse77]

im running a 77 cb 550 on a 71 500 frame.does this make a differance on the sprocket size?i would like to buy new sprockets front and rear with a new chain.i dont know if the P O did any mods prior to purchase.so what do i need teeth wise and chain length and what kind of chain

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=22201.30;topicseen

Neil read through this, on page two a guy explains teeth ratio and chain size applicable to your set up.