Advice on breaking chain

[ropethebike]

I did a search and didn't find any instructions so apparently I am the only newbie on here that doesn't know the correct method(s) for taking links out of a chain.

Heres what I got:
DID 520 Gold ERT2 or, I am new at this but I am pretty sure this is not an O-ring chain

I have a little cheap chain break tool and I tried to use it on the old chain for practice, but apparently I did not do it correctly as it bent the bottom of the chain as the center punch pushed on the pin. It won't grip the bottomof the chain, but instead in the center..........IDK

I was thinking about grinding the pin flat and knocking it out with a punch, but not sure how the heat from grinding might affect the chain?

If anyone can give me some pretty specific instructions I think I can follow them and get this done myself. I am pretty sure I can determine the length it needs to be, just need some directions on shortening the chain without ruining it.

Thanks in advance..........
rtb

 

[IndyMX]

I use a dremel and grind the pins down below the surface of the outside link, then smack it with a center punch & hammer until the link falls out.

Rather simple. Only takes a few minutes.

You can do the same thing with a regular bench grinder.

 

[Jaybird]

If you have a conventional chain breaker (the griping claws are held on by what looks like chain links) then you can only grip the top plates. Do not try to grip the whole link from the bottom plates. It will start to push the pin out a bit, then stop and reconnect to the other side of that pin plate and start pushing that pin out a little bit. Go back to the first pin and get a little more and they will probably both fall free from the top plate.
You are pushing out the two pins that are connected on the same plate. Both pins and plate must come out together. That type of breaker does not remove the pins individually like other breakers do, it takes out the whole outer plate with two pins still attached.

It may be easier to visualize if you think about this gadget actually is really just removing the top plate from the two pin assembly. Once the top plate is off, the whole link will come apart by hand at that point.

 

[Rotorranch]

And if you grind the pins, it comes off even easier with the chain tool. :)

Rotor