Thanks heaps

[dephier]

I have never seen the value of having a forum search turned on till today :)

Basically, I got a new chain/sprocket combo for my '95 KDX200. I had a 14/47 combo on already (previous owner) and have just gone to a stock 13/47 (Woods and sand terrain). However, the bike shop broke my chain at the "correct" length but it is too big, thanks to everyone I have since discovered it is meant to be 108 so I intend to start the count when I get home(suspect he broke it at 109/110). I had also never installed an o-ring chain before so some of the advise is invaluable to a "I keep smashing my knuckles" kind of guy. :)

A couple of weeks ago I did a XCountry race (2 man team) with a friend on his KX125, it was through a local forest track that was a little too much for the 125 (Crashed - DNF) :( , the next round is this weekend and I'm sure it will be a much more pleasurable ride on the KDX.

So thanks for posting what you post - it is much appreciated.

 

[canyncarvr]

A BTW......Link counts on a chain are going to be even, so you may indeed have a 110, but not a 109. Well...if you expect to EVER get the master link in anyway ;)

Anything available to squeeze the master link together will help you get the clip on. A chain breaker, a c-clamp and a small socket, a pair of visegrips and a small socket......something. Take care not to tweak (bend) the masterlink side plate in the process.

(Round end of the clip goes the direction of chain travel)

 

[dephier]

Thanks for that - it was indeed a 110 (I counted it up last night)

Cheers

 

[andrew]

grab your trusty angle grinder, grind the correct pin flush with the link, then drive it out with a punch. Voila! a 108 link chain!
( I'll leave it to you to work out which one to grind...)

 

[dephier]

Well I got it all on in the end. Funny thing is I read one of the posts and one person said they struggle for a while putting the master link in and then all of a sudden it just pops into place. :) The same thing happened to me, 30 minutes of mucking about and I was just about ready to give up when I tried once more - and got it :)

The way I hooked up the master link....

I have a pair of vice grips that are slightly oversize so you can stick the jaws right between the pins with basically no room between the side of the jaw and the pin. I then turned the tightening screw at the end of the grips when it was clamped onto the link until I couldn't turn it anymore, then unclamped and did about another full turn before reclamping. released it and I then had enough room to chuck the u pin through.

After 30 minutes of frustration it really only took me a minute to do it.

hehe - back on the trails again ;)