Master link removal techniques?

[spwalker09]

I am dealing with the chain from hell...see question below

Here's the offending link:

After scouring the shop at my school for either a chain break tool or a die grinder w/ a cutoff wheel (neither could be found), I ended up dremeling off those ugly hex spacers and taking them off. NBD...I should just be able to push those pieces through right?

WRONG! Because I can't find said chain break tool, I used a 2-jaw puller to try and push one of the pins through, and its being a f**king b***ard to get off. The puller can't push it through (even with me turning on it with a wrench) and it eventually gets to the point where it snaps off the chain, not doing a damn thing to push the pin through. Next I tried a punch, which was even less effective.

How can you break an o-ring chain? I can survive not riding for a week (its unfortunate, but I'd rather be safe than sorry) until my new chain arrives (can't count on it being here this week since I ordered from Cheap Cycle Parts) but I'm still gonna have to get this motherf***er off one of these days, and its not gonna come off by itself. I've only dealt with standard bike chains up to this point and this is my first o-ring chain. Is this normal? Is there some special technique to getting an o-ring chain apart?

 

[Theo]

If you are replacing the chain, why not just use the dremel to cut a link in half? That's what I did with my old rusted solid chain.

 

[ukilme]

Or cut those pins off and take a large flat head screw drive; place it between the plates and a small 2x4 under it and smack it as hard as you can. It works.

 

[spwalker09]

^^ Oh yea, I tried wedging a flathead in there and trying to pry it off. No dice. And I wasn't willing to try like the last time I tried to pry something with a flathead...the time when I snapped the shank right in front of my face...

I could just dremel the link I guess, but I was under the impression that I could just replace it with a clip-type master link (aka what I'm used to...I thought all bike chains used those master links?). But its from a normal 530 chain and I have a feeling it won't be compatible with my o-ring chain. Is that true?

I'm kinda bummed its turning out this way. And its all because I need to fit a chain guard for an inspection sticker...

 

[Guest]

Or cut those pins off and take a large flat head screw drive; place it between the plates and a small 2x4 under it and smack it as hard as you can. It works.

Ditto
It works
Remind me to never to use those kind of Master Links.

 

[Guest]

Hack it off anyway you can and shout yourself a new chain and sprockets . Like Theo said , a dremmel or small grinder with a cut off blade will do the trick .

Cheers , Simon .

 

[koolaid_kid]

I strongly suggest that you will want an o-ring master link. Mine have 4 o-rings included, one for each side of each pin.
You either need to use a chain breaker or cut the plates in two with a cutting wheel.

 

[salty_monk]

I use the chain breaker from Pit Posse. Works for installing the new chain too...

To weaken the chain I removed I just took a file to the end of the pins.

 

[spwalker09]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just got really ****ed today because the task didnt turn out as I had hoped, and was kinda that way for a lot of other things today. Tomorrow I'll have a much more level head (but unfortunately not that much time) so I can take a cutting wheel to the offending link and finally take off the chain. I don't like being destructive to parts, but since this chain is from hell it deserves to go to hell

I also realized that my order isn't going to be here before the long weekend, and I REALLY want to get a sticker so I can ride this thing. So what I'm thinking is I'll go out and get a replacement non-o ring chain (should be about 20-30 bucks) and ride that for a week before my new stuff comes in (o-ring chain and sprockets). My commute is about a mile and I don't take longer rides because, well, there just aren't enough hours in the day aside from school and work. So I figure a standard chain for a week isn't going to hurt anyone, and well worth it to have a spare anyway.

Thanks again