fordfasterr

HELP !

What tool is strong enough to take apart a dura-ace chain ?

Sheesh.......

Al1943

I've done that before. Try to keep the small punch on a straight course throuch the chain. It snaps off when on an angle. Your LBS should have replacement punches (or pins, whatever they're called).

Al

fordfasterr

I broke the whole damn tool in half ! BOTH TIMES>

I must admit, they are those cheep $ 4. walmart chain tools... figures.

orange leader

Yeah, I've broken like 3 of those cheap ones. Buy a decent park mini tool, or go for the pro shop larger one. I've broken several pins on the pro shop variety, but i've had the exact same Park Mini Chain tool (and pin) for the last 10 years and broken more chains with that than any other tool, and never broken my mini.

the $4 ones are made with cruddy "white" metal. I'm not sure what kind of metal mixture "white" is but it doesn't work on things which require a lot of torque.

fordfasterr

is this the good park chain tool ?

I want one that won't break so easily and will last !!




or is it this one ?

HillRider

You want the top tool in your illustration, it's the CT-3. The lower CT-2 "pliers type" tool is for chains with reusable pins and is NOT what you want.

OLDYELLR

I've bent/broken the punch on a cheapie chain tool too. Replaced the punch insert with one I made from a concrete nail and it still works fine. These work better and stay aligned with chains that don't have funny shaped side plates.

CastIron

The God of Chain Tools.

fordfasterr

i'm going to buy that one... but for the mean time, I had to give in and let my LBS shorten this Dura-Ace chain for me.. he charged me $ 7.50


ouch.

fordfasterr

Update.

Shortly after posting, I went for a ride, and about 3/4 of a mile in, I was at a red light, and when it turned green I went... and snap !

The brand new dura-ace chain snapped.... I recovered and coasted to the other side of the street... called my g/f and she picked me up...

Now... this really ... really sucks.

orange leader

First, Ouch, my condolences. You can probably get away with just removin a link and riding the same chain, although it will be tighter.

It sounds like you didn't push the pin all the way through the other chain plate.

You have to push it through until it comes out a little on the other side. The chain will have a VERY stiff link now. Then flip your chain tool around so it's on the opposite side of the chain, and put the chain in the inner stirrups of the tool. the chain tool will now push the pin back a tad, while simultaneously separating the plates, stop as soon as the chain moves freely again. It should stick out half a hair on either side (i.e. not much).

Also, the chaintool in the uppermost picture, also referred to as the CT-3 or the God of Chain tools, is a good tool, but it is the one that I've broken several pins with. The tool lasts, but it seems to bust pins pretty easily. I'm not sure what the difference is between it and the park Mini chain breaker. But I actually prefer the mini, as i've never had a problem with it.

barba

Get a quality chain tool. Sorry about the broken chain. I had a break a month ago that snapped my RD and left me with a sad 10 mile walk home with my silly road shoes clicking away, taunting me with each step. Carry a master link and a chain tool, if you can. Most times you can fix it well enough to get home.

Unless your RD is in three pieces...

fordfasterr

Just FYI, the bike shop buy was the one that actually re-sized this chain for me... so this failure was not my fault... lol > at least not directly .

I got very lucky that the RD did not break, and that the chain did not get into my brand new italian wheels !! =)

At least I did not land on my head when it happened... I ended up getting a ride from my g/f and then I had to drive her car to my original desitnation and this time I brought my unicycle with me so I did finally get to ride with my family on the beach =)

operator

Or you can get a SRAM chain with a masterlink and be done with all this chain tool business. Also those $3 Walmart chain tools are useless. They snap in half. Do yourself a favour and spend the $15 for a park chain tool.

caotropheus

Wrench Force chain tool will take that very easy. I discovered the expensive way that this tool is better than the Park chain tool.

'nother

++

I don't miss the days of chain break tools at all . . .

HillRider

Even if you get a chain witrh a master link (SRAM, Wippermann or KMC) you still need a good chain tool to make the initial length adjustment. Get the Park CT-3.

BTW, I would hope your LBS knew this but you NEVER reuse a pin in a Shimano chain. You MUST push the pin out completely and replace it with a specific replacement pin which, if properly installed, is as strong as the original chain and will not produce a "tight link". I think your LBS screwed up.

fordfasterr

That is what the manual said, but where can we get these new dura-ace pins ?

I ended up repairing the chain myself and I know that the pins are damaged from removing and re-using them.....

=(


edit: I just ebayed it... look what I found:



The magical F_cking chain pins......

HillRider

The Shimano replacement pins don't have to say "Dura Ace" on them but they must match the chain width. You will find them labeled 8-speed, 9-speed and 10-speed and you must use the correct one for your chain type. Any LBS or any mail order shop will have them.

LóFarkas

Do yourself a favour and lay off Shimano chains. All this replacement pin crap that sometimes even bikeshops mess up... Not worth the effin' hassle. Just buy Sram. Cheaper, better, and has a good master link. I'd go back to the shop and kick an ass, BTW. That sort of mistake is way too dangerous. I guess you could even demand compensation.

I suspect user error in all these chain tool breakings... my $7 cheapo is holding up fine. But then over there you may have even worse cheapos.

HillRider

SRAM chains have a master link but they are neither cheaper or better.

I've installed dozens and dozens of Shimano HG and IG chains and never has one break or give the slightest trouble. It's very possible to install the SRAM or Wippermann master link improperly and have the same breakage so neither system is infalliable.

LóFarkas

You and the Shimano reps are about the only people with that view, HillRider. Installing a masterlink improperly? Come on... We've had a guy who installed his pedals by screwing them in by hand, finger tight. Does that mean that cranks are imperfect because the threads can strip?

TomM

In that case your bike becomes a fixed gear.

fordfasterr

lol

I wish.

HillRider

We (the Shimano guy and I) aren't the only ones not in love with SRAM chains and installing their master link improperly is amazingly easy. The only "benefit" to doing so is that the failure occurs very soon afterward so it never strands you miles from home, only blocks.

BTW, installing the Shimano replacement pin IS amazingly easy. Not that it can't be done wrong but it's easy to do right and when it is, the chain is very durable, quiet and reliable.