relinking a chain with a hammer?
 

kinda confused on how to relink my chain. when I delinked it i pushed the rod all the way out. now i'm trying to relink it but i have no idea how. initially the rod was on the inside part of the chain but i couldn't bend the outside part to fit over. then i tried to put the rod barely into the outside part so that i could try and use the chain delinker to push the rod all the way through. unfortunately i wasn't sure how to do that since my chain delinker won't stretch far enough to do that and i can't seem to balance the rod on hte outside part to hammer it through. honestly i have no idea how to put this chain back together. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3201/...fb8e9169_z.jpg

Get the correct tool for the job, like a Park CT-3.

There are also other factors like what type of chain you are using, single use pins and powerlinks, these all have an impact to how the chain goes back together.

how can i determine which chain i'm using?

One of my friends did a chain repair with a nail and a rock, in the Argentine side of the Andes.

you just do what you must, ...

FWIW, I gave him a chain tool before the trip, he weighed the 2,
after finding a light, cheap aluminum one,
which broke on him in one of the more the remote parts of the world.

here's what you do ..
1, buy a chain tool... you have a computer and a camera, you can find a bicycle chain tool.
2 use it to go back a link .
this time don't press the pin all the way out
add 2 links of chain, to replace those you removed,
then press the pin back in to the link you added,
and the link of the remaining chain.

there are 2 stages on decent chain tools, heavy one to press the chain out,
and a thinner one above it, that is to lightly press the chain links apart
when they are too tight.

What speed / make is it from, Shimano use single use pins, SRAM and others use powerlinks etc

at this stage I would take the chain to the LBS and get a masterlink or powerlink for the chain, then remove the one link on the end that is the outer link then connect the chain with the masterlink.

Keep trying. It requires several hours of patience, but I have done this successfully several times. If you go to the LBS you wont learn anything.
If your chain breaker tool doesn't have enough clearance for the pin then get another one, something cheap if you're on a budget. The trick is to use an old bike chain inner link as a guide for the pin.

• Place the end of the chain with the outer link in the chain breaker.
• Insert the other end of the chain into the outer link as if you were reattaching the chain. This will prevent the outer link from bending inwards from the force of the pin.
• Place an old inner link with the loose pin inside over the hole of the outer link.
• Balance everything in the chain breaker and screw the pin down.
• Repeat 1000 times till it goes in straight.

Sorry if it's difficult to follow. Not easy without photos.

I've managed to get a pin back in before, using a thin pair of pliers to hold the pin itself, and carefully tapping the pin back into place. It helps to reassemble the chain first until you get it started. This was with an older 5-speed chain though- no idea how well this would work with thinner chains.

Just remember that modern chains are not designed to have reusable pins; Shimano sells single-use replacement pins for their chains, and other companies use special reusable master links. If you re-use a pin from one of these modern chains, there's a significantly increased chance of the chain failing at that joint (or so I read).

I have no qualms with "improvising" tools and innovative repair techniques, BUT the only chain that ever broke on me (tens of thousands of miles at 220-275lbs)
was a chain I "reused" a pin on, and used a proper chain tool to reinstall it. You don't want a chain to break, especially sprinting at your max effort, it would really hurt.
And the "final fit" of the pin is really critical, I don't think a hammer would get both ends pressed in correctly.

PS. I spent a few hours once trying to fix one without a chain tool, never again, the aggravation and frustration trying to fiddle
with such small crap with big fingers is 100% not worth it IMHO.

I would suggest

1) Get a chain tool and a replacement pin (if you don't know which it is maybe your LBS can help)
2) Get a master link and use that, probably the best bet/cheapest fix now.
3) Get a chain tool and a new chain and replace the old one.

+1

This is by far the best advice.

Then get a chain tool and next time don't push the pin all the way out. Some lessons are more expensive than others. This is a relatively cheap one.

Chain pins are riveted, by breaking the chain you damage the flared out portion. What happens? The chain breaks apart when heavily stressed, and you bust your ass. You NEED to purchase replacement pins for a shimano chain, or a master link for a SRAM. Risking your safety for a $1-$4 is a bad idea, IMO.

If you are very careful and put some thought into it you can often improvise a fix in a pinch but is always better to do a proper fix with the proper tools.

Another for buying a good chain breaker for $10-15 and a new pin. It could potentially save you thousands on medical bills. Ask me how I know.

Tony:

I can sympathize. Your chain looks like just the old 6-speed SIS Uniglide chain on early 90's drive trains which I removed yesterday to soak in some cleaning solvent. The real challenge with these chains is the bulge in the middle of each link. It makes it difficult to apply perpendicular force on the pin because the link won't stay flat. But rest assured, it can be done.

Here's an approach that has worked for me in the past. You need a C-clamp that opens wide enough. Take a disposable chopstick or several toothpicks or a narrow wood dowel or anything that is rigid but relatively compressible, then join the chain together where the missing pin is supposed to go, and then from the backside, temporarily wedge the wood into the hole to keep the chain together. There should be no protruding dowel out of the front side of the link. Place the pin up to the hole. Two things to note here. First, the C-clamp should be sort of adjusted so it's just a little bit wider so you can turn it just a little and start to exert pressure on the pin. Second, on Shimano SIS 6-speed Uniglide chains, the pins have a sort of ridge on them because two edges are beveled a little. That ridge is supposed to be horizontal when the chain is on the bike (or longitudinal to the link itself). So try to orient that pin before tightening to get the correct alignment.

Now slowly and gently turn the handle to exert pressure. If your C-clamp doesn't have a rotating head bearing, the friction from turning can cause the pin orientation to change. If you have a small pair of pliers to grab the pin, holding the pin to stop it from turning. It helps to have the C-clamp in a vise so you can use one hand to grip the pin with pliers and the other hand to tighten the c-clamp. When the pin punches through and starts to slide into the hole, you should notice right away, how the turning of the c-clamp gets easier. Give it an extra turn or two, then remove and use your regular chain rivet tool, since the pin is back in.

I've repaired and relinked these chains before, and while I've heard of links coming apart, I've not had issues. When I have the pin pushed all the way through, I take care to have equal amounts on either side of that link. Then I carefully wiggle the link back and forth to loosen that link. But I leave it slightly tighter (i.e. less play) than the other links, but still perfectly able to freely bend and rotate through RD. Good luck.

When I was a kid, we used a hammer, nail set (punch) or beefy nail, and a large threaded nut to do chain work.

Set chain on nut with the pin directly over the nut's hole. Hammer/punch pin out. Nut gives it clearance from garage floor so the pin can come out the other side. Do it very carefully so pin doesn't go all the way out.

To replace pin, set chain on floor w/ pin pointing upwards, holes all lined up (no need for nut). Tap pin into place. Twist chain to free up link.

When the pin went all the way out, it took some finesse to get it started back in.

My granddad probably taught me this or we just figured it out for ourselves, since he was a mechanic and a DIY'er and my dad didn't do anything like this.

I remember when I bought my first chain tool in the 70s. What a great little thing! I still have it and it still works (although I hardly ever use chain tools any more, just to cut to length. I use master links exclusively, feeling the Shimano one-use pins are just a terrible design for casual, unpracticed mechanics.

Old chains had rivets that protruded a little out each side, so there was a little bit of a fudge factor and you could eyeball it, and this technique worked great. New chains have much less tolerance and manufacturer's directions should be followed carefully to make sure the link doesn't separate at a bad time.

to gyozadude, that worked marvelously. everyone else thanks for helping as well

A bike shop might sell you one or two loose chain sections. If it breaks during a ride, you'll be walking or skipping along with one foot. I like the Sram chains. The Shimano Hyperglide have the pins that break off after the chain is assembled. Chris

I have used the center punch and hammer method to remove pin. I then used a small vise to press the pin back in place.

oops...

I've always preferred :
http://www.northerntool.com/images/p.../119910_lg.jpg
one good wack
hard part is gettin the fingers holdin the pin outta the way...

you'd think that somewhere along the way, evolution wooda had us having 2 fingers that look like needlenose pliers, and another two that would work like vise-grips... and the tip of the tongue would be velcro (fuzzy side of course...)