Eek, help - chain re-fitting

gk141054

Help guys!!! :oops:

Just removed my shimano chain to fit my new sram powerlink and I am having trouble...

Off the chain, the powerlink reconnects fine, but when in the chain, I can't get it to snap shut... anyone give me a clue what i'm doing wrong???

nicklouse

wiggle it more.

gk141054

Believe me, i'm wiggling until my fingers bleed... still not budging

Is it possible they have sent me the wrong size?

Am I supposed to be using any tools to get it closed, I thought it was just by hand...

All of the pieces are the same right, so not like I could be using the wrong pieces?

Pippen33

Is it a sram powerlink?

gk141054

Yes mate.

Pippen33

Oh yeah it is. Sorry You need to make sure each rivet is inserted properly then yank the chain at either end of the link and it should click in.

You don't need any tools, try connecting it without the chain just to make its not bent or anything

gk141054

They fit together fine without the chain...

Just with the chain, I can't seem to push the pin through far enough to clear the rim that holds it in place once its fitted...

Pippen33

What speed are the powerlinks? It should say on the side

stubs

have you got the right powerlink theres a gold one for nine speed and a silver one for 7/8 speed chains

gs3

Sounds like you have a 9-speed link (gold) for an 8-speed chain. 9-speed chains are a tad narrower than the 8's


.

gk141054

I have an 8 speed bike and (apparently) have the correct 8 speed (silver) powerlinks...

f**k knows what i'm going to do now... might have to take a trip to the LBS tomorrow and look like a right tool asking for help...

gs3

One of life's little testers!!!

.

Pippen33

Just a thought. Are you trying to connect the powerlink to 2 innerplates? When you unlinked the chain did you remove the outerplates?

gk141054

Yes mate, removed two pins and with them came off two outer plates.

Very strange...

gk141054

The saga continues....

Just been to a bike shop near me and was not helpful at all...

The guy had zero customer service skills.... :shock:

When I said that I was trying to fit a powerlink on a shimano chain he near enough laughed in my face, said they weren't compatible and that was that.....

No i'm thinking I might just have to give up unless any kind souls in the Stafford / Stoke-on-Trent / Sheffield area would be kind enough to help me out!??!?!

If I do decide to just give up, how do I get the shimano chain back to the way it was? Can I just re-use the pins that I took out of it or do I have to buy new ones???

What a bloody mess :oops:

abbots_mike

right, i had this when i first tried to fit my 8 speed powerlink to my 8 speed shimano chain, so rest assured they do work together.
Can you get the pins to sit in their recesses? as i could do this but not pull it tight enough to lock it together. what i ended up doing was holding the back brake and standing on the pedals. its crude but it worked for me, and it can be done by hand now. just make sure the powerlink is on the upper chain run, or the locked heel will stop your torque getting to it.

NOTE: if it isn't lined up correctly, the chain could fly apart, damaging bits of bike/nads

stumpyjon

If you rejoin the chain you'll need Shimano replacement pins (black ones I think for an 8 speed chain). You're not supposed to reuse the pins you removed to reconnect the chain. The Shimano pins are double the length of the ones you removed, you push them right through with a chain tool and then snap off the excess with pliers etc.

gk141054

I can get the pin through the first hole as above, but once it goes through the first hole it needs to go a bit further (i.e. in the direction of the red arrow - only about 1/4 or 1/2 a mil) to allow it to pass the lip of the second (green) hole so that I can slide it in the direction of the blue arrow.

Hope that makes sense, sorry about the cruddy image.

abbots_mike

yeah, same problem i had. did you try the method at the top of this page?

gk141054

Will give it a go tonight Mike. Just wasn't sure we were saying the same thing..... that and i'm a bit scared to use the brute force option on my baby....

Cheers for the help mate!

gk141054

I bloody give up.... have tried the brute force option and it keeps popping out rather than sliding across....

Thinking of just buying a sram chain now instead of trying to bludgeon a powerlink into a shimano chain....

3 questions....

Are sram chains any good?

Are they interchangeable with shimano (i.e. will it work on my gt avalanche which previously had a shimano chain)?

What is the equivalent sram chain to the Shimano IG31?

Cheers

abbots_mike

Question 1: not used one myself but they are used and recommended by many
Question 2: Yes, as long as you buy one for the correct number of gears you have (if i remeber correctly 8-speed?)
Question 3: i have no idea

Anonymous

After never having a Shimano chain that i didn't snap within a few weeks, I switched to Sachs chains and never had a problem.
However, in my absence from MTBing, Sachs vanished, apparently bought by Sram.

So people suggested that I should buy Sram chains. I snapped them constantly, and after going through 4 chains in about 2 months, I decided enough was enough. I asked around, and someone suggested ConneX chains.

And now I'm happy again. Although you may be interested that I'm using my original Sachs powerlink from circa 200 on my chain! It locks in place much more securely than the Sram crap, even though they look confusingly identical. The Sram powerlink was constantly coming undone.

Anyway, if you want the chain I rate above all others now, it's THIS one

abbots_mike

of course, there are SOME that don't like SRAM chains
just whatever you buy, remember to match the number of gears

gk141054

SUCCESS!!!!!

Spoke to a friend at work who also tried the sram and couldn't get it in.

He said that he got some from Halfords and I should give them a try... went down there and got one called "Taya Chain - Sigma Connectors" £1.99 for two sets.

Had it sorted within seconds....

Its the type with the pins both attached to one plate and then the other plate has the two holes in...

Looks fine to me, will see how I get on at the trail this weekend....

Can't believe it was that easy after all that messing with the sram links...

EDIT...

Oh and one more thing... anyone want to buy 3 sets of sram - 8 speed??? Make me an offer.