Removing old chain on 3 speed, new one needs to be longer

Danny1962

I have a 3 Speed Hub Gear bike, I bought it used and it’s probably around 20 years old. While I have got the rear wheel off to repair the T3 gear hub I might as well replace the chain too – it’s probably the original, and will be quite worn.

I’ve got a few questions… first, how do I get the old chain off? I can’t see a master link anywhere. Do I just use a splitting tool?

Next question… it originally had a 19 tooth rear sprocket but to make it more hill friendly I put a 22 tooth on. This has had the effect of moving the wheel forward in its dropouts. I’d like to have the wheel a cm or two further back again. Now the chain I’m replacing has 104 links. Intuitively I’d say that to restore the position of the rear wheel to where it was prior to the sprocket change, I need 106 links. That is two more links than I have now, calculated by taking the difference between 19 and 22, halving it, then rounding up to the next whole number. (22 – 19 = 3, then 3/2 = 1.5, round up to 2). Am I on the right lines, or is there something I’ve not thought of? The front crank is 44 teeth, incidentally, and I’ll use a 1/8” chain.

My next question… I’ve seen a chain I fancy
http://hollandbikeshop.com/fietsonderde ... nti-roest/ and it’s 112 teeth. How do I get the surplus links off, and get it closed up securely? I’ve heard that using chain splitter tools can seriously compromise the integrity of a chain.

Advice and reassurance will be much appreciated.

Thanks

nicklouse

1 A chain tool can be used. But cutters are faster.
2 Buy a longer chain ant cut it to size.
3. See above.

For how tos see Parktools.

MichaelW

Use a chaintool to split or shorten a chain. Practice several times on the old chain before you make the final join.
Learn to remove the pin from the link but leave it intact within the outer link ie dont push it out till it drops.
Count the links of your new chain.
Count them again before shortening.
Count once again and make sure you are leaving one end "innie" and the other "outy".
I have split chains one link too short or outy-outy. Getting a single link back in is not a nice job.
If the chain is a wee bit too long or short, use a half link. These go from innie to outy in one link.
Use a 1/8 master link.

Danny1962

Good practical advice, thanks for that.

Danny1962

Job done. I used 106 links and it fits perfectly. A "quick link" actually came with the chain but I'd bought one separately anyway so used that one. @MichaelW, thanks for the outy-end/innie-end advice! I could see exactly what you meant once I practiced on the old chain. And indeed, you must "measure twice, cut once".