Powerlinks don't go together or come apart when squeezed

matt-h

Ai_1 wrote:

cougie wrote:

Manc33 wrote:

What if the metal is meant to fuse like that so it makes the link permanent?

Where is the metal coming from ? Its not appearing out of thin air ?

And why is it just your link that has this problem ?

It's probably a conspiracy. They only send the fusing type to certain people.

BTW, it's important not to lubricate your chain as this will prevent the metal from fusing properly. Please note the following to achieve proper link fusion:
- Mating link surfaces must be clean
- Your must generate sufficient heat by rubbing the chain on the front derailleur to achieve fusion.

Tip: Correct use of the trim on your FD can undermine fusion. Ideally you should cross chain aggressively with an un-lubricated chain and ignore your trim function. The later is only good sense since a guy here told me the trim function does nothing anyway.....oh hang on. Mystery solved!

This!

First.Aspect

I agree with Manc33. I find that all sorts of gaps get smaller as things wear out. My chain actually shrinks with use. I tried rebuilding a front hub the other day, only to find that everything was seized. I eventually realised that loads of metal had transferred from the something and all of the bearings had grown.

First.Aspect

Just wanted to check something Manc33 - are you using a 7-speed chain with your 10 speed cassette? This might cause some additional friction against the chain links when shifting.

Alternatively, try putting some spacers between the cogs of your cassette.

imposter2.0

First Aspect wrote:

I agree with Manc33. I find that all sorts of gaps get smaller as things wear out. My chain actually shrinks with use. I tried rebuilding a front hub the other day, only to find that everything was seized. I eventually realised that loads of metal had transferred from the something and all of the bearings had grown.

Exactly. This is the same law of physics which also explains why trousers get smaller as you get older.

Smithster

Imposter wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

I agree with Manc33. I find that all sorts of gaps get smaller as things wear out. My chain actually shrinks with use. I tried rebuilding a front hub the other day, only to find that everything was seized. I eventually realised that loads of metal had transferred from the something and all of the bearings had grown.

Exactly. This is the same law of physics which also explains why trousers get smaller as you get older.

Ahhh. That explains why I struggle buttoning my trousers up. Like a Powerlink though, I don't struggle unbuttoning them. Ping and there off!

Schoie81

Imposter wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

I agree with Manc33. I find that all sorts of gaps get smaller as things wear out. My chain actually shrinks with use. I tried rebuilding a front hub the other day, only to find that everything was seized. I eventually realised that loads of metal had transferred from the something and all of the bearings had grown.

Exactly. This is the same law of physics which also explains why trousers get smaller as you get older.

So the friction between stomach and trousers causes the material to wear, and get thicker, thus reducing the internal diameter of the trouser waistband?? This is fascinating! Does this phenomenon occur with all materials then!?!?

imposter2.0

Schoie81 wrote:

Imposter wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

I agree with Manc33. I find that all sorts of gaps get smaller as things wear out. My chain actually shrinks with use. I tried rebuilding a front hub the other day, only to find that everything was seized. I eventually realised that loads of metal had transferred from the something and all of the bearings had grown.

Exactly. This is the same law of physics which also explains why trousers get smaller as you get older.

So the friction between stomach and trousers causes the material to wear, and get thicker, thus reducing the internal diameter of the trouser waistband?? This is fascinating! Does this phenomenon occur with all materials then!?!?

Only when they come into contact with middle-aged men - it's a known fact...

Manc33

Nope, stuff expands when it is pushed and forced to. The way you guys are talking it would be impossible for butter to spread out across a piece of bread, you'd say "where does the extra butter come from" lol.

Because that's just how stupid and argumentative people are.

Guess what's stronger, metal, or nothing?

Right then, thats why the metal spreads across the hole. For a start nothing can stop it.

No extra metal required, just the same metal plate getting thinner and spreading out.

chris_bass

Manc33 wrote:

Guess what's stronger, metal, or nothing?

Right then, thats why the metal spreads across the hole. For a start nothing can stop it.

Eh?

nothing can stop it? other than the structural strength of the metal? also, nothing can cause it, what is forcing the metal into the 'nothing'?

imposter2.0

Chris Bass wrote:

Manc33 wrote:

Guess what's stronger, metal, or nothing?

Right then, thats why the metal spreads across the hole. For a start nothing can stop it.

Eh?

nothing can stop it? other than the structural strength of the metal? also, nothing can cause it, what is forcing the metal into the 'nothing'?

The secret world government is making it happen, obviously. Once you realize that logic and reason have no effect on Manc33, it all becomes clear...

darkhairedlord

Imposter wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

Manc33 wrote:

Guess what's stronger, metal, or nothing?

Right then, thats why the metal spreads across the hole. For a start nothing can stop it.

Eh?

nothing can stop it? other than the structural strength of the metal? also, nothing can cause it, what is forcing the metal into the 'nothing'?

The secret world government is making it happen, obviously. Once you realize that logic and reason have no effect on Manc33, it all becomes clear...

He is clearly an illuminati terminator agent. Sent to infiltrate the core of the neo-cycling movement for his "big-Oil" masters. Unfortunately his total lack of competence on all things bicycle has betrayed him.

Schoie81

Chris Bass wrote:

Manc33 wrote:

Guess what's stronger, metal, or nothing?

Right then, thats why the metal spreads across the hole. For a start nothing can stop it.

Eh?

nothing can stop it? other than the structural strength of the metal? also, nothing can cause it, what is forcing the metal into the 'nothing'?

Have you not seen 'The Never Ending Story'? Nothing can stop 'the nothing'...not even butter!

MisterMuncher

In fairness, nothing has very succesfully managed to stop split links of any brand I've used from spreading out and fusing closed.

Maybe it's because I'm stupid and argumentative, though.

Manc33

Chris Bass wrote:

nothing can stop it? other than the structural strength of the metal?

There's other metal parts touching the chain.

Chris Bass wrote:

also, nothing can cause it, what is forcing the metal into the 'nothing'?

The front and rear mechs you're conveniently pretending don't exist.

matt-h

Manc33 wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

nothing can stop it? other than the structural strength of the metal?

There's other metal parts touching the chain.

Chris Bass wrote:

also, nothing can cause it, what is forcing the metal into the 'nothing'?

The front and rear mechs you're conveniently pretending don't exist.

Then you need to adjust your front mech and/or chainline.

chris_bass

Manc33 wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

nothing can stop it? other than the structural strength of the metal?

There's other metal parts touching the chain.

Chris Bass wrote:

also, nothing can cause it, what is forcing the metal into the 'nothing'?

The front and rear mechs you're conveniently pretending don't exist.

the front mech should only touch the chain very breifly.

the rear mech mainly touches the pins of the chain and wouldn't touch the outside of the chain and definitely not enough to spread metal like butter as you seem to be suggesting has happened to your chain.

Are you able to post a picture of the link? I think it is the only way to get to the bottom of what you are talking about.

Manc33

No, I didn't keep hold of it with it being knackered, if I had known it was the only link in the universe that had ever become worn and would (years later) become the subject of a soon-to-be 20 page thread, I would have kept hold of it.

matt-h wrote:

Then you need to adjust your front mech and/or chainline.

It happened on a stock bike from a shop.

Thats the bike the powerlink got all scratched up on after about 500 miles.

chris_bass

Stock bikes from shops also need the front mech adjusting from time to time and chainline is still important

imposter2.0

Thread of the year. Closely followed by most other threads started by Manc33, which are also contenders for thread(s) of the year.

MisterMuncher

I'm honestly struggling to work out how the link could get so scratched and worn in 500 miles without the rubbing and wrecking being audible to the extent I couldn't live with it. A silent drivetrain isn't just for aesthetic purposes.

First.Aspect

Manc33 wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

nothing can stop it? other than the structural strength of the metal?

There's other metal parts touching the chain.

Chris Bass wrote:

also, nothing can cause it, what is forcing the metal into the 'nothing'?

The front and rear mechs you're conveniently pretending don't exist.

I think we deserve a photo of this chain link. It needs to be studied, for the betterment of science. All this time scientists have thought moving metal parts we being worn down, they were merely being spread out.

MisterMuncher

All things being equal, there's no reason to suppose the other links weren't similarly worn. I don't recall my powerlink/quick link/wipperman links protruding out further than the other pins and plates. Surely sufficient force and friction to do that would also have made a horrible mess of both mechs?

darkhairedlord

MisterMuncher wrote:

All things being equal, there's no reason to suppose the other links weren't similarly worn. I don't recall my powerlink/quick link/wipperman links protruding out further than the other pins and plates. Surely sufficient force and friction to do that would also have made a horrible mess of both mechs?

TBF, manc33 does have a history of not being able to set up the front mech...

MisterMuncher

I'm a bit old fashioned. Tend to stop and tweak if the bike sounds like a bag of hammers rolling down the up escalator.

veronese68

I've worked it out.
I must confess I've had the elongated slots of a split link fill up with what I suggest is an accumulation of dirt held together with chain lube, not with metal I hasten to add. Cleaning the chain reveals the holes, as you would expect. I reckon Manc33 had this happen then couldn't identify the split link and spent far too long trying to split a normal link, maybe several of them.
Or maybe the bike never had a split link in the first place. The 'filled in' link was just another link in a normal chain.

chris_bass

Veronese68 wrote:

I've worked it out.
I must confess I've had the elongated slots of a split link fill up with what I suggest is an accumulation of dirt held together with chain lube, not with metal I hasten to add. Cleaning the chain reveals the holes, as you would expect. I reckon Manc33 had this happen then couldn't identify the split link and spent far too long trying to split a normal link, maybe several of them.
Or maybe the bike never had a split link in the first place. The 'filled in' link was just another link in a normal chain.

at the risk of quoting myself, i agree!

Chris Bass wrote:

Manc33 wrote:

The link I had looked like any old chain link in the end

Are you sure you are trying to remove the right link?

veronese68

Chris Bass wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

I've worked it out.
I must confess I've had the elongated slots of a split link fill up with what I suggest is an accumulation of dirt held together with chain lube, not with metal I hasten to add. Cleaning the chain reveals the holes, as you would expect. I reckon Manc33 had this happen then couldn't identify the split link and spent far too long trying to split a normal link, maybe several of them.
Or maybe the bike never had a split link in the first place. The 'filled in' link was just another link in a normal chain.

at the risk of quoting myself, i agree!

Chris Bass wrote:

Manc33 wrote:

The link I had looked like any old chain link in the end

Are you sure you are trying to remove the right link?

I must have forgotten as that was so long ago, probably. Maybe I should claim senility.

ai_1

Manc33 wrote:

....Guess what's stronger, metal, or nothing?

I'm going to guess nothing. Did I get it right?

Are we talking about tensile strength, stiffness or one of the many other, perhaps philosophical, meanings? In general I'd say nothing is in fact "stronger" than everything. If you disagree, I'd appreciate a detailed explanation.

ai_1

MisterMuncher wrote:

I'm honestly struggling to work out how the link could get so scratched and worn in 500 miles without the rubbing and wrecking being audible to the extent I couldn't live with it. A silent drivetrain isn't just for aesthetic purposes.

I suggest you look up the thread about front derailleur trim. Apparently they're impossible to use and are just a gimmick anyway...or something to that effect. This may go some way to explaining the above!

dabber

My congratulations to Manc33.... over 150+ replies to date on Quick Links etc. How many could he achieve on something actually complicated.

The perfect windup.... it is a windup isn't it.... but quite entertaining at times. :?