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Chain master link rivet EK 520 SRX2

8K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  fasteddiecopeman 
#1 ·
Specifications on how much to flare the rivet head are hard to come by, at least for EK chains. So here's some numbers which should be good for other brands too if you can't find specs from the manufacturer. This is for the concave head rivets. Idk if it applies to flat rivets which then get staked square.

Several sources around the internet suggest flaring the head by .5 to .7 mm more than the original pin diameter. Some sources say .4 to .7, but I'd be cautious and go with .5 as the minimum.

For those who don't have a metric caliper be sure to use an accurate conversion. There are free conversion websites. Measure the unflared rivets carefully, don't rely on a printed or online number!

0.5mm is .0197 inches
0.7mm is .0276 inches

Add those amounts to the measured diameter of the rivet in the master link. That is your target diameter for the flared rivet head.

You'll need calipers to accurately set the side plate onto the pins to the same dimension as the rest of the chain. Calipers can be purchased quite inexpensively.

This video on installing a rivet master link is the best I found. Skip to 5:34 to get to the master link installation. (The earlier part of the video is an excellent tutorial if this is your first time replacing a chain)

 
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#2 ·
Copied To How To

Thanks for posting.
 
#3 ·
ANOTHER way (what I do, BTW) is to measure the side-plate to side-plate dimension across the chain, and then tighten the part that 'peins' your pin until the side-plate to side-plate dimension is EQUAL to what the rest of the chain has.

This entails a LOT of measuring w/ VERY SMALL amounts of 'peining' till you achieve the desired width.
 
#4 ·
I recently changed a chain that the DPO had installed. The master rivet was over-torqued to the point where it was actually kinked.
I replaced it with an x-ring chain and I used the clip link connector supplied.:surprise:
I can hear the backlash from here- "the horror, your chain will come apart causing catastrophic damage to bike and body", but I have never had a problem with a properly installed clip link on my many bikes.
 
#5 ·
...I can hear the backlash from here- "the horror, your chain will come apart causing catastrophic damage to bike and body", but I have never had a problem with a properly installed clip link on my many bikes.
The operative words are: a properly installed clip link...!

As a "newbee" I installed the link for the primary-drive chain on my '62 Triumph 650 BACKWORDS and got to 'behold' the racket as well as cessation of forward momentum as it BLEW OUT my primary chaincase at highway speed when it 'parted-ways' w/ the sprockets.

THAT was a 'learning moment' that luckily didn't kill me.

:eek:
 
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