Roller Chain

Note the chain puller at the end of this website. I have dealt with larger & heavier chain drive vehicles (would also apply to industrial chains), and it is important to take the tension off so the pin will come out fairly easily. As the chain wears, there are shoulders that prevent driving the pin out; removing the tension prevents this problem--not the wear, the ease of getting the pin out.

And here's a suggestion for lubrication if the chain is off. Coil it in the bottom of a metal pan, submerge it in heavy oil, warm the whole pan/chain/oil so the oil will thin and penetrate better, then hang the chain up vertically and let it drip before installation.

Was a time before o-ring chains that your top notch motorbike chain would come in a tin of grease that you warmed up before fitting.You kept the tin of grease to relube the chain as required before time to replace it.

Factory lubricated o-ring chains don't benefit from this treatment at all. There is even contention as to whether to run the chain totally dry or not. I go for dry, oil just makes abrasive contaminants stick to it. The chain stretches and needs to be replaced long before the captive lube runs dry.

As solar eagle said, a chain breaker is the best way..but in a pinch, I have ground the head off of the two pins and used a drift punch to drive the link out.after shortening, you will need a repair link, and/or half-link, depending on the required length.

What's the correct way to remove a pin... with the correct tool see #1.

You could make or improvise . The core action you need to achieve is pressing.

I always try to have a chain breaker available if I want to change the length of a roller chain, BUT on occasion I have not been prepared and have used the dollowing methods. Although they are not as good or as fast they still got the job done.

Grind it. A small grinder such as a die grinder or a Dremel tool with a small grinding stone does a good job of taking the rolled end of the pin off. Next use a pin punch to drive the pin out. Do this simultaneously to both pins in the link and it goes easier and faster.

Drill it. On occasion I have been able to drill the rolled over end off with a drill bit of the appropriate size or sizes if necessary. Be sure to use generous quantities of cutting fluid as you drill. Follow up with the pin punch.

The chain breaker is the better way but if you don't have one readily available these methods can be used although are more work and have a lower success rate.

Good Luck, Old Salt

I was thinking more along the lines of a vice, socket and suitable drift.

An extra pair of hands helps keep the expletive moments at bay.

The difficulty with the vice, socket and suitable drift would be holding the drift aligned with the link pin and not pressing against the opposite end of the link pin as you held it in the vice. Also the coarse threads on a vice will not exert enough force to force the pin through the link. The thread on a vice is approx 6-10 threads per inch while the thread on a link buster is a fine thread 5/16 or 3/8 dia.

Grinding the end of the link pin is identical to the grinding or drilling of a rivet to remove it, a very accepted method. The pin punch is then used to drive the pin out of the link.

Don't hold back on the expletive language, it helps scare the object into doing what you want it to do or else makes you feel better!

Good Luck, Old Salt

and not pressing against the opposite end of the link pin...that's what the socket is for. The pin pushes out into the socket void and the socket ring is the anvil.

Vice is plenty strong and easy. You're average vice is a lot more powerful than a handheld chain breaker.

Grinding the pin renders it non reusable. I know they're not meant be reused but sometimes you have no alternative and it's good to keep options open.

Don't want to create any substantial differences of opinion but-

With a #35 chain the pin is small and would require a small socket as you describe the procedure. I have witnessed several people crush the socket, because it was so small and thin walled, trying to do what you describe. They all then took my suggestion and drilled a piece of brass or steel and used the hole for what you were suggesting the socket be used for. A socket can be used for many other things than what it was designed for but small ones can't take much crushing force.

As for the vise and its capability to substitute for the chain buster- what is suggested is to use a vice as an arbor press, a very poor substitution unless that is they only device available. Haven't done the math but checked my tools: Columbia vise, 4", has 4 threads per inch (tpi); Drill press vise has 6 tpi; the chain buster has 22 tpi on its drift screw with a handle about 1" shorter than the vice. Rough math tells that the chain buster can exert about 5 times more force (22"/4") than the vice. Area of the vices vs the drift doesn't matter since the force is being exerted over the same area, the chain link pin.

I don't have a load cell handy right now so I can't give you the exact figures. It is well accepted machine practice to use a finer thread to exert more pressure with a threaded object.

After the pin is punched out it is unusable unless serious rework is done to it and then only usable as a temporary last resort for short term use as another contributor has stated. Instead of this type of jury rig I have used machine screws in place of the pin in order to get me home without having to push the darn machine too!

Shop safety rules say that a tool should only be used for what it is designed for. Using a vise as an arbor press is not a very safe practice. There are several parts of the vice that could fail before the task you are describing is completed. If this were to occur personnel could be injured, perhaps seriously.

Going back to my original posting, how are you going to hold the pin punch between the jaws of the vice while trying to keep it in place as you tighten the vise?

Lastly, what is the objection to using the safest tool (and also the easiest) tool for the job, the chain buster?

Good Luck, Old Salt

how are you going to hold the pin punch between the jaws of the vice while trying to keep it in place as you tighten the vise?

That's where a helper comes in handy.

what is the objection to using the safest tool (and also the easiest) tool for the job, the chain buster?

No objection. Agree totally with everything you said. If you haven't got a chain buster then a man's gotta make do.

Imagine if your temporary machine screw pin replacement came adrift and the chain flew off....probably not much, but safety first. Hmmm

When I was a lad I even got home once with a bit of heavy gauge gal wire threaded through the links. Bicycle chain that was.

By any means necessary mate.

Its not impossible or even difficult. Actually its pretty easy, with a vice.

thanks guys. all good answsers.