cracking open the power link

jpaul · 2 Apr 2016 at 15:02

I just spent at least 30minutes with a chain trying to open the sram powerlink
(fortunately at home, but nonetheless missing the sun for this afternoons ride)
what is the knack to these, do you push it together keeping the adjacent
links in a line, or make a Z shape ?

Needle nose pliers did not help and frankly a chain link remover would be faster,
yes I do not want it to come apart in the field , but nonetheless.

jpaul · 2 Apr 2016 at 16:56

Thanks, I will shift allegiance to kmc , seems you can get their powerlink and will
fit sram chains. The utube video shows pinching opposite sram link plates together,
which I admit I knew once and had forgotten about.
whereas for kmc tool will push pins together (so the two styles are a different design ?)
[having a halfords voucher to use up - i recently discovered they will easily match Evans
and probably cr prices]

jpaul · 2 Apr 2016 at 17:23

touchwood I have never had a chain break on the road and do not carry spare powerlinks,
whether the Sram would have an advantage here, or whether you could use/close the kmc ones without a tool. My previous chain was a shimano dura-ace and these links would I think have been impossible to move with light weight portable chain tools that was why I got a park ct-3, the rivets all had heads that had to be broken off (or you had to buy their $$ spare links)

jpaul · 5 Apr 2016 at 21:08

needle nose pliers were tricky I agree, I could have broken the points off, they
were just causing the 'washer' surrounding the rivets to rotate (my anatomical
knowledge of a chain is not good) ; also the tool would be a bit big to carry in a saddle bag.
I wonder if a home made tool with a piece of coat hanger wire, bent in a 'u' that
would fit through the chain could be the portable/cheap solution ? (with 2-3" legs to
give some mechanical advantage and force the quicklink pins together) ?

edit 06/04 Sheldon Brown suggests similar improvised tool using brake wire looped
through powerlink rollers (and pulled time to compress them)

jpaul · 9 Apr 2016 at 20:37

Some further questions on chain care :

1. After removing chain, the wire tag I added to show 'direction' of use fell off, so I do not know which sense to re-install it when I swap it back in.
Inspecting it I could not see any assymetric wear at the start and end of links this surprised me, i had thought the hard steel of the rear block where it disengages with the chain would leave a mark at the back of link, but there was nothing obvious.
2 what is a good way to lube a chain when it is not on the bike ?

jpaul · 10 Apr 2016 at 11:34

yes I have 5l of Swarfega degreaser (<£10 B&Q) only used a small bit in 5years
diluted in a big coffee jar .... still need to scrub with a toothbrush then rinse hot water.
(some nitrile gloves since stuff whilst not like petrol I used to use, still aggressive)

I have just changed to try and switch regularly between two chains (access to the
kitchen off peak hours to clean) - hence I have a clean chain off the bike and now need to lube it ?

jpaul · 20 Apr 2016 at 23:46

yes that is it - seemed much cheaper than cycling premium products and nonetheless very powerful.
I only dilute maybe 5(water):1 and once sediment settles in a jar empty off the top for re-use, and dispose of sediment in the garden.

jpaul · 17 Feb 2017 at 10:50

In case anyone wanted the Park power link tool , on offer at Halfords & others as £10.99

spent 45minutes yesterday and gave up trying to get the dam chain off to clea, so had to clean in situ.
another thread on removing powerlinks fwiw

jpaul · 18 Feb 2017 at 22:33

touch said:
I've never had much trouble removing sram powerlinks. I cant get them by hand though, it's too tight.
A normal pair of pliers at an angle like this does it quickly and easily. I usually hold the chain in a Z though.

Thanks I have not tried that particular pliers configuration (as Roady recounts, was also on the verge of bending finer needle noses between adjacent rollers)

Roady said:
Just be careful it doesn't contain salt if you're leaving a chain to sit in it, as it'll start to rust! You'll see the same if you clean drivechain components with washing up liquid or baby-wipes. I use this, almost as cheap as yours and may work better as it's a dedicated industrial strength degreaser.

As for power/master/quick-link removal, 'invest' in one of the real tools. I picked up an X-Tools (CRC) or Lifeline (Wiggle) one in one of their regular sales for about £3.70. Saves so much time & hassle! Previously I had bent the noses on an old pair of needle nose pliers into moon shapes to fit them, worked ok but would mark links and could be fiddly on a slippy lubed link, wouldn't recommend. In an emergency I previously used a combination of zip ties and swearing, wouldn't recommend that either!

I'll just leave this here (hard winter, salted roads commuting & lots of mud & miles)...

The data sheet for the swarfega I mentioned does contain 'salts' BENZENE SULPHONIC ACID , C10-13-ALKYL DERIVS., SODIUM SALTS

The ingredients of the Virosol you use are less clear wrt to salt but it is alkali and says

Contains limonene ( citrus dulcis ). May produce an allergic reaction. Causes severe skin
burns and eye damage. Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects.

the swarfega is not something you want on your skin either though - I use gloves when scrubbing.

maybe there is justification to use more expensive dedicated bike brands eg muc-off, or maybe they are just pre-diluted versions of these.

The amazon virosol reviews include this

I run an artisan bicycle build and service business in Llanrwst North Wales and use this product for degreasing all cycle parts. I use it 50/50 Virosol Water unless the parts are very heavy with oil/grease. I leave really dirty chains and cassettes over night, also 50/50 in a spray bottle, make sure you wash it off with soapy (Fairy Liquid) water before light lubbing. However do not get it near your sealed bearings unless you can take off the seals wash out the Virosol and re grease the bearings, and do not de grease your chain /cassette in situ

I was not going to spray it directly into bearings

but had contemplated using some diluted and sprayed in that vicinity - but I am sure even the expensive brands have the same reservation

addendum - inconsistently the amazon virosol product picture does not seem to show words eco-safe per their title, and its ingredients with 'harmful to aquatic life' not so eco ....

jpaul · 21 Feb 2017 at 21:16

strategy that worked, to break it apart, was long nosed pliers across the powerlink (do not think I torqued the plates)

Left was the freshly baked chain after degreaser /toothbrush scrub/boil wash (toothbrushes are dam good - need to buy some cheap ones in bulk)
Strangely the outer side of the chain was corrosion free, but the inner/wheel side had face corrosion, have not seen that before ?