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Replacing the drive chain (long, with pictures)

49K views 47 replies 21 participants last post by  DeanRider 
#1 · (Edited)
At 17,000+ miles and 6+ seasons, I started noticing a tight spot on the drive chain and it needed more frequent adjustment. It was time for a new chain. This is the process on my 2005 Bonneville. It was the first time that I’ve dealt with a riveted chain, so this is my experience and maybe not the definitive description of the procedure.

1. Preliminaries

I removed the sprocket cover and examined both sprockets to determine if they needed replacement. They’re in good condition, so they stayed. I made a mark on the chain and counted the links. Per the manual, my chain has 104 links, and I did indeed count 52 “large” links (thus 52 additional links between them).

I ordered an EK 525 MVXZ chain, which comes with a hollow-nose rivet master link, and I added a clip link as a backup. I also ordered the Motion Pro 08-0058 chain tool kit (about $90). This tool is up to the job, but not with a robust margin of strength. If you use it, order an extra 4mm (large) breaking pin with it, as there’s a good possibility that you’ll break it.



If you use a different chain tool, your use of the tool might not be exactly the same as described here, although the chain replacement procedure will be the same. I don’t make detailed references to the chain tool in this post, because the directions for it should be consulted when it’s used. They’re here for the tool I used:

http://www.motionpro.com/documents/pdf/ar857_I08-0058 10.2010.pdf

The chain tool has to be used correctly and exactly as described in the directions. I used a 5/8-inch wrench to hold the tool body, rather than the supplied handle, which has been reported to break off. A 14mm wrench is used to turn the alignment bolt.

(Even if you decide to use a clip link for future chains, you’ll still need a chain breaker for the original chain and to cut new chain, and you’ll still need the chain press to put on the side plate, so there’s no escaping the chain tool.)

I bought a set of cheap grinding wheels from the bargain tool bin in the local Ace Hardware. I already have a Dremel tool, although it should be possible to grind off the rivet heads with a drill. Dremel makes grinding wheels, but the cheap one did a good job.

List of supplies and tools

New chain and master link.

Chain tool kit to break, press, and rivet, and a spare large (4mm) breaking pin.
Dremel, drill, or grinder and small grinding wheel for it.
Safety goggles. This is not an option.
Caliper, used to measure the rivets.
The rest are the usual tools that you already have.
Degreaser, disposable gloves, paper towels, rags.


In the photo below, the riveted master link is on the left, and the clip-type master link--not used at this time--is on the right.





 
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#2 · (Edited)
Replacing the drive chain (part 2)

2. Grind off the rivet head

It’s helpful to have the rear wheel off the floor so you can spin it, but the job can be done with the bike on the side stand.

If there’s a master link, position it on the the rear sprocket where it’s accessible. If it’s the original endless chain, the position of the chain doesn’t matter.

Remove the right side cover. Remove the sprocket cover (five screws), and the chain guard (two screws). My silencer is in front of the rear screw of the chain guard, but there’s enough room to fit a mini-ratchet with the appropriate bit. Clean the sprocket cover and chain guard so they’re ready to reinstall and set them out of the way.

Secure a grinding wheel in the Dremel or drill. Put on your goggles now; don’t even think about grinding the rivet heads without goggles.

Gently grind away the rivet head of the master link or any link on the chain on the sprocket. The sprocket backs up the chain and gives you a solid work area. Grind until the rivet head is gone and you are into the side plate. It shouldn’t take more than about three minutes. This photo shows one ground-off rivet head and one underway. Note that only one rivet actually needs to be removed.



If the link is dry or stiff, it might help to work some thin lubricant into it now. I didn’t do this, as my chain was full of chain lube already.

3. Break the old chain

Assemble the chain tool for breaking according to the instructions, using the large breaking pin. Unscrew and remove the push bolt, put the spring and the breaking pin into the alignment bolt from the top, and screw the push bolt in. The tip of the breaking pin should be slightly recessed into the tool. Now unscrew the alignment bolt far enough that you can place the tool over the chain.



I used the tool on the bottom run of the chain, but it should work on the sprocket, and would be more stable in that position. (Remember that I’m learning as I go).

Put the tool over the link and align it so the head of the rivet on the far end is in the hole in the end of the tool. Tighten the alignment bolt and check that the breaking pin will push the center of the ground-off rivet. This positioning is critical to this process working properly. Tighten the alignment bolt only enough to hold the tool solidly on the link.

Use the tool handle or the 5/8-inch wrench to hold the tool body, and start turning the push bolt with the 14mm wrench or its turning handle. This will push the breaking pin into the rivet and with any luck, will push it right out. You’ll encounter a lot of resistance, especially when you start.



Remove the tool periodically and check that it’s aligned correctly and that you are making progress. Once the rivet starts to move, you should be able to push it out with somewhat less resistance. Mine was very tight. When it’s out far enough and you remove the tool, the chain will fall away. Notice the end of the rivet protruding through the tool in the next photo.



Remove the chain. (I thought of trying to remove the old chain with a pair of bolt cutters, but didn’t try it. That would be a much faster method if it works.)

Clean as much of the dirt and grease around the drive sprocket as you can reach. I used paint thinner for metal parts and WD40 for rubber parts, and plenty of paper towels. I’ll be using the teflon dry lube for the new chain, so it shouldn’t be so bad in the future.
 
#3 ·
Replacing the drive chain (part 3)

4. Prepare the new chain

Unless you bought a 104-link chain, you’ll have to cut this one too. Remember the carpenter’s adage: Count links twice and cut once; if you cut it too short, you’ll have to buy another one.

I unwrapped the new chain and found it was slathered in grease. I spent a few minutes cleaning it off with rags and a grunge brush and some WD40. At least this was clean grease.

Use the caliper to measure the outside distance between the side plates on several of the wide links; mine was 20mm. Also measure the diameter of the pins on the new master link, 5.38mm. Your chain might be different. Write these numbers down.

Count off the number of links you'll need for the new chain. Remember to count the master link. Count twice and lay the old chain next to the new one and aligned with it to verify, and mark which rivet you have to remove. Are you sure? There’s no going back if you cut it too short.





5. Cut the new chain

The chain should be secured to grind the rivet head and cut the chain. I gently secured mine in a vise between two scraps of wood. The procedure is the same as cutting the old chain, but easier and cleaner this time: Grind off the rivet head and push out the rivet. Remember to wear the goggles. Verify once more that the cut chain is the correct length. See in the photo below that the rivet to be cut has been marked.




 
#4 · (Edited)
Replacing the drive chain (part 4)

6. Put the new chain on the bike

Loosen the axle bolt and screw the chain adjusters clockwise as far as they’ll go, and push in the wheel, to give yourself maximum slack on the new chain.

Thread the new chain onto the bike and over the sprockets so the ends will come together on the bottom chain run.




7. Install the master link

The master link comes with a loose side plate, four seals, and a packet of grease. Spread the grease over the inside surface of the link, slide one seal on each rivet, and spread more grease on the rivets and on the inside surface of the loose side plate. The photo below shows two seals already on the rivets, and two more for installation of the side plate.



Attach the master link to the chain ends. Did you remember the seals? Put the other two seals on the ends of the rivet pins and apply more grease if necessary. These seals have not yet been installed in the photo below.

 
#5 · (Edited)
Replacing the drive chain (part 5)

8. Press on the side plate

Assemble the chain tool with the press plates. The notched plate will go to the back of the master link, the other one will push on the side plate. Open the alignment bolt far enough to get the whole business over the link, including the side plate you are about to attach.

The fiddly part starts now. You have to hold the side plate so its holes align with the rivets, and you have to hold the tool so the rear press plate notch is over the rivet heads, which you can do by feel, and the holes in the front press plate are over the holes in the side plate. Make sure that the seals stay in place.

Use the 14mm wrench to turn the alignment bolt to press on the side plate. The alignment of the part and tool will not be critical (but should be close) until the rivets start to protrude through the side plate; at that point, the holes in the press plate must be over the rivets and the whole business should appear and stay centered properly, easier said than done.






Continue pressing until the side plates of the master link are the same width as the side plates in the adjacent links. You can measure with the caliper, or eyeball it, which is probably good enough. I removed the tool multiple times while doing this so I could see how it was going.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Replacing the drive chain (part 6)

9. Expand the rivets

Assemble the chain tool for riveting chain pins according to the instructions. You’ll use the rivet tip instead of the breaking pin, and remember to put the large anvil in the other end. It's to the left in the photo below.



(If you forget the anvil, the tool will simply push the rivet out the back end, same as if you’re breaking the chain. I discovered this the hard way, and had to use the tool to push the rivet back to where it belongs. In the end, after mucking about with it, and somehow breaking both the anvil and the breaking pin, my master link was compressed slightly tighter than it should have been, and there’s no simple way to undo that. If it causes any problem later, I’ll remove it and replace it with the clip link that I bought.)



The process to expand the rivets is similar to the process for breaking the chain, but using the rivet tip and the large anvil in the tool. The idea is to flare the hollow ends of the rivet about 0.4mm over the baseline measurement, which for my chain was 5.38mm, so I was working toward about 5.8mm for the expanded rivet end. Ensure that the tool sits on the chain properly aligned, straight, and square, with the back rivet head centered in the recess in the anvil. Proceed slowly and carefully, and use the caliper to gauge progress. Remember to do both rivets.

(Note in the photo below that one expanded rivet does not appear fully centered, but I don’t think that this affects the functionality. This probably happened because after the large anvil broke, I used the small anvil to finish the job. It was probably not exactly centered on the back rivet head.)







Pull the wheel back to snug the chain and spin it a few times to make sure that everything looks and moves right.

10. Finish the job

Adjust the chain, tighten the axle bolt, and turn the adjusters counter-clockwise until they’re snug. Install the chain guard, sprocket cover, and side cover, clean up, and you’re finished.
 
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#7 ·
Brilliant thread - very well written and documented.

This one is a must for the tech sticky!

I usually leave the grease on the new chain. It's the same grease you apply to the rivet link of course, and that is what is inside the rollers.

Howevere, after a bit of riding you end up having to clean it all off anyway.

I have that same motion pro chain tool. It's a good tool, but be aware of its limitations. Grinding the heads off the old chain link as Baltobonneville shows is essential to avoid breaking the push rod. :Not again I learned the hard way.

Marty - did your chain come with "spacer plates"? Many chains I have bought come with two little plates - these are fitted with the rivet link, and they hold the rivet link plates out when rivetting, such that the two link side plates do not overcompress the O / X rings. Then once done rivetting, you remove and discard the spacer plates.
 
#8 ·
I cleaned the grease from the exterior of the chain to keep it from become an even messier job than it already was, and because much of it would have flung off anyway. I didn't clean the chain very aggressively because I wanted to keep the grease on the inside surfaces.

Spacer plates would have been helpful. This chain did not come with them.
 
#13 ·
How anal does one need to be about keeping the rear wheel aligned during this?

Is it enough just to turn them all the way in, and when your done just to use the alignment marks on the chain-slack adjusters, and make sure both sides are pulled out the same amount afterwards. Or is it necessary to make sure you turn each screw on each side of the wheel the same amount each time you move them?
 
#14 ·
It depends on how accurate the engraving or stamping of the marks and swing arm manufacture is.

The first time I align the wheel in any of my bikes I do a lengthy check of the alignment and see if the marks agree. From them on I just turn the adjusters equally one way or the other and check the index marks.

At least on my SE they're accurate, however they're not easy to see so I have to crouch down with a small flashlight and get close to them.
 
#15 · (Edited)
You don't have to keep the wheel aligned at all to do the chain replacement. Loosen the wheel and push it in to get the new chain installed, then do your usual chain adjustment procedure. I use an inexpensive Motion Pro tool to check the alignment. I usually use it on the underside of the sprocket so I don't have to remove the chain guard. (These pictures are from Motion Pro, not my bike.)


 
#17 ·
You don't have to keep the wheel aligned at all to do the chain replacement. Loosen the wheel and push it in to get the new chain installed, then do your usual chain adjustment procedure. I use an inexpensive Motion Pro tool to check the alignment. I usually use it on the underside of the sprocket so I don't have to remove the chain guard. (These pictures are from Motion Pro, not my bike.)


.

Thank you for the great tutorial Marty. I like that little alignment tool too, not always sure I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing when simply eyeballing the chain for straightness.

Ted.


.
 
#18 ·
Excellent tutorial. This one is going to be helpful for me soon with 21K+ miles.

By any chance did you measure how much the old chain stretched compared to the new one? Just curious....
 
#20 ·
By any chance did you measure how much the old chain stretched compared to the new one? Just curious....
No, I didn't feel like handling the dirty old chain more than necessary. When laid side-by-side, there was no obvious difference, but I took no pains to be precise about it, just lined up the links.
 
#19 ·
Good job, Marty! Very nice documentation.

Bob
 
#22 · (Edited)
why didnt you write this up when I replaced mine a couple of weeks ago :D

fabulous work though, I think it deserves a "Forchetto Award" for technical excellence

only comment I have.

and to answer Junipero

when having old chain laid alongside new chain, yes count links twice (for me it was three) but dont rely on the old chain length for verification. my old chain was a few links longer as it had stretched so much

is this going to be a sticky?
 
#23 ·
Great write up. :welldone One of these times I keep telling myself I'm going to actually use all the right tools to replace a chain! But that would deprive all the neighborhood children of learning colorful new words and phrases.
 
#24 ·
I just noticed that the back of the Haynes manual has a brief description of this procedure with excellent photos, and they apparently used the same tool
 
#26 ·
Very nicely documented, Balto! I did the same thing as you ......... forgot the anvil and pushed the master link pin almost out the backside when spreading the rivit face. My master link is also slightly tight, so I'll probably order another before hitting the road next Spring.

BTW - you're a braver man than I am ...... I order my chain from a small independent shop, and let them do the chain cutting (I supply my old chain to them as a guide).

Bob
 
#27 ·
Excellent, most helpful post. Thanks Balto! Glad you laid out what tool to buy, and the tip to buy an extra breaker pin was gold. I needed it, and I'm going to order another now to have on hand for next time around. Plus, you gave me an excuse to buy a digital caliper ;)

I just finished the job. Took me 6 hours split over two nights. I'd never make money doing this stuff.

I put on a DID 525ZVM-X chain from cli-maxridinggear.com which I got for about $130, which is a pretty good price. And JTF1183 front and JTR1792 rear JT Sprockets from Dennis Kirk.


I don't have anything to add to the instructions, except that instead of messing with the dremel this is a fine time to splurge on an angle grinder if you don't already have one ;)

On my week-long motorcycle camping trip this summer I rode a lot of miles that included some pretty rough seasonal roads. Halfway through the trip I noticed a minor kind of surging on the bike in some situations, especially accelerating off-the-line. When I got home I noticed the chain was very loose. I think I abused the poor thing, and it wasn't young to begin with (I had 31,786 miles on the original chain when I just changed it)

I've been living with it, and it's been getting worse. I tightened up the chain a bit this weekend, and it just got even worse. I had to cut a ride short on Sunday because I was getting worried about the bike holding together. The bike was kinda surging like crazy, and I could hear the chain noise.

After replacing the chain I just took a test ride. It's like a new bike, smooth as silk. Actually, I couldn't be happier.
 
#29 ·
If you use it, order an extra 4mm (large) breaking pin with it, as there’s a good possibility that you’ll break it.
That's good advice. I just replaced my chain last night and then saw this thread today. I have the motion pro tool as well, and my breaking pin also broke while cutting my new chain to the correct length. Luckily, I have a metal lathe, and was able to make a replacement out of stainless in order to finish the job, which didn't break, but did bend a little bit. I ground the heads off the pins as you did, but that breaking pin just can't hold up to the pressure I guess.
 
#32 · (Edited)
Better chain tool?

Since it seems fairly common that the push pin fails on the cheaper Motion Pro tool, I wonder if this one would be a better choice.
It also has an accessory to quad stake the pins as they are done from the factory rather than the hollow divit that the other tool does on the master link.

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0135/
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0142/

I think that I will go for this more expensive/robust tool when I go to replace my chain.
 
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