• 4 Stroke Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Italy - About 1989 to 2014
     TE = 4st Enduro & TC = 4st Cross

  • Hi everyone,

    As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.

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    Thanks for your patience and support!

Safety wire in place of master link clip?

thehusk

thehusk

Husqvarna
A Class
So here I go again with another one of my weird questions.

Masterlink clips, I usually go through 2 of these suckers when I put on a chain. I bought some pliers that are notched and for this one job alone. Still went through 2 of these suckers.

Why can't you wrap .032 safety wire in a figure 8 pater and pig tail it in the center to tighten the wire into the notches. The clip doesn't have any forces on it, so as long as it keeps the master link in it's place, then......

the only problem I see is when it passes through the rear chain guide. Pigtail may hit it and break causeing for a bad day.

what are your thoughts.
 
If you can't successfully install a master link clip, maybe it's better if you didn't go anywhere near your bike with tools!!!
 
Mate, you can't shortcut safety.

You have to have the clip on there. If it's bent or damaged get a new one. If you're struggling to get it on there try a tiny bit of chain lube/grease on the link. Any decent pilers with a good square end should do the job. Then clean it and dab some silicon sealer or similiar over it for extra safe. Remember - the fishy swims upstream! Not a sex joke, the way the link must face.

As post above, if you're not confident, pay the £10 or whatever it is and get a bike shop to do it.
 
These new oring chains do make it hard to put on a link. I don't think that saftey wire is the answer to the problem. Maybe you should get with someone that can pinch the link while you install the clip. Try using the old orings in on the Mlink. They may be a hair thinner.
 
It's best to give the plates of the Master a good squeeze with a pair of pliers to compress the o-rings before trying to install the clip. The clip should pop on fairly easily.
It's like anything else; done with the right technique, it's easy. If it's hard to do and you're breaking clips, you might need to adjust your technique a bit.....
 
It sounds like perhaps your techniqe for removing and instaling the clips is not correct. There should be very little chance of damaging a clip when removed or installed properly. Like mentioned before take a decent pair of pliars with a sharp edges and grap the open end of the clip with one edge of the pliars and the link pin with the other, squeeze the pliars to slid the link foreward. When the pliars on the open end of the clip contact the link pin, you will have to slide the pliars up onto just one side of the clip to get it to slide off the pin. When installing the clip reverse the procedure and slid the clip in by grabing the closed end of the clip and the link pin. Ken
 
Make sure you are using master links that are for the model and brand of the chain you are using otherwise- they can be mismatched and yes.. make instalation impossible. But if you are using a matched masterlink they should go on pretty easy with one of these master link pliers... Just make sure the plate link is completely on by compressing as mentioned then put the clip in the link rails and squeese.
should be easy. and I have been puting them on facing the opposite side so they don't rub as easily on the frame near the CS sprocket. (can even kill misquittos with them):busted:

masterplier.jpg
 
you can also take a pair of vise grips and notch the end so you pre squeeze the link plate on without touching the pins, then you can pop on the clip as mentioned above. Also use a new unworn clip and master link when possible, the clips get thinner and thinner and the pin ends get ground down over time.
 
Wow thanks 310husky. Nice to know your not smart enough to give any real sound thoughts on the subject. besides "well maybe you should stay away from your bike" Wish I could be and do everthing perfect like you.

to the rest of you this was just a question that popped into my head as i was sitting there installing the clip I looked over and saw my spool of safety wire and was just curious. Being an aircraft mechanich we depend on saftey wire for alot. I realize that safety is number one and I stated what my conserns were with doing it that way. Just wanted to know what others thought. Thanks.

I thought that this site was better than Thumpertalk in regards to info rather than bash talk.
 
I've been wrenching on bikes most of my life and I still struggle with master link clips.

One thing I have learned (the hard way....) is to install the clip to the inside of the chain and the clip to the outside.... meaning if the clip comes loose it will let the master link slide out and AWAY from the motor so it doesn't smash a hole into the case as it comes loose.

Also, there are pressed-on links that require peening of the pins for the link to stay put. They are permanent and will not come loose.
This has been the norm on street bikes for years and I'm not sure why the dirt world has not caught on. The only time I remove a chain is to replace it and even if I was to reuse a chain a new master link is only a few bucks. I'd gladly spend a few bucks for a new master link and have to cut it off vs. the breaking another case due to faulty clip type master links.
 
thehusk said:
Wow thanks 310husky. Nice to know your not smart enough to give any real sound thoughts on the subject. besides "well maybe you should stay away from your bike" Wish I could be and do everthing perfect like you.

to the rest of you this was just a question that popped into my head as i was sitting there installing the clip I looked over and saw my spool of safety wire and was just curious. Being an aircraft mechanich we depend on saftey wire for alot. I realize that safety is number one and I stated what my conserns were with doing it that way. Just wanted to know what others thought. Thanks.

I thought that this site was better than Thumpertalk in regards to info rather than bash talk.
Click to expand...

Chill!
smile.gif
It might have been wrote a bit tongue in cheek? I know some stuff esp humour gets totally lost in emails. I've been posting here for only around a year or so but everyone is pretty cool and I've learnt loads about a make of machine I've never owned before. and passed on some good tips too. You'll find loads of good info and advice and people - just like the posts above. And there's always something we don't know eh? always best to ask, put it out there. Have faith!

PC. said:
I've been wrenching on bikes most of my life and I still struggle with master link clips.

One thing I have learned (the hard way....) is to install the clip to the inside of the chain and the clip to the outside.... meaning if the clip comes loose it will let the master link slide out and AWAY from the motor so it doesn't smash a hole into the case as it comes loose.

Also, there are pressed-on links that require peening of the pins for the link to stay put. They are permanent and will not come loose.
This has been the norm on street bikes for years and I'm not sure why the dirt world has not caught on. The only time I remove a chain is to replace it and even if I was to reuse a chain a new master link is only a few bucks. I'd gladly spend a few bucks for a new master link and have to cut it off vs. the breaking another case due to faulty clip type master links.
Click to expand...

I've run sports bikes for years with rivet type O/X rings and am now running a masterlink on my SMR. I was trying to find Duckhams Chain Grease for it. Can I? No
frown.gif
I personally prefer the masterlink/splitlink as it makes cleaning a hell of a lot easier and if your chain gets real grungy you can pull it off, clean it in a pan of kerosene or similar, lube it up good and refit it. And yes, def the masterlink away from the motor side, picked that tip up here also
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last week i couldn't spell a/c mechanic, now i are one. life's short!! and yes i've smashed up my share of airplane parts, and the masterlink can be tough too. actually, while the clip is the tried and true method, i use small cotter pins all the time at work, some prolly small enough to pass thru the holes in the chain pins IMG_2328.jpg
 
To each his own I guess.
With running different sprockets and adding a extra link here and there I have always reused masters and clips too.
Never had a problem in 40 years.
One thing I do is before inserting the clip clean off the side of the master and add some Locktite under the clip.

Masterlink1.jpg
 
im on the factory original myself, had it broke several times. the bad news is i always learn things the hard way. edit to say i've had the chain broke several times changing sprockets, also 870 (sealant) the clip
 
I have been putting the clip on the inside facing the tire for a couple of years now and the clip take no wear.. also a dab of silcone on the clip & pins and it make the clip a bear even to remove when needed to(but that means branch's and limbs don't have a fighting chance either)...lol
 
i drop in my 2 cents. you can read all over the internet about how using two master links is stupid and it will just fly off. ect ect. same goes with the safety wire in place of the masterclip. it has been used as a replacement countless times. i use .020 becasue it fits in the clip grove. go around the pin twist until you reach the other pin and pig tail. dab of sealant. done. i have never lost a chain nor clip or had any type of failure chain related. have i used safety wire.. yep and wont blink and eye to do so. do i use 2 master links, yep currently i do for ease of swapping rear sprockets. so try it and make your own mind up.
 
HuskyDude said:
One thing I do is before inserting the clip clean off the side of the master and add some Locktite under the clip.
Click to expand...

thinking.gif
huh? how does that work? I thought Locktite is an "anaerobic" sealant.. meaning it sets up in the absence of air
 
I wouldn't hesitate to use safety wire in the field to get back home, I might even forget it was there when I got home....
I would have no problem using 2 master links to join in a small piece of chain for sprocket swaps, I like safety as much as the next guy, but if safety was the over-riding goal, I wouldn't be riding a motorcycle.....
 
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