Someone pinged me privately about my experience with the Tsubaki chain and I wanted to pop back in and relate some details.

The chain worked just fine and was sized correctly. One of my other chains yes, one of the lower ones is still making a horrible racket, but that is my next project. *shudder*

The Tsubaki chain arrived as an endless chain and did NOT come with a master link. Be sure to order the $3 link!

As I've never done this before, I screwed up the first one and had to order another. Live and learn. If $3 is cheap insurance to you too, order a pair of them.

If you don't have a chain cutter/riveter yet, consider the cam chain specific one that Z1 Enterprise sells: http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=1693

I had a generic one that works with cam chains up to drive chains. It was fine for pressing the pin out, but pressing the new plate on took some work as it was huge in comparision to a cam chain link.

Forum member 'dad' has a lot of good information in his post here: https://cbrforum.com/fb.asp?m=48771

Using a cut-down feeler gauge for proper clearance is a big point he makes. Follow it! Neglecting that is how I ruined my first master link. If you press without leaving some space, the chain will be way too tight for proper usage.

Final thing: dad might have mentioned this, but when you get the master link into the chain and are aligning the far side plate in preparation for pressing it onto the master link's pins, use a rubberband or a piece of thread to keep it in place. If you have the bigger generic chain tool, this might help a lot.

Hope that helps anyone who's a bit lost. Good luck and don't drop any pieces!

And hope that noise was your *cam* chain and not one of the lower ones.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, it will help as soon as my chain arrives (thanks Shadow) I'm not sure about the master link situation, but I'll have to look at it when it arrives. Do you have the link for the master links that you ordered for 3 dollars?

 

I wouldn't mix and match masterlinks from other chain mnfrs guys, as the pin diameters are sometimes different- may only be microns, but could spell disaster.......
Hmmmm.........Tsubaki chain is about $83 WITHOUT POSTAGE, with 1 masterlink........
I don't think we can buy those here.............

 

I agree with Shadow regarding mixing a chain and master link from different manufacturers, unless you can verify they are made to a specific standard and therefore identical in pin size and plate thickness, etc.

Here are the links to the Tsubaki chain and master link from Z1 Enterprises in NY, USA:

Cam Chain:

http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=1728

Master link:

http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=1860