KMC magic link

[ayceejay]

What to do when this link doesn't slide in like it's supposed to? I have tried oil, I even have the special pliers but it won't slide in.

 

[snorri]

If at first you don't succeed, try try and try again.

If at first you don't succeed, bang the ****** wi' yir heid.

When it eventually slips together you will wonder why it didn't do that at the first attempt.

 

[smokeysmoo]

It shouldn't be as hard as you've described IMO.

Have you tried using the downward force of the pedals to get it to lock in?

That said, if that worked but it had taken that much pressure to do it I'd worry about getting it undone again.

I always have a couple of links knocking around, so if one was pi$$ing me off this much I'd bin it and try another TBH.

 

[ayceejay]

I think I will have to admit defeat and buy another link. Strangely I fitted an Ambrosia track chain recently and that was a walk in the park and I am wondering if this is link belongs to another chain. It came from Planet X un-boxed and with no instructions could the chain and the link be different sizes?

 

[ayceejay]

Do these links come in different sizes?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Do these links come in different sizes?

Yes they do: Link

 

[ayceejay]

Thanks Phil. Mine is a 10 speed chain (silver) and the link is black although your link shows the only black one is for a 7/8 speed therefore smaller, is the colour significant? This would certainly explain my struggle.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Thanks Phil. Mine is a 10 speed chain (silver) and the link is black although your link shows the only black one is for a 7/8 speed therefore smaller, is the colour significant? This would certainly explain my struggle.

The honest answer is that I don't know if the colour is significant. The website specifically states the colour of the links for higher number chains so it may well be.

Looking closer at the website, the 9, 10 and 11 speed links all seem to be marked with the size whereas the 5-8 speed aren't. It might be worth having a closer look to see what markings are on it.

Contrary to what you might expect, the 5-8 speed one is bigger not smaller than a 10 speed so I'd expect it to fit but be sloppy. My guess would be that you've received a narrower 11 speed one in error.

 

[MrJamie]

I think the 7/8 speed one should have a longer pin and fit easier as the 10speed chain is narrower. Do you know which chain you've got, so you can compare its pin length to the missing link?

I ordered a pair of these a while back (8 speed) and one of them was noticeably looser than the other, so I guess it could also just be manufacturing tolerances.

 

[ayceejay]

I got it! I was using gentle persuasion when brute force was required "downward force of the pedals" did the trick, thanks guys.