New type of master link

[Red01]

Ran across this on another forum... EK has a new screw type master link. You only need an 8mm wrench to install them.



Click here for the EK Chain catalog (Requires Adobe Acrobat)
You can zoom in on the pictures in the catalog if you find the above pics don't have enough detail.

[tacoman]

thats pretty cool.  No more cussing and squeezing with the vise grips.  Looks like you get rid of that little clip also.

[Red01]

Yup, looks like the strength and security of a rivet link without the need for a chain rivet tool. The fasteners look a lot like some of the high strength fasteners we use @ work when something stonger than a conventional rivet is needed. (For those familiar with aircraft specialty fasteners, these look like a combination of the features of a Hi-Loc/Hi-Lite and a Huck.)

[Steve]

This will definately be a prime consideration with my next chain! Thanks Paul!

Steve

[flip]

Has anybody here tried this yet?

[Swamp Rat]

More importantly...how much of a pain are they to get back off?

[Red01]

It might depend on your method of chain removal. For the method I use, it doesn't matter. I take the old chain off with a cutoff wheel in a pneumatic die grinder and just cut the link plates. If you grind the heads off the pins and press them out, I don't suppose it would be any different either... you could always grind the heads off a set of pins in a plain link.

[Bobcat]

Looks cool. Wish DID would come up with something similar. Not a big fan of EK, from personal experience.

[97RedBird]

I tried the dremel to cut the chain off and after 15 mins I gave up.  I found bolt cutters to work the best to remove my chain,  two quick snaps and my 530 chain was off my b6.  

Plus the bolt cutter was free, came in the back of my first car in highschool and never could find a use for it until now.  

[gsxr400 racer]

works good been out for about a year!

[Red01]

I tried the dremel to cut the chain off and after 15 mins I gave up.  I found bolt cutters to work the best to remove my chain,  two quick snaps and my 530 chain was off my b6.  

Plus the bolt cutter was free, came in the back of my first car in highschool and never could find a use for it until now.  

The air powered cut-off tools seem to work much better than the small electric Dremels. Not likely to be quicker than the snip-snip of a bolt cutter though.