The Masterlink Broke!

So I was out riding today and the masterlink on the chain broke. When I checked the chain & link they were dry. I'm not sure if the lube was washed out or failed. The part of the masterlink that remained on the chain had both o-rings but it was still dry. I'm guessing the pin was binding in the bushing and the stress snapped the plate in half.

I haven't had this happen before and up to this point when I put a chain on the bike, it stayed until I was ready to replace it. I the past I have been using RK-XSO chains. They come with rivet links but I always use clip links and haven't had any problems. The Krause was on the bike when I bought it and the chain and sprockets show some wear but still appear to be in good condition. The bike has just under 5K on the odometer.

Do any of you check your masterlink on a regular basis?

We used a master link chain on KLRChickie's KLR once. Upon inspecting it one day it looked like the side plate of the master was wearing the pin and failure was imminent. Only rivet style for us now, regardless of displacement. Currently we've standardized on RKRacing SXO 520s for 6/8 of our fleet. I doubt the WR needs that strong of a chain but you don't seem to get much less of a chain and keep the quality.

RimBenty wrote:

So I was out riding today and the masterlink on the chain broke.

Do any of you check your masterlink on a regular basis?

I don't have a lot of experience with this to fall back on, but I've never had a problem with master links. That goes back to a bunch of 60's and 70's motocross bikes which probably had far crappier chains on them than what we get today. In fact, it irks the hell out of me that I can't easily break the chain on my WR to do maintenance, and I've been kind of looking forward to having a master link chain once this one is worn out.

On the other hand, I also have a look at the master link when I do chain lube and maintenance on a chain so equipped. Might as well do that while you're down there cleaning and oiling... and when I did have master link chains, often I just took the chain right off the bike to do that stuff. Much easier that way, and then you can't help NOT have a look at the master link.

Be interesting to watch and see how many chime in with similar stories of master link failure.

I'd definitely be getting along of Krause/Sidewinder after a failure like that.

Never had an issue with the stock DID chain nor the RK XSO I replaced it with. The chain on my stolen bike was going strong with ~12k on it, the chain I just took off in preparation for a trip with 10k on it was in really good shape too, still rarely needed adjustments and such. Replaced it as a preventative measure. I've always used a rivet link, I do try to keep an eye on it but after the first 1000+ miles I tend to worry little about it.

Never seen anything like that. We've always used clips.

Sarah

RimBenty wrote:

So I was out riding today and the masterlink on the chain broke. When I checked the chain & link they were dry. I'm not sure if the lube was washed out or failed. The part of the masterlink that remained on the chain had both o-rings but it was still dry. I'm guessing the pin was binding in the bushing and the stress snapped the plate in half.

Looks like that's what happened as far as I can tell.
If the joint can't pivot, the chain link plate won't take that stress for too long.
Been there, done that.

The pin looks all galled-up, and I wouldn't doubt that that joint was either seized or half way there.
Seems that the lube was all used-up and gone from that joint.

RimBendy wrote:

Do any of you check your masterlink on a regular basis?

Absolutely.
The whole chain, as a matter of fact.
If any of the joints are less than smooth pivoting, the chain gets replaced.
If any of the joints stay kinked and won't straighten out, the chain is doomed, and so may be your crankcase when it breaks on the go.

Just interested, was there residual grease on the pins of the master link and you cleaned it off for the pics or were the pins this dry when you pulled it off the bike?

There wasn't any grease on the pins to clean off and there was red dust around the bushings like the metal was wearing away. The chain was on the bike when I got it so I don't know if the previous owner or a shop installed it. The big question I have is if the lube failed or got washed out somehow, or if the masterlink was installed with too little lube or possibly none at all. In the condition it was in I think it still would have failed even if it was a rivet link.

I check, clean and lube the chain on a regular basis but don't remove it from the bike to do that. I also haven't taken a masterlink off to check it before. My feeling is the o-rings should keep the lube in there so I shouldn't have to relube it on a regular basis.