Master Link Question

I had to pony up big $$$ for a new rear sproket from Sproket Specialists since my bike has a Morris Mag.:dry: While I'm waiting for that, I took off the master link and lost the clip. The rubber O-rings got boogered up too, so I bought a new master link. Now I'm trying to put it on and I'm having trouble squeezing it all together enough to install the clip. How do you get all 4 of the rubber rings to ride up onto the barrels of the inner link without crushing them? Any special tricks that I'm missing? Thanks for any advice...

i found this useful installing chain

Thanks Kano. I like the way that was written- for idiots like me. I like the cute little blue haired girl too. I dn't have a chain breaker to squeeze the master link but I will try Vice grips or some little clamps or something.

Nevco48 wrote:

I dn't have a chain breaker to squeeze the master link but I will try Vice grips or some little clamps or something.

seems there might be some help here

After reading the responses, I'm going to go back and creep some locktight under the clippy, and then paint over it with some contrast color.

link breaker is a must dude and get a spare master link too,
i carry both under my seat in a tool roll just in case lol.
glad link helped.

Update: got it on OK. I lubed the O-rings and squoze it all together with some small C clamps. I put the original old cover link over the new one and torqued it down enough to allow the clip to pop on, no problem. I did the white paint trick on it too.
Now if it would just warm up a bit!
Thanks.