repairing a broke chain

Hello Im mike I would like to know how to repair my broke chain that I believed I caused. I tightend my chain because I did not want it to be to loose. I then oil my chain. Before I oiled my chain it was pretty rusty. The chain must have tighten up more after I oiled it. Before my chain broke I noticed I few different times after I rode my bike that the chain would become loose. So I figured this time when I tighten my chain I want to make sure it was tight. Well it was to tight and snapped. Luckily I had a chain guard on or else it could have been my leg Ouch. My chaing broke where the o ring or rivet link connect can I still use my old chain or do I need to purchase a new one.

Howdy, mpc.
Sounds like it may be time for new chain and sprockets.
For better advice, would be helpful to know the bike year and model.

Welcome to KZr Mike.

I'm glad to hear that neither you or your bike sustained any damage/injuries from this.

You can repair your chain and still use it, but I'd highly recommend against it - if it broke once, it WILL break again, guaranteed.

When a chain becomes rusty like the chain you described, the links have already lost their lube and will kink, causing the chain to bind (and in your bikes case, break).

Concurently, a rusty chain will accelerate wear on the sprockets. In some instances damging them and making them unsafe.

Long story short, you should replace the chain AND both sprockets.
The best (and least expensive) place I can recommend to get them would be through Z1 Enterprises.com .
The owner of Z1E is also a long-time member of this site, and just about everyone here gets their parts "fix" through him.

Yeah, what they said. New chain and both sprockets. Don't try to cut corners and only replace just the chain, or the old sprockets will wear out the new chain, or the sprocket teeth could break.

What kind of bike is this "broke" chain from?

Also, you have to keep in mind that chains tend to wear unevenly, meaning it will be tighter in some places in its rotation about the sprockets, and you really don't want your chain to be "tight" anyway. You need about 1 and 1/2 inches of play in it. If you tightened your chain while at its loosest part of its rotation, that means it will be way too tight when you rotate the wheel to the chains tight spot, and it will break. I've never broken a chain, but in my mind, if the chain actually broke, then its way beyond its ability to function anyway, so forget about repairing it. Go ahead and buy a new chain and two new sprockets. And go ahead and shell out the big bucks for a good O-ring chain. They last MUCH longer then a non O-ring chain if properly cared for.
I bought a new chain and sprockets last year, and so far it hasn't stretched one bit. Not even a break in stretch. But I clean and lube mine religiously.
And yes, you'll find the best prices and customer service at Z1 Enterprises. I made the mistake of thinking I'd save on the shipping costs by supporting my local Kawa dealer. At first it seemed like a good deal, but when I added in the fact that the moron at the dealer gave me a 520 chain to go with my new 530 sprockets, and the 530 chain was much more expensive than the 520 chain, I ended up paying about a hundred bucks more than if I'd ordered straight from Z1 Enterprises.:pinch:

If a chain gets rusty, replace it. They are hardened on the surface, and corrosion (rust) means the integrity of the surface is compromised.

A rusty chain snaps.

mpc wrote:

The chain must have tighten up more after I oiled it.

Well there's your problem, the chain shrank after you oiled it.

:woohoo: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: