cam master link, how did you peen it?

[ProSimex]

should I just suck it up and buy the proper tool or is there a good way around? A friend used needle nose vicegrips to clamp theirs down and then simply used a hammer and punch to pean the pins.


this has not worked for me....

I guess I might as well by the tool..

I need a pushrod XS conversion...

 

[5twins]

Tap a light "X" cut into the pins with a small sharp chisel first, then peen it. You can just use the round end of a small ball peen, you don't need a punch. It will take a while .....

I have the tool but still "X" cut the pins and hand peen afterwards. The tool doesn't do the job completely in my opinion .....

..... so I finish that off with hand peening .....

 

[Geers]

I did very similar to 5 twins. Did some nice had peening work after a few good whacks with a center punch tool. I also used a larger style bolt splitter to make the X

 

[blackbetty]

I was able to get a good peen using a chain breaker believe it or not. Of course notch the ends first. You can get a wrench on a motion pro chain breaker.....

 

[DogBunny]

I am wondering how you all are backing up the chain when you peen.

Also, this peening is not creating a "tight link"?

 

[angus67]

ahah first time i peened mine i didnt back it up and as soon as i hit it, i thought, "uh,oh, i should back that" sure enuf, fell straight down the chain tunnel,
lucky me though, I took off the sump plate, and shook the engine around, and it fell out.
mine didnt get tight.

 

[Reid]

I like to use a tig torch

 

[xjwmx]

The pin doesn't rotate in the outer link so it can be as tight as you want it against the face of the outer link, at least. Good peenin there. I saw one example where a guy just used a nut splitter to expand the end in two directions. It looked as good as what I think 5twins has put up before as the stock peen that they come with.

 

[DLD1]

I've been doing mine the way 5twins has for over 30 years, never had a problem with one yet. I back mine up with a dolly, the kind you use for body work, but a good heavy hammer will do.

 

[1974jh5]

I did it the same way dld1 did. I used a 3 pound drilling hammer as an anvil, then smacked the pin with a ball peen. Didn't take any pics but it looked great and is holding just fine.

 

[lidirtrider]

Great tips! I was just thinking about this. Also, should I put the master link in before I put the top end end, and just sorta "stretch" it over the cam? Or else how will I know the cam and crank are timed correctly?

 

[ProSimex]

yeah ive got it.Thanks everyone

 

[angus67]

yeah ive got it.Thanks everyone

oh....we could go on and on.... infact, in a couple years, i bet someone bumps this thread to the top and asks you if you figured it out!!

 

[ProSimex]

I didnt mean to sound flippant. I appreciate the advice given by everyone here, otherwise I wouldnt have asked.

I used the hammer/hammer-anvil technique.

 

[XSLeo]

The last one I did the pin had a shoulder so the side plate only goes on so far, you can't get it to tight when you peen it.
I started with a large pair of vice grips to start the peen and finished with my 3 lb hammer as back up and my 20 ounce ball peen to finish.
Leo

 

[DogBunny]

I'm still kind of confused about this... I get using a dolly or hammer as a back-up while you peen, but is everyone doing all of this peening with the chain actually on the cam shaft gear? Or are you peening and then sliding the camshaft under the chain, and then sliding the camshaft bearings on?

 

[5twins]

Nope, cam and bearings in, chain on sprocket. It's not that big a deal if you back it up properly. It doesn't put too much stress on the other parts. You're not wailing away here with a BFH, just a series of tap-tap-taps with a small to medium sized ball peen.

 

[cros36]

didnt read the thread. sorry.

i used the correct tool offered from mikesxs. i have spent hours using different types of metals and different type of points trying to get a good surface to flair the master link. nothing worked.

for real, 30 seconds with the right tool and the job was done, and i was on to putting the engine back together.... its a good tool to have, and you will use it again. thats my thoughts.

all the best....

 

[XSLeo]

With the backup dolly you won't hurt anything, just hold it firmly so you are not sliding the cam sideways.
Leo