My brother is under his train engine trying to disconnect the drive chain so he can service the gear box.  I'm thinking he needs to relieve tension on the link he's trying to pull.  Ideas?  Is there a tool?  He has photos on FB.  Appears to be some curve to the chain (slack) but I can't copy the pictures. 

 

Plymouth DDT narrow gauge switcher, 6-71 power. 

Edited March 11, 201411 yr by flagmanruss

I've  used  wire to   loop around  the 'next roller'   up  from the link to be  disconnected.  Both sides  of  the  disconnect  link.    Then   twist the wire  to   draw the chain together, relieving pressure    

 

I'll  bet it's a pretty large chain..  #80? or  bigger?      a  channel lock  pump plier  works too,   If  you have enough  hands!

They make fairly cheap tools for that. Is there no way of tensioning the chain that can be loosened enough to unhook it?

 

I like Rancherman's idea there with the wire. If you have to wrap a few rounds of wire around it to give more strength to hold larger chains. I've seen some wild redneck idea on how to tie spring down for little cars with just standard bailing wire.

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.boothroyd.9/media_set?set=a.593356267390759.1073741829.100001491737749&type=1  

 

I found the tool, finally, on Amazon.  I like the wire idea.   Thanks guys. 

Edited March 11, 201411 yr by flagmanruss

I like Rancherman's idea there with the wire. If you have to wrap a few rounds of wire around it to give more strength to hold larger chains. I've seen some wild redneck idea on how to tie spring down for little cars with just standard bailing wire.

oh man,  you must've  seen me  a few years ago!...     I had   2 loops  around a  compressed   coil,   jacked up the car,  and  pulled the  spring out.    I just kinda   set it off to the side.   I heard this  'boing-oing'.... half hour later I found it  in  the  tall grass.    Good thing  I wasn't in a buiding...

Boing!!  That's funny.  Glad you weren't standing over it. 

me too!

My brother used a wire & got the links disconnected.  There were 2 chains.  As he put it, sometime in it's history somebody put the chain pins in backwards so pulling the cotter pins was a lot of fun.

What aprox size chain do you think this is?  He needs this toll but is resisting buying it (cheap) because his boss is an *** hat about reimbursing.  I have always bought tools to use on the job...  and put my name on them.  When I left, so did my tools. 

Edited March 13, 201411 yr by flagmanruss

That was an advantage where I last worked. Our contract would not let us supply any tool, not even a screwdriver. If we had to do things "the hard way" it was up to the contractor we worked for to get the proper tools.

What aprox size chain do you think this is?  He needs this toll but is resisting buying it (cheap) because his boss is an *** hat about reimbursing.  I have always bought tools to use on the job...  and put my name on them.  When I left, so did my tools. 

 

here's  a  quick  chart.    (probably can  disregard the  bicycle section!!  LOL)

 

a  'double'  chain  has   the  same  pitch, roller, etc... but  it'd be designated   2040  2050  2060  2080...

I  thought a  large   worm gear hose clamp  would  even   work in place of the  'wire' method!

Edited March 13, 201411 yr by rancherman

He got the drive chain off...  can't fix transmission in place (Duhh) so have begun the process to pull engine/transmission as a unit.  Sounds like fun!