Review on Optimized OTC 4744 Chain Breaker & Riveting Tool Kit by Duane Hayes

I was arguing about giving this one 2 or 3 stars. It was just a good tool for what I wanted to use it for. I have an old (1987) Honda ATV that needed a new chain. Requires 428 chain with 94 links. I ordered a DID 428VX chain (overkill for the application) which came standard with 98 links. I asked the chain seller to break the chain and install a riveted link to make 94 links (I can fit a chain with the link installed on this quad). The chain supplier said he could take the links off my hands, but I would have to install a riveted master link for liability reasons. That's why I bought this set. I used the "press" and "rivet" configurations. I didn't use the break circuit configuration. Regarding the press configuration, I found that the holes/slots on the top plate of the press insert were too far apart for a 428 pitch chain, even though this kit was advertised as supporting that pitch. So the rivet pins didn't line up with the holes in the top plate of the press, so the press configuration didn't work for me right away. I had to modify the slots at the top of the press so they wouldn't get in the way of the headpins on the main link. I also found that the wide groove in the bottom saddle was too deep, preventing the flattened ends of the headpins on the main link from seating properly on the bottom saddle. When I pressed the upper link plate against the rivet pins, the pins popped out of the chain a bit before hitting the groove on the lower hold down plate. I was then able to push down on the link plate to match the overall thickness of the adjacent chain links based on caliper measurements, but when the rivet pins backed out a bit everything fell off a bit as I flared the rivets. The rivet configuration worked fine - just be patient and take lots of measurements. In my case I ended up with one end of the main link lightly riveted after the rivet because the rivet pin receded slightly. I've tried to compensate for the rivet pins falling out by expanding the rivets, but have had limited success. Once again I measured the socket of the rivet to see when I was done. For my light application this should be fine, but for the money this tool should have performed better as it obviously didn't support the link step it was advertised for and had some portability issues. If I was doing this job every day I would look for a different kit as it takes a lot of patience and fiddling to use (not to mention modifying it for a smaller 428 link spacing).