What tight links and kinking is
A tight link is a joint that resists flexing. It may be a stiffness from internal corrosion, a contaminant jamming the bearing, a damaged or over-pressed plate, or a roller seized on its bush. Tight links do not share load properly and cause repeated failure points.
Common causes
- Internal corrosion in a wet or humid environment
- Over-pressing during fitting that nips the plates and pin
- Hard contaminants packed into the joint clearance
- Seized rollers or bushes from galling or starvation
Warning signs
- Chain that kinks or does not lie flat when laid out on the floor
- Visible gaps or offset links where the chain runs round the sprocket
- Noise and jerking as the tight link passes the tooth
- Localised wear and repeated breakage at the same link position
Prevention and correction
- Press pins to the specified setting, never over-tighten a link
- Keep chain lubricated and sheltered from water ingress
- Clean and rinse joints after heavy contamination exposure
- Identify and replace affected links before they damage sprockets
Fix it with the right product
Roller chain and connecting linksNeed a second opinion?
Send us the chain, the running hours and a photo. Our engineers will confirm the failure mode and quote the right replacement.
All chain failure modes
Chain ElongationFatigue FailureSide Plate CrackingPin and Bush WearRoller Wear and SpallingAbrasive WearAdhesive WearCorrosionStress Corrosion CrackingHydrogen EmbrittlementGallingSurface PittingTensile OverloadShock LoadingImpact FractureLubrication StarvationTight Links and KinkingMisalignmentChordal ActionSprocket Tooth Wear
Same & Next-Day Delivery Areas
Roller chain supply across South Yorkshire & the North
Dispatched from our Rotherham depot — order by 1pm for next-working-day delivery, or collect same-day within our 30-mile radius.
RotherhamDepot location
Sheffield9 mi · ~25 min
Barnsley6 mi · ~15 min
Doncaster16 mi · ~30 min
Mexborough3 mi · ~8 min
Maltby5 mi · ~12 min
Wath-upon-Dearne4 mi · ~10 min
Wakefield20 mi · ~35 min
Leeds25 mi · ~45 min
Huddersfield30 mi · ~50 min
Scunthorpe22 mi · ~35 min
Mansfield28 mi · ~45 min
Chesterfield18 mi · ~30 min
Worksop14 mi · ~25 min