Buy Roller Chain Links Online in Australia
Roller Chain Link Reference — Quick Reference
Roller chain repair + assembly uses three link types: connecting links (join chain lengths), offset / half links (add a single-pitch adjustment), and leaf chain connecting links. Always match the standard (BS / ASA) + pitch + configuration (simplex/duplex/triplex) + material (standard, stainless, nickel-plated).
| Link Type | Function | Standards | Configurations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Clip Connecting Link | Standard join — clip retained, easy field replacement | BS (06B, 08B, 10B, 12B, 16B, 20B, 24B) + ASA (35, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 120) | Simplex / Duplex / Triplex |
| H-Type Press-Fit Connecting Link | High-speed drives — press-fit retained, no clip to dislodge | BS + ASA same range | Simplex / Duplex / Triplex |
| Offset Link (Half Link / Crank Link) | Add ONE pitch increment — odd-count chains | BS + ASA | Simplex / Duplex |
| Double Pitch Connecting Link | Conveyor chain, longer-pitch drives | ANSI 2040, 2050, 2060, 2080, C-series | Standard + heavy |
| Stainless Steel (304/316) | Food, chemical, marine, wet | All standards available SS | Per material chain |
| Nickel-Plated | Light corrosion resistance — outdoor + damp | BS + ASA | Per plating |
| Aqua Series (SY Chain) | Wash-down + wet environments — combined corrosion + wear resistance | SY proprietary | Standard pitches |
Critical: Connecting links must match the chain's exact standard (BS ≠ ASA), pitch, plate width AND configuration. A duplex link cannot retrofit to simplex chain. Always replace links at chain manufacturer's recommended interval — connecting links are the chain's weakest point. Brands: Tsubaki, KCM, SY Chain, ECO. Companion: roller chain, leaf chain, sprockets.
Roller Chain Connecting & Offset Links
AIMS Industrial stocks a comprehensive range of roller chain connecting links, offset links (half links) and leaf chain connecting links from Tsubaki, KCM, SY Chain and ECO. Compatible with BS (British Standard) and ASA (American Standard) roller chain in simplex, duplex and triplex configurations.
Connecting Links
Connecting links join lengths of roller chain and are essential for any chain drive requiring assembly or repair. KCM and SY Chain connecting links are available in BS and ASA standards across common pitch sizes, in standard steel, stainless steel and nickel-plated finishes. Stainless steel links suit food processing, chemical and marine environments where corrosion resistance is required. H-type press-fit connecting links are available for high-speed applications where clip-type links may be unsuitable.
Offset Links (Half Links / Crank Links)
Offset links allow chain lengths to be adjusted by a single pitch increment where a full-length connecting link would create an odd number of pitches. Available in BS and ASA standards, simplex and duplex, in standard steel, stainless steel and nickel-plated finishes.
Double Pitch & Aqua Series
Double pitch connecting and offset links in stainless steel suit conveyor chain and longer-pitch drive applications. SY Chain Aqua Series connecting links are designed for wet and wash-down environments, combining corrosion resistance with food-grade compliance for food processing and beverage applications.
Leaf Chain Links
KCM BL series and AL series leaf chain connecting links are used in forklift masts, hoist chains and other lifting applications where leaf chain is specified. Select the correct BL or AL designation to match your chain specification.
Duplex & Triplex Links
Duplex and triplex connecting links and offset links in both BS and ASA standards are stocked across multiple pitch sizes for double and triple-width chain drives carrying higher loads. Match the link to your chain's standard, pitch and width to ensure correct assembly.
Special & Attachment Links
For applications requiring chain with attachments — conveyor flights, brackets, extended pins and other specials — contact our team. We can assist with sourcing and specifying attachment links to suit custom conveyor and handling chain applications.
People Also Ask — Roller Chain Links
Q: What types of roller chain connecting links are available?
The main types are spring clip connecting links (the standard field-replaceable joining link with a snap-fit retaining clip), H-type press-fit connecting links for high-speed applications where a clip could dislodge, offset links (half links) for adding a single pitch to an odd-count chain, and double-pitch connecting links for conveyor chains running at lower speeds.
Q: When should an H-type press-fit connecting link be used over a spring clip link?
H-type press-fit connecting links are preferred for high-speed drives where centrifugal force or vibration could cause a spring clip to disengage. The press-retained outer plate provides a more secure connection under dynamic loads. Spring clip links remain suitable for most general industrial drives at normal speeds and are easier to install and replace in the field.
Q: Are BSP and ASA roller chain links interchangeable?
No. BSP (British Standard) and ASA (American Standard) roller chains use different plate widths and pin lengths at the same pitch. A BSP connecting link will not correctly fit an ASA chain and vice versa, even when the pitch matches. Always confirm the chain standard (BS or ASA), pitch, and configuration (simplex, duplex, or triplex) before ordering replacement links.
Q: What is an offset link and when is it used?
An offset link (also called a half link or crank link) adds exactly one pitch to a chain's circumference. Offset links are used when the chain count required for a drive is an odd number of pitches — a full connecting link requires an even count. Because offset links introduce a slightly different geometry at the joint, they represent the chain's weakest point and should be minimised in any drive.
Q: When should stainless steel roller chain connecting links be specified?
Stainless steel connecting links (304 or 316 grade) are specified for food processing, chemical, marine, and wet industrial environments where standard carbon steel links would corrode. 316 stainless provides superior corrosion resistance in saltwater and chemical environments. Stainless links must match the chain's standard and pitch — they are not stronger than standard steel links, only more corrosion resistant.
Australian industries that drive roller chain link demand
Roller chain connecting links are the consumable end of every roller chain drive in Australian industry — every chain that gets installed, shortened, lengthened or replaced needs a connecting link. The buyer segments are agricultural and grain (harvesters, headers, augers, conveyors — ASA 40 to 80 dominates, with seasonal demand peaks around harvest), food and beverage processing (conveyor and pack-line drives in wash-down environments — 304 and 316 stainless connecting links are the workhorse, often paired with NSF/3-A approved chain), mining and quarry processing (heavy-duty drive and conveyor chain — typically ASA 80 to 160 in carbon and case-hardened grades, with replacement frequency driven by abrasive duty), industrial fabrication and OEM machinery (production-line drives, packaging machinery, indexing tables — BS standards more common because European OEMs default to BS), automotive workshops and motorcycle dealers (drive chain replacement on motorcycles, ATVs and karts — typically 415 to 530 motorcycle-specific chain), and lift and material handling (forklift mast leaf chain — BL and AL series with strict load-rated replacement specs).
Decision factors are chain standard (BS / ASA / motorcycle / leaf — never interchangeable even at matching pitch), pitch (06B / 08B / 10B / 12B / 16B / 20B for BS; 35 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 80 / 100 / 120 for ASA), configuration (simplex / duplex / triplex matched to original chain width), material (standard steel, 304 stainless, 316 stainless, nickel-plated), and retention type (spring clip for general field work, H-type press-fit for high-speed and high-vibration applications).
Australian standards and chain selection compliance
The standards framework for roller chain is split across British Standard and American Standard bodies. ISO 606 is the international harmonised standard for short-pitch transmission precision roller chains and links — it covers both the BS-style (Series A, with the B suffix in chain designations like 06B-1, 08B-1) and ASA-style (Series B, designations 40-1, 50-1) ranges in a single document. BS 228 and DIN 8187 are the legacy European references for BS-series chain; ANSI/ASME B29.1 is the legacy American reference for ASA-series chain. Stainless chain for food contact applications carries supplier certification under FDA, NSF and 3-A Sanitary Standard — buy stainless chain links from a supplier who can produce the certification on request. Leaf chain for forklift mast service must match the AS 2359 (Powered Industrial Trucks) inspection and replacement criteria — manufacturer's pre-stretch and elongation limits drive the replacement decision.
For roller chain wear inspection, the practical replacement criterion is chain elongation of 2% over original length (under no-load measurement). At 2% elongation the chain has worn beyond the sprocket pitch and will start riding up on the sprocket teeth, accelerating wear of both chain and sprocket. Connecting links should be replaced at the same interval as the chain — re-using an old connecting link on a new chain section creates a weak point.
Brand depth — Tsubaki, KCM, SY Chain and ECO at AIMS
AIMS Industrial supplies roller chain connecting links from manufacturers with established Australian distribution and parts availability. Tsubaki is the Japanese premium chain brand and the standard specification for OEM Japanese machinery in Australia — connecting links are stocked across BS and ASA pitches in standard, stainless and nickel-plated finishes. KCM covers the BS and ASA range with strong presence in food processing and general industrial applications, plus the BL and AL leaf chain connecting links for forklift mast service. SY Chain rounds out the range with the Aqua Series for wet and wash-down environments — connecting links engineered for the combined corrosion and wear duty of food and beverage processing. ECO provides the competitively-priced general-purpose connecting link range for lower-duty applications.
Cross-link to companion AIMS power transmission collections
The roller chain link investment connects to the broader AIMS power transmission ecosystem. Companion ranges: roller chain for the full chain stock matched to these connecting links; leaf chain for forklift mast service; sprockets for the drive side of the chain assembly; stainless steel roller chain for the food and wash-down specification; agricultural chain for the agricultural-specific chain range; chain lube for the lubrication side; chain tensioner guide for the tension-adjustment side; and chain lube guide for lubricant selection.
Brand and selection questions
How do I identify what pitch and standard my existing chain is?
Measure the centre-to-centre distance between two adjacent roller pins — that's the pitch. Common pitches: 9.525 mm (ASA 35 or BS 06B), 12.7 mm (ASA 40 or BS 08B), 15.875 mm (ASA 50 or BS 10B), 19.05 mm (ASA 60 or BS 12B), 25.4 mm (ASA 80 or BS 16B). Tell BS from ASA by measuring the roller width (the side-to-side dimension of the chain) — BS chain is slightly wider than ASA at the same pitch because BS uses a wider plate. If the chain has a brand stamp on the side plate, the chain designation is usually printed there (e.g. "08B-1" = BS 08 single-strand simplex).
Why can't I use an ASA connecting link on BS chain at the same pitch?
The plate widths and pin lengths differ even at matching pitch. An ASA 40 connecting link won't seat correctly in BS 08B chain because the pin is too short to retain the outer plate on the BS chain's wider profile. Always confirm the chain standard first (BS or ASA), then the pitch, then the configuration (simplex / duplex / triplex) before ordering replacement links. Mixing standards is a chain-failure waiting to happen.
When should I specify stainless steel connecting links?
Specify 304 stainless for food processing, beverage and chemical environments where corrosion-resistance is needed but the service isn't critically corrosive. Specify 316 stainless for marine and chemical environments with salt exposure or acidic conditions. Stainless connecting links must match the rest of the chain in material — running a stainless link on carbon-steel chain creates galvanic corrosion at the joint. Stainless connecting links are not stronger than carbon-steel links at the same designation; they're only more corrosion-resistant.
Spring clip versus H-type press-fit — which should I use?
Spring clip connecting links are field-replaceable with a pair of pliers — fast, simple, suit most general industrial drives at normal speeds. H-type press-fit connecting links use a press-retained outer plate that won't dislodge under high-speed centrifugal force or high-vibration conditions. Use H-type for fast machinery drives (above around 800 rpm chain speed), high-shock duties, and any application where a clip dislodge would cause significant secondary damage. Spring clips remain the field-service default; H-type is the engineered upgrade.
What's the difference between a connecting link and an offset link?
A connecting link joins two chain lengths and adds an even number of pitches (two pitches — one inner-plate pair and one outer-plate pair). An offset link (also called a half link or crank link) adds a single pitch and is used where the chain count required is an odd number. Offset links carry less load capacity than standard links — minimise them in any drive, and replace them at every chain service.
How often do connecting links need to be replaced?
Replace connecting links at every chain shortening, lengthening or service — re-using an old connecting link on a new chain section creates a weak point and a fatigue-failure risk. For chain drives running in continuous service, replace the entire chain (including all connecting links) when chain elongation reaches 2% of original length. For chains in wet, abrasive or corrosive service, replacement intervals are shorter — visual inspection of plate scoring and pin polishing is the leading indicator.
For chain identification, replacement link sourcing across BS, ASA, leaf and motorcycle ranges, or quotes on stainless and Aqua Series links for food and wash-down service, contact our team.