Danny D. wrote, on Thu, 19 Feb 2015 02:52:28 +0000:

Anyone know the trick to get that super strong spring back on?

Here's the 5-minute sequence, in a nutshell, once you know how to do it!
- Remove the star-wheel circlip & position the spring in the slot.
- Screw the temporary cover plate on (which holds the spring down).
- Leverage the spring into position #1 (bent) with an 18-inch screwdriver.
- Replace the circlip.
- Remove the temporary cover plate (hold the spring down with your hands).
- Replace the permanent plastic cover plates (watch the rubber post!).
- Spin the star wheel into position #2 (straight) using a special socket.
- Voila!

Here's a more detailed pictorial DIY.
It's easy, once you know these tricks and make the special tools!

1. Fabricate a female socket for the chainlock star wheel:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7395/1...ddab4f57_c.jpg
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7397/1...b4cddeca_c.jpg

Note: Forget about standard drum brake tools; they don't fit:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7339/1...a26618e9_c.jpg

2. Fabricate a hold-down plate for 1/2 the spring tensioning:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7453/1...72e71525_c.jpg

3. Lock the magnesium clutch plate upright in a vise and remove
the circlip and pry up with an 18-inch screwdriver:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8571/1...5c0f3a41_z.jpg

4. Replace the circlip once you have the spring in the 1st position:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7290/1...93ccff87_z.jpg

5. REMOVE THE TEMPORARY COVER PLATE!
You can finish the job without removing the plate, but you'll
lose the spring a half dozen times before you realize the folly
of trying to get the spring into the second position with the
cover plate on! If you're VERY LUCKY, you can get the cover
plate off with the spring in the straight (second) position,
but you MUST be very lucky for it to stay in place:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8579/1...b09b602e_z.jpg

6. Instead, remove the cover plate while the spring is in the
first position and replace the black original plastic cover:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7351/1...1ffccf41_c.jpg

NOTE: You can do this ONLY if you've made the special socket
tool described in step #1.

7. With an 18-inch pipe wrench, spin the chainlock into the
second (straight) position using the special socket tool
you made in step #1:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7282/1...babda7ea_z.jpg

8. Do not make the mistake I made, which is to forget to put the
rubber protection strip on the post UNDER the black plastic!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8580/1...b400741f_z.jpg

I had it all done, and had to do it over again because of
that simple faux pas (you can see the rubber endcap in the
middle of this picture above; it's supposed to be inserted
under and through the black plastic, so it has to go on 1st!).

In summary, the tricks that make this task easy a

A. The socket tool allows you to spin the spring into the second
(straight) position while the black plastic is on. This is
immensely helpful because there is no danger of the spring
springing out when you try to move from the temporary cover
plate to the black plastic (ask me how I know this).

B. The cover plate is still useful, in the first stage of
spring compression, as it keeps both the spring in place,
and it keeps the circular friction clutch in position. With
tape and wire, the friction clutch moves out of position
and is impossible to get back in place due to the enormous
tension so you have to start all over again (ask me how I
know).

C. The cover plate is a hindrence for the second step, that of
straightening the mechanism, becuase that adds tremendous
additional tension, which springs the spring when you remove
the cover plate. So, best to NEVER remove it, by replacing
it with the permanent black plastic (ask me how I know).

D. The unique trick of removing the circlip makes pushing the
spring into the first position IMMENSELY EASY! There is no
easier way to get the spring into that first position (ask
me how I know). In all the videos, they left the circlip
in place, and tried to compress the spring from the other
end, but, it turns out to be easiest to PUSH on the spring
from the attached end. Putting the circlip back on is easy,
so the only danger is to be careful not to bend the brass
pin and not to lose the circlip retaining ring.