which order to you put the master link pieces on?

[mattress]

I understand you put the link with the pins on it through a set of rubber O's, then through the ends of the chain, and then through another set of rubber O's.

what comes next? the plate or the clip?

Master Link - rubber O - chain - Rubber O - Plate - Clip on outside

or

Master Link - rubber O - chain - Rubber O - Clip - Plate on outside

??

if the Plate comes first, how far down the pins do you press it?  Right now, i have it in the groove, do I keep pressing past the groove, then put the clip on last, and slide it into the groove?

[dgyver]

The clip holds the plate on. Press in the plate far enough for the clip to slide on.

[Crucialval]

Plate first then clip. The solid side of the clip needs to face forward in the direction the chain turns.

[ducati_nolan]

Make sure you grease up the master link pin really well otherwise it'll fail quickly. Most chains should come with a little packett of grease.

[RVertigo]

From the back:

Master Link -> O-Rings -> Chain -> O-Rings -> Plate -> Clip


If you can get your hand on a proper press, it's the best way to do it... 

If you wanna be a yackass, like me, you can use the plate from your old chain to get the new chain on far enough with a pair of plyers...  Again...  This is how yackasses do it.