Degreased chain

[lanci]

Used degreaser to clean the chain on the bike (quite a bit used). Gear changes have become a little notchy, have I fucked the chain? :pinch:

I am silly I know, but I got impatient and wanted to clean the chain :oi-grr:

[Coldrider]

Used degreaser to clean the chain on the bike (quite a bit used). Gear changes have become a little notchy, have I fucked the chain? :pinch:

I am silly I know, but I got impatient and wanted to clean the chain :oi-grr:
Put some lube on the chain, go for ride to get the chain warm, stop, lube again so the o or x rings swallow the lube, go for a ride again , stop, lift the rear wheel of the ground, rotate rear wheel, forwards & backwards, watch & listen for tight links & missing o rings.

[modboy]

You should be sweet - just get some nice bike chain lube onto the chain. I normally spray heaps onto a clean rag and rub it on to the chain rather than spary the shit all over the bike and wheels and chain only to have it spray off for the next 3 weeks...

When you degrease, you always gotta lube up afterwards. Keep your degreaser and chain lube together. Degrease then lube and you'll always be sweet.

If you are still in doubt your bike shop will tell you if you've fucked your chain. But provided you haven't ridden for weeks with it dry you should be ok. :cool:

[lankyman]

Used degreaser to clean the chain on the bike (quite a bit used). Gear changes have become a little notchy, have I fucked the chain? :pinch:

Short answer, quite possibly yes. Degreasers and a lot of solvents strip all the lube out of your o-rings. In future use something such as kerosene as it leaves an oily residue on your o-rings and then re-lube before riding anywhere. There are already several threads relating to this

[lanci]

Yeah I did lube it thoroughly straight after and let it sit over night. Have since lubed it again but still a little notchy.

Cheers guys for the words of wisdom.

[Coldrider]

Yeah I did lube it thoroughly straight after and let it sit over night. Have since lubed it again but still a little notchy.

Cheers guys for the words of wisdom.
Note about lubing it warm, the o rings suck the lube in as they cool down.
The o ring chains sealed for life is a crock, the o rings rotate & scavange lube & dirt in and out for their lifetime. the longetivity of the chain is in the tensile strenght of the links, and the hardness of the pins. O ring & x ring chains tensile strength is 2 to 3 times stronger than normal chains, that is where marketing & margins are made.
A chain is fu**ed when the rings are broken then missing, the links are stretched, the pins have worn, giving a link measurement greater than the sprocket tooth measurement. Or yeah, if the pins rust they swell , creating tight spots. A stuffed chain is more likely to cause vibration and noise.

Factoid # 2, my cylc has notchy gear changes when using full synthetic engine oil, but is fine using a semi sythentic or mineral.

[Maki]

Used degreaser to clean the chain on the bike (quite a bit used). Gear changes have become a little notchy, have I fucked the chain?

Yes.......

[Coldrider]

Yeah I did lube it thoroughly straight after and let it sit over night. Have since lubed it again but still a little notchy.

Cheers guys for the words of wisdom.http://www.bikesa.biz/forum/index.php?topic=17683.0

Link to real chain advice.

[Pixie]

Note about lubing it warm, the o rings suck the lube in as they cool down.
The o ring chains sealed for life is a crock, the o rings rotate & scavange lube & dirt in and out for their lifetime. the longetivity of the chain is in the tensile strenght of the links, and the hardness of the pins. O ring & x ring chains tensile strength is 2 to 3 times stronger than normal chains, that is where marketing & margins are made.
A chain is fu**ed when the rings are broken then missing, the links are stretched, the pins have worn, giving a link measurement greater than the sprocket tooth measurement. Or yeah, if the pins rust they swell , creating tight spots. A stuffed chain is more likely to cause vibration and noise.

Factoid # 2, my cylc has notchy gear changes when using full synthetic engine oil, but is fine using a semi sythentic or mineral.
Links don't stretch.
Chain elongation is due to wear in the pins and bushes

[dogsnbikes]

Im with Lankyman keep the Degreaser's away from the chain....and use kerosene its cleaner to work with just dab and wipe,will do the whole rearend in one go and is friendly on the chain enviroment:yes:

I clean with Kerosene and lube with Chain oil

[vifferman]

Your all worngA.
I clean my chain with paintbrush cleaner, followed up with paint thinners, then prepsol, then lube it with two-stroke premix. I've been doing this for weaks and the chain is beatifull and shinny.

[Devil]

Whats a chain?

[light]

Whats a chain?

It's the round thing on the front I think... you know that black thing with chicken strips on it ;)

[Coldrider]

Whats a chain?20 yards of earth

[Swoop]

Whats a chain?
The Queen has one.
She keeps it near the sea.

[pritch]

The Queen has one.
She keeps it near the sea.

Yeah, it might be mobile though 'cause I saw one near a river once...

[Batcerb]

I have used CRC 556 in the past to clean the chain ... suppose its ok?

[YellowDog]

Yes.......
Shame, but I have to agree. You need to have saved it before it shows what you are describing.

Hope it's a cheap one!

[varminter]

I've used kero as well as WD40, not sure whats the best.

[Monkeyboy]

I've used kero as well as WD40, not sure whats the best.

First I go for a ride. Then get an old towel and pour some kerosine on it about the size of the palm of my hand. Then I run the chain through the towel by spinning the back wheel as I hold the lower run of the chain with the kero soaked towel. After that I lube it. Works for me.

[Muppet]

Does kero muck about with the o rings?

[pritch]

Does kero muck about with the o rings?

I hope not, that's what I use.

Be careful with the spinning wheel trick, chains, sprockets, and fingers don't mix.

[peasea]

have I fucked the chain?

Is your penis oily?

[The Stranger]

Note about lubing it warm, the o rings suck the lube in as they cool down.


How does one go about warming their chain? I rode from the Bay of Islands to Auckland - last stop for gas was Wellsford - and my chain was still cold.

[peasea]

How does one go about warming their chain? I rode from the Bay of Islands to Auckland - last stop for gas was Wellsford - and my chain was still cold.

Give it a hot water bottle, tuck it in, read it a story and give it a hug.

[Coldrider]

How does one go about warming their chain? I rode from the Bay of Islands to Auckland - last stop for gas was Wellsford - and my chain was still cold.My chain gets warm, maybe your chain is 100% efficient. My x ring chain does not get any where as warm as the previous o ring.
Hey Lanci, if your chain is causing notchy gear changes, it would have very obvious tightspots. Excess chain lube hasn't gummed up the external gear lever linkages has it, or is the countershaft sprocket stuffed.

[peasea]

Get a belt. No oil, no wuckers.

[kneescraper]

Did you take the chain off the bike to degrease, if so you may have refitted the chain with to much tension.

If the chain is to tight, there is to much pull on the gearbox to allow smooth changes, losen it alittle and take it for a ride. There are plenty of websites describing the correct chain tenson...google is your friend.

Edit: Just re-read the first post, I would still check the tension, did you tighten the chain at all?

[peasea]

Did you take the chain off the bike to degrease, if so you may have refitted the chain with to much tension.

If the chain is to tight, there is to much pull on the gearbox to allow smooth changes, losen it alittle and take it for a ride. There are plenty of websites describing the correct chain tenson...google is your friend.

Edit: Just re-read the first post, I would still check the tension, did you tighten the chain at all?

He's quite right, a tight chain will screw up your shifting, especially when things are warm. All adjustments should be made (and checked) when the machine has been ridden a reasonable distance, like over twenty k's.

[lanci]

I cleaned the chain on the bike and haven't adjusted the tension, but I am not so sure that the chain is the problem now. I say this because when coasting down hill in neutral all seems smooth chain wise (slight grinding noise when leaning in neutral but imagine that is simply the chain pressuring one side of the sprocket).

I think the engine oil might be causing the notchy shifts as I commute on the Triple 15kms daily and have had the oil in the bike for about 3500-4500kms, so maybe a bit dirty. Bikes running a little rougher as well (more noise from the engine). Would change the oil this weekend but have the 20K service coming up.

So yeah, the bikes pissing me off right now as the suspension is not feeling right and the engine and gearbox seeming a tad rough... Hope that big service and assistance from Shaun Harris will remedy it (otherwise Ducati 999 or B-King here I come!)

[lanci]

Oh yeah, some good funnies from this thread... hottie, sex with chain etc!!!:2thumbsup

Keep it up!

[lanci]

See page 2 for update...

[kneescraper]

Ummm I would change the engine oil, and check that chain tension, re-grease the change, check the gear lever linkages and check the clutch cable for any kind of adjustment needed.

[Coldrider]

Dry external clutches on the 999 will sound like what your trying to get rid of.

[kneescraper]

Dry external clutches on the 999 will sound like what your trying to get rid of.

But oh so much sexier!!!!

[SARGE]

ahem........ (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=97756&highlight=chain+brush)


makes it SO much easier

[kneescraper]

Simple idea and very usefull. Ive always liked the soak the chain in kero for a few hours idea. I dont think that brush would get that suborn crap out of the O or X rings..could be wrong.

I always cleaned my chain, removed it from the kero and cleaned it off with a clean rag then hung it from a straight bent clothes hanger under sun protection and dosed it in chain lub..allowing it to sit for a hour then refitting it to the bike, take the bike for a ride for 10 to 20 mins, return home, check tension and respray. Alittle over the top but hey, I enjoy it and I know its been done right.

[SARGE]

Simple idea and very usefull. Ive always liked the soak the chain in kero for a few hours idea. I dont think that brush would get that suborn crap out of the O or X rings..could be wrong.

I always cleaned my chain, removed it from the kero and cleaned it off with a clean rag then hung it from a straight bent clothes hanger under sun protection and dosed it in chain lub..allowing it to sit for a hour then refitting it to the bike, take the bike for a ride for 10 to 20 mins, return home, check tension and respray. Alittle over the top but hey, I enjoy it and I know its been done right.

gets my chains squeeky clean .. even between the links ..i run Xring on the Ace and Oring on Spooky

[kneescraper]

I there for stand corrected!

[Coldrider]

Simple idea and very usefull. Ive always liked the soak the chain in kero for a few hours idea. I dont think that brush would get that suborn crap out of the O or X rings..could be wrong.

I always cleaned my chain, removed it from the kero and cleaned it off with a clean rag then hung it from a straight bent clothes hanger under sun protection and dosed it in chain lub..allowing it to sit for a hour then refitting it to the bike, take the bike for a ride for 10 to 20 mins, return home, check tension and respray. Alittle over the top but hey, I enjoy it and I know its been done right.If you get a bigger bike you will miss the luxury of not having a riveted chain.

[kneescraper]

Explain more ?

[Coldrider]

Explain more ?Higher horsepower motorcycles have a rivet joiner link, where the joiner pins are penned over like the rest of the chain. They are not removable, hence you cannot take your chain off without cutting it off. You may elect to have a circlip joiner link that may shed the clip off and feed the chain into the crankcase, but is not advised.

[YellowDog]

How does one go about warming their chain? I rode from the Bay of Islands to Auckland - last stop for gas was Wellsford - and my chain was still cold.
Impressive!

Were you on a trailer?

[MarkH]

I hope not, that's what I use.

Be careful with the spinning wheel trick, chains, sprockets, and fingers don't mix.

Or a thumb - not so good to be between chain and rear sprocket, but it is the sort of thing you only do once. :whistle:

[The Stranger]

Impressive!

Were you on a trailer?


Actually, someone put my chain in a stupid place where it gets a heap of air cooling. I guess if you ride so fooken slow that there is no air cicrulation the chain gets hot from being stuck in by the gearbox for so long.