Articles on chain maintenance

[SilentDtH]

Hi KBers,

I was having a look around the interweb for some articles on chain maintenance. I found some good stuff, have a look at these sites.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-lube/

http://www.yamahafz1oa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8987&highlight=WD-40+letter

( On the second link you have to accept the terms and conditions )

It seems that WD40 seems to be a good chain cleaner as well as chain lubricant, as long as it is applied regularly ( every 1000km's or so ). Or you can just watch your chain for wear.

My chain currently has thick grease on it, so I am thinking of cleaning it with WD40 and leaving WD40 on for the lube or perhaps adding a little bit of chain specific grease afterwards.

Apologies if this information exists in other places already, but I found it very useful and am going out today to find some WD40 and chain grease. ( I have done almost 3000km's without touching the chain!! :angry: )

[forkoil]

That first article specifically warns AGAINST using WD40, cos it penetrates and removes the lubricant from the captured grease behind the O rings, leaving behind dry gunge, which wears out the chain!!

[SilentDtH]

That first article specifically warns AGAINST using WD40, cos it penetrates and removes the lubricant from the captured grease behind the O rings, leaving behind dry gunge, which wears out the chain!!

Yes it does, but some of the users at the second link have proven that WD40 does not get inside the O rings and have also had a response from the makers of WD40 to clarify this.

[Balding Eagle]

Interesting and informative articles. Does anyone know if the MFR chain lube is available in NZ? I am using Motul chain lube at the moment and would be keen to hear from anyone on the best method of cleaning your chain after using this product. I have tried a little petrol but that doesn't seem too effective and I am about to head down the road to buy some kerosene.

[CookMySock]

geez what is it with all the chain-lovin' lately? ;)

Its just a chain! Grease the fucker and go ride! None of this smoochie-smoochie lick-my-chain-clean business. :rolleyes:

Steve
p/t

[pritch]

geez what is it with all the chain-lovin' lately? ;)

Its just a chain! Grease the fucker and go ride! None of this smoochie-smoochie lick-my-chain-clean business. :rolleyes:

Steve
p/t

I followed a guy home from work recently his wiole chain was rust red, no trace of oil whatsoever.

Was that you?

[CookMySock]

naw I don't have a chain on my wiole. :lol: Was it on his front wiole or his back wiole? :killingme

The chain on my bike has 15,000kms on it, and its noice and greaseh. I just pump some shit outa the can on it weekly and its mint. Wouldn't mind an oiler though.

Steve

[Movistar]

Interesting and informative articles. Does anyone know if the MFR chain lube is available in NZ? I am using Motul chain lube at the moment and would be keen to hear from anyone on the best method of cleaning your chain after using this product. I have tried a little petrol but that doesn't seem too effective and I am about to head down the road to buy some kerosene.

I have used WD40 for years and had really good results.

I spray it onto a clean cloth, wipe the chain and rear sprocket down, then apply chain lube (usually ELF Moto).

Do this every 1000km's or so and lube in between if required - sounds like a chore but it only takes about 10 mins.

[cs363]

Interesting and informative articles. Does anyone know if the MFR chain lube is available in NZ? I am using Motul chain lube at the moment and would be keen to hear from anyone on the best method of cleaning your chain after using this product. I have tried a little petrol but that doesn't seem too effective and I am about to head down the road to buy some kerosene.


DON'T whatever you do, use petrol (or diesel) to clean an O ring chain, it will destroy the O rings and the chain will crap out real fast. If you've ever seen how rubber reacts with petrol you'll know what I mean.
Kerosene is the preferred cleaner (just check most owners manuals) as it will not damage the O rings and also leaves an oily residue just in case you are a bit lax in relubing the chain.

[Jerry74]

White spirits and an old toothbrush to clean.

To lube I use Inox chain wax and find it is the best.

Or shell out and get a Scott oiler.

[cs363]

White spirits and an old toothbrush to clean.

To lube I use Inox chain wax and find it is the best.

Or shell out and get a Scott oiler.

White spirits probably won't do any damage (after all, it is the main ingredient for WD40, along with a bit of light mineral oil and a few other bits & bobs) though I still think kerosene is best, particularly if your chain is heavily gunged as you can hose it off easily (not waterblast...) and again, it is the stuff the majority of manufacturers recommend.

Chain wax is great stuff whatever the brand as are a few of the true no-fling chain lubes.
Scott oilers definitely have a strong following, but personally I can't abide the mess they make of the rest of the bike, plus they tend to make you lazy as far as chain cleaning and lubing go, wouldn't be so bad if they came up with some sort of magic no-fling chain oil for them! :)

[Jerry74]

Pegasol does a good job on cleaning up as well since it evaporates

[cs363]

Wasn't Pegasol just Mobil's own brand white spirit? Or is it getting late and my memory is failing....
Pretty sure you can't buy it anymore. Shell had or has Shellite which is similar but I haven't seen that for quite a while either.

[Pussy]

Pegasol and Shellite are just low octane petrol anyway.
Use kerosene to clean chains. Period

[vifferman]

I am using Motul chain lube at the moment
I'm using Motul too, but I'm switching back to Spectro chain wax when I've used it up.
The Motul is supposed to be a 'better' lubricant than the various waxes (as it's a grease), but I find it to be a bit messy.

[cs363]

Pegasol and Shellite are just low octane petrol anyway.
Use kerosene to clean chains. Period


In a nutshell, yes. KEROSENE is the title holder of the best all round and factory recommended chain cleaner. Despite what your (insert relationship of alleged guru) may have passed down through the mists of time to you as being the 'secret' chain cleaner or whatever! :bash:


Read your owners manual for affirmation. :argh:

[Balding Eagle]

Thanks for all the assists. I used petrol on the metal body of the bike where the shit had spread to and not on the chain. Kerosene since used on the chain and working well. Will use up the Motul and then try others recommended. Again Tks.

[MaxCannon]

Ive found the best chain lube is chainsaw bar oil
A litre is $10 and I've barely used a half bottle in 6 months
Chuck some on a small paintbrush and give the chain a good going over so it seeps into all the links.

Doesn't fling off as much as chain lube and I figure it's saving me about $20 a month compared to the spray on stuff.

[Owl]

I'm using Motul too, but I'm switching back to Spectro chain wax when I've used it up.
The Motul is supposed to be a 'better' lubricant than the various waxes (as it's a grease), but I find it to be a bit messy.

I've just had my bike serviced vifferman and they cleaned, then lubed the chain with "Repsol Moto" chain lube. It's actually bloody good and not super expensive like the Bel-Ray I have been using. Arse end was still clean after my 200km journey home!:yes:

Just another option!

[snodpete]

Talking to a bike-shop guy on the weekend, who sold me some Chain Wax for the Spada and advised I remove the chain for a proper soak and clean. I've done this often with MTB chains so it seemed a good plan - trouble is I can't find a joining link... Is it possible the bike has a continuous chain that I'd need a special chain-breaking tool to remove? Reckon I'll settle for an on-bike clean with kero, chain is pretty grungy with a little rust.

Whaddaya reckon?

[imdying]

Mate, you won't need to remove it for a 'proper' clean. Basically, it needs to be lubed only. Cleanliness on chains is just for looks, plenty of people swear by doing nothing but spraying with lube on a regular basic. No good can come from breaking your endless chain intentionally.

Of course, this is coming for someone who cleans the side plates on his gold chain who only brought it cause it was gold :blush:

I'm a hypocrite, so shoot me.

[cs363]

Mate, you won't need to remove it for a 'proper' clean. Basically, it needs to be lubed only. Cleanliness on chains is just for looks, plenty of people swear by doing nothing but spraying with lube on a regular basic. No good can come from breaking your endless chain intentionally.

Whilst I agree that there is no point breaking an endless chain just to clean it (unlees you have an supply of joining links and more time than you know what to do with!) I would disagree regarding that cleaning is for looks only - a properly cleaned and lubricated chain will not wear as quickly or wear the sprockets as fast due to the lack of/reduced amount of built up road grime etc. Plus removing the crud will also allow the preferred lubricant to penetrate & protect the chain better.

damn....no more 2c pieces....

[Pixie]

That first article specifically warns AGAINST using WD40, cos it penetrates and removes the lubricant from the captured grease behind the O rings, leaving behind dry gunge, which wears out the chain!!

WD 40 would not be any worse than kerosene in this respect and kerosene is the recommended cleaning medium.

You will find that the chain manufacturers recommend engine oil as a lubricant.This has sufficient film strength WD 40, does not.

You have a choice to make: a well lubed chain and a bike with oil spots around the rear end or a clean bike and a short lived chain.

[Pixie]

White spirits probably won't do any damage (after all, it is the main ingredient for WD40, along with a bit of light mineral oil and a few other bits & bobs) though I still think kerosene is best, particularly if your chain is heavily gunged as you can hose it off easily (not waterblast...) and again, it is the stuff the majority of manufacturers recommend.

Chain wax is great stuff whatever the brand as are a few of the true no-fling chain lubes.
Scott oilers definitely have a strong following, but personally I can't abide the mess they make of the rest of the bike, plus they tend to make you lazy as far as chain cleaning and lubing go, wouldn't be so bad if they came up with some sort of magic no-fling chain oil for them! :)

"White Spirits" these days is fuelite,which is petrol that has been furthur refined to make it less smelly

Product Name Fuelite
Other Names Formerly Shellite
CAS RN No (s) None
UN Number 3295
Packing Group II
Dangerous Goods Class 3(3.1)
Subsidiary Risk None
Hazchem Code 3[W]E
Posions Schedule Number S5, NZS4
USE
Used as rubber solvent, cleaning solvent, lighter fluid and as fast evaporating, highly volatile solvent in
enamels, adhesives and lacquers. The use of a quantity of material in an unventilated or confined space may
result in increased exposure and an irritating atmosphere developing Before starting consider control of
exposure by mechanical ventilation.

INGREDIENTS
NAME CAS RN %
Paraffins and naphthenes as
Liquid hydrocarbons
Various >60
N-hexane 110-54-3 13
Aromatic hydrocarbons total, including <
5.0
Toluene 108-88-3 3.5
app
Ethylbenzene 100-41-4 1
Benzene 71-43-2 <
0.5
C8 and higher aromatics 1

[Pixie]

Talking to a bike-shop guy on the weekend, who sold me some Chain Wax for the Spada and advised I remove the chain for a proper soak and clean. I've done this often with MTB chains so it seemed a good plan - trouble is I can't find a joining link... Is it possible the bike has a continuous chain that I'd need a special chain-breaking tool to remove? Reckon I'll settle for an on-bike clean with kero, chain is pretty grungy with a little rust.

Whaddaya reckon?

You have just had an encounter with the common Bikeshoppus Ignoramus,a species mistakenly thought to be harmless and noted for it's ability to defecate through both ends of it's alimentary tract.

[howdamnhard]

Listen to pixie and cs363 for they be wise.Kerosene or WD40 for cleaning.WD40 a bit thin for lubing with.Dirt will accelerate wear,think grinding paste.

[cs363]

"White Spirits" these days is fuelite,which is petrol that has been furthur refined to make it less smelly

**** Further proof etc! :)


Ah, well... there you go then - last I remembered it was closer to kero, so things have obviously changed over at Megaprofits Oil Company Ltd in these modern times, lol.



.....Which brings us back to Kerosene, chain cleaner of the Gods! Don't use anything else folks! :)

[Pixie]

Ah, well... there you go then - last I remembered it was closer to kero, so things have obviously changed over at Megaprofits Oil Company Ltd in these modern times, lol.



.....Which brings us back to Kerosene, chain cleaner of the Gods! Don't use anything else folks! :)

Actually,the original white spirits aka Stoddard Solvent was virtually identical to fuelite/petrol not kero.It was used in industrial quantities for drycleaning but is now out of favour because it caused drycleaning workers to die.

[cs363]

That seems to depend on your information source, as some list Stoddard Solvent as a paraffin (aka kerosene) derivative whilst others list it as a petroleum derivative. Bit of a mute point really as they are all essentially petroleum derivatives! But....whatever..... :whocares:

The main thing here is to stress that kerosene (or paraffin for the poms) is the best all round chain cleaner rather than digressing into an obscure science lesson, as I'm sure you'll agree! :)

[Icemaestro]

Question - what do you use to clean the toothbrush/rag that you used to clean the chain with - I just cleaned my chain with kerosine, got crap everywhere - even the small dish I poured a bit of kero into is now black with grease and crap... Do I clean all that with kero too?:-P (thank goodness I'm not a smoker..).

Second q, how much chain spray stuff is too much? Just noticed a bit of black stuff splattered around the rim of my wheel after riding (straight after cleaning and lubing the chain)

[cs363]

Question - what do you use to clean the toothbrush/rag that you used to clean the chain with - I just cleaned my chain with kerosine, got crap everywhere - even the small dish I poured a bit of kero into is now black with grease and crap... Do I clean all that with kero too?:-P (thank goodness I'm not a smoker..).

Second q, how much chain spray stuff is too much? Just noticed a bit of black stuff splattered around the rim of my wheel after riding (straight after cleaning and lubing the chain)

Clean the tootbrush with Kero and use the rag to start the BBQ/Bonfire etc :)

Ideally when you apply chain lube the chain should be warm (after a quick blast around the block say) and then don't ride the bike for a while (I'd say at least half an hour, and preferably more) to allow the lube to penetrate the rollers and set/go off. If you ride the bike straight after lubing the chain, a lot of your effort will be wasted as centrifugal force will just fling off alll the fresh lube.