Chain Cleaning

[Cypress]

Take a few tips from this guy. (No Pun Intended)

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242261

[mello dude]

I've used WD-40 quite bit on chain cleaning, but mostly I spray a rag and drag the rag and sometimes a toothbrush and go like that. If I'm real ambious, I go grab some kerosene from the hardware store to use for cleaning.

For 2 cents worth - my favorite chain lube is the pro honda moly and teflon dry film.

BTW - chances are your friends chain is worn out

[Zach]

/\ yep but i use

instead o kerosene due to the fact that i could not find it anywhere near my house

walmart camping section, blue 'coleman' bottle

'lamp oil' is also kerosene.

you can get it at lowes/homedepot now too as the heaters are in stock.

[bigbluebird]

local walmart - out

local sears hardware - out

local gas stations - out no longer carry

next up was lowes but got to the pony before i went to lowes and got the motul and now the chain is as clean as the day i got it.

[stargazer]

WD-40 on a rag wipe repeatedly while spinning the chain by hand. I've done this for years and usually get 10-12,000 miles out of a chain. The WD-40 won't harm the o-rings.

[ohdaho]

WD-40 on a rag wipe repeatedly while spinning the chain by hand. I've done this for years and usually get 10-12,000 miles out of a chain. The WD-40 won't harm the o-rings.

Might want to remind squids NOT to put the bike on a stand running when doing this.

[stargazer]

Yeah, that's why I said BY HAND. I guess they could look up the pics of that guy on here that lost half his fingers. Very Nasty. Actually moving the chain slowly by hand us probably a more accurate statement. Thanks Ohda, good point.

[ReconRat]

Lowes has the one quart Kleen Strip mineral spirits. Back in the paint section. But they make you show ID and swear you aren't abusing it. No huffing allowed. Weird world.

Any old time shop mechanic will use mineral spirits to clean chains around the shop.

And yeah, I've pinched fingers and hand between sprocket and chain, even when spinning slowly. Nasty wound. It doesn't cut, it crushes. Hurts bad. Don't spin.

[hue jass]

the only thing you should clean an o-ring chain with is kerosene.

Agree. Kero is recommended. It's just a super light oil. If you're cleaning the chain, it should come off the bike so you can soak it and run the fluid through it properly.

For lubing every 500 miles, I slip my hand into a freezer bag and cup the chain, splash a good bit of 80-90W Gear Oil in there and work it all the way into the chain. Follow with a terry cloth soaked with Carb Cleaner and run the chain through it wiping the outside clean. Carb Cleaner is a great cutter and it won't harm plastic and rubber like Brake Clean will. If you don't clean the outside of the chain, it will not only be a magnet for dirt, it also makes one hell of a mess and can even get onto the inner left edge of your tire. You won't know until you need that edge.

The real key is lubing it every 500 miles and don't forget. This way you'll get the most out of both chain and sprockets.

Juss my 2

[wht_scorpion]

Keep in mind. I'm not talking about using WD-40 as a chain lube, just as a chain cleaner. WD-40 will never be good enough to take on lubrication of a motorcycle chain.

yeah what he said

It works really good

[DAC]

I was told the same thing that Wrillo posted above concerning WD-40 causing deterioration of the O-Rings. I've used it in the past, however sparingly. Rather than bathing the chain in it, I'd just spray it on a rag, and use the rag to clean the chain.

I've since fallen in like with Motorex Chain Clean 611, and I follow up with regular Honda Chain Lube.

Ditto. I bought a bike off a Honda R&D guy and this is what he does. And so it's what I do.

[SWing'R]

Whatever you do, just don't do it like this guy...

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242261

.

[gearman]

On one of the major chain makers site they specifically state that mineral spirits (aka stoddard solvent) should not be used to clean o/x ring chains. I quit using it and went to WD40 non aerosol. Kerosene or lamp oil will work as well. This is my method.

-Apply WD copiously and brush with a soft brush

-A second application helps rinse the loosened grunge off of the chain

-Wipe it down thoroughly with paper towels

-Slather with clean motor oil*

-Wipe off excess with paper towels*

-Adjust slack as necessary

-Take a short ride and wipe the fling from the rear wheel*

* If I'm feeling lazy and the chain isn't terribly filthy I perform these steps as interim maintenance

I don't care for wax type lubricants as they tend to build up, hold the grit and resist recommended cleaning solvents. The Teflon is probably better than wax but requires more frequent application and doesn't hold up under wet conditions. It's widely believed that lubing the chain is only to lubricate the o/x rings. Not true. For optimal life, the outer roller/bushing also need a lubricant that deals with low movement/high pressure conditions. Without sufficient lubrication these components will prematurely wear due to fretting.

[Cypress]

Take a few tips from this guy. (No Pun Intended)

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242261

Whatever you do' date=' just don't do it like this guy...

[url']http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242261

Thanks SWing'R.

[SWing'R]

Thanks SWing'R.

Sorry, i didn't read thru the whole thread , plus I actually posted a thread about that and

someone else did like 5 days before that, guess I'm the repost king this month!

http://www.ohio-riders.com/showthread.php?t=35540

http://www.ohio-riders.com/showthread.php?t=35275

[Zach]

your pic proves that all an o-ring chain needs is regular cleaning

[ICEMAN]

when i do a full clean, i do these steps.

1 - take bike for 5-10 min ride to warm up chain

2 - put bike on rear stand, spray with chain degreaser, use a grunge brush to clean the chain, and clean off chain with old t-shirt

3 - spray WD-40 on chain (wipe off excess), and take for a 5-10 min ride

4 - put on rear stand, wipe off chain once more. (do steps 2 & 3 again if needed)

5 - after wiping off chain, spray with chain wax

takes anywhere from 20-30 min usually. But my bike has 8K on it and the chain looks BRAND NEW.

Grunge Brushes make cleaning ur chain 10 times easier.

DONT WORRY ABOUT THE CLEANER IN THE PICTURE, JUST THE BRUSH...

Notice how it has 3 sides of brushes, makes cleaning the chain very simple and gets a lot more than using a rag.

Here is the chain cleaner i use

here is the wax i use

ALL AVAILABLE AT MY LOCAL PARTS SHOP!!!!

[JStump]

Whatever you do' date=' just don't do it like this guy...

[url']http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242261

.

Hate to bring up an old thread but WTF was this guy thinking?!

[Bad324]

he clearly wasn't

[buildit]

WD40 is a lubricant and should have no effect on rings. If you wanna experiment with the concept you could try used motor oil to "pre rinse/wash" the chain before lubing/waxing. If it was the WD40 then problem should not happen again.

[ReconRat]

Lowes has the one quart Kleen Strip mineral spirits. Back in the paint section.

On one of the major chain makers site they specifically state that mineral spirits (aka stoddard solvent) should not be used to clean o/x ring chains. I quit using it and went to WD40 non aerosol. Kerosene or lamp oil will work as well.

I'm no longer using mineral spirits or stoddard solvent on o-ring chains. It was ok back when chains had no o-rings. I'm back to using kerosene, or Simple Green, or DuPont degreaser spray can.

WD40 is about 40-50% stoddard solvent.

[JStump]

WD40 is a lubricant and should have no effect on rings. If you wanna experiment with the concept you could try used motor oil to "pre rinse/wash" the chain before lubing/waxing. If it was the WD40 then problem should not happen again.

No, WD means water displacement, so that means where ever there is WD40 there is no water, which would dry out o rings, am I wrong? It's not so much a lubricant as it is a remover cuz it removes the crap that is keeping something from working right which would give the illusion of lubricating.

Edited March 15, 2011 by JStump

[buildit]

No, WD means water displacement, so that means where ever there is WD40 there is no water, which would dry out o rings, am I wrong? It's not so much a lubricant as it is a remover cuz it removes the crap that is keeping something from working right which would give the illusion of lubricating.

My can of WD40 says lubricant. After all, many product displace and protect against moisture and they don't destroy silicone gaskets.

The only down side to WD40 I've heard is it can wick away with heat and friction reducing protection. But the OP say's he's not using solo. It could be that the WD40 is keeping the chain lub from adhering correctly? I've always wondered if a good gun lubricant would also work well as a chain lubricate and protector.

[NinjaNick]

WD40 is best lube IMO. Have used it for over 7 years and my chains barely even stretch and I have a high hp/tq bike. On can and website it even says it's used for chain lube as well. I even use it in place of neosporin when I have a cut...ok, j/k on that one. My bike is always on rear stand every night, so the next time I ride I get a paper towel, fold it up, and saturate it with wd40 and then rub it all over the chain as I spin the wheel slowly with my right hand. DONE. Takes me about 1 minute. Never spray it on because it gets too saturated and flings off just like anything else will. Sometimes I will also put it on after a ride so it's ready for the next day. Etc...etc...etc...has done wonders for me and thousands of bike owners.

Most people who knock it are ones who never even have tried it too, which really makes me laugh. How the hell you going to argue something you've never experienced yourself.

[Zach]

With o-ring chains, 99% of the game is just keeping it clean. the o-rings are what keep the chain from binding up by holding grease inside the rollers. The other 1% is keeping the side plates lubricated.

The reason Nick has such good success with WD-40 is because he uses more like a cleaner than a lubricant. You don't want to douse your chain in WD because it WILL penetrate the o-ring seal and remove the grease inside.