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cleaning your chain

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
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Anonymous

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The spray wax chain lube sucks don't do it........ take the chain off soak it in kero, brush it with an old tooth brush to get all the old spray lube out of the o-rings and blow it out. Lay it out on a piece of cardboard and spray it down with wd-40 on both sides and let it set. Wipe it down with a towel to get the excess off and put it back on your bike. WD will not retain dirt and displaces water and will keep your chain from rusting. My friends all thought this was crazy unitl they realized they were replacing chains while i was still running the same chain. Once it is clean all you have to do is put the bike up on the center stand a shoot it with WD when it looks dry. WD will keep the o-rings clean and you will not have all the slung off lube all over your bike and it is much cheaper. If you get caught out in the rain when you get home put the bike up on the center stand and shoot your chain. Chain wax will trap dirt in the o-ring and wear your chain out long before its time.
 
WD-40 will destroy your o-rings. It is the #1 warning not to lube an o-ring chain with. I blew out two of them before I found this out from my mechanic. Turns out all I had to do was read the box!

It was a lesson learned the expensive way.
 
I use chain wax all the time now after useing PJ1 lube and having it fling off. I clean my chain with kerosene, wipe it down good and then use chain wax. It stays on and keeps everything clean. I'm on my second chain in 22 years.
 
Chain wax seems to be the best stuff I have ever used. Currently I have a non-oring chain and the wax lasts very well, although I do have a chain case. An o ring chain would last ages, probably more than a cam chain which shaft bikes also have :)
 
Yeah, we all got chains, but the one in my GK is invisible, enclosed, and slings the oil against the inside of the crankcase. Don't have to see all that mess...

Oh, the cleanliness of the shaft! That's why they rule!

I've never had to change a cam chain in 17 years of GS shaftie ownership.

:D :wink:

Nick
 
But chain driven bikes are better balanced and look so much better! :) Atleast when it comes to GS shafties. :twisted:

Cheers, Steve
 
Even if the chained bikes were better balanced, whatever that means, one thing for sure: their owners ain't! :wink:

One has to be mentally unbalanced to want to fool with a chain, when the solution is so readily available.

Cheers to you too, Steve. :D

Nick
 
I've owned both a shaftie GS650G, GS400, and now a GS750EF. While I love the shaftie for low maintenance, I don't mind giving the chain a lube and adjustment, it just is the cost of doing business. Considering new chains are alot more reliable than the old ones.
 
i just had to replace my chain, being as at one point I had about 20mm play and further on I had about 80mm!! Being my first real bike I died at the $70 price for a roller chain (Tsabutsi or something!) and will sure take care of it...

I cleaned it, sprayed it with WD40 then aplied some 10w30 then ragged of the excess. I plan to do this about every 100miles as I really do not want this expense again. Will thicker grage oil help or will it just have more dirt stick to it? Does a roller chain have O rings. Doesnt say anything about O rings on the box....

CJ
 
WD-40 is really a solvent and will first clean off heavier oil from the chain and then evaporate leaving a film that is not nearly good enough for a motorcycle chain.

Wax is good for chains, I have used wax on bicycle chains for 16 years and I am surprised how long they last
however,
The wax needs to be reapplied frequently, especially after a rain, to be effective and eventually excess wax needs to be removed and the chain completely degreased for it to be effective.

disclosure: I own a shaft drive. No more chains for me.

There are some vegetable based oils out there that cannot harm seals and offer very good traction on the metal and decent viscosity.

my .02
 
I've used WD40 once and Kerosene twice on my RK 530XSO and it is really stiff now. I can't even bend the links with my thumb! I think I need to dunk it in oil or something. I started out using 80w90 on it and have since gone to Chain Wax. Any ideas?

Steve
 
srivett said:
I've used WD40 once and Kerosene twice on my RK 530XSO and it is really stiff now. I can't even bend the links with my thumb! I think I need to dunk it in oil or something. I started out using 80w90 on it and have since gone to Chain Wax. Any ideas?

Steve
Click to expand...

I just put 250kms on the bike with WD40 & 10w30 mix and the chain is still nice and damp (and shiny looking too..) I think the key here is to keep the damned thing well oiled/waxed/polished/licked? and hope for the best.. the old chain was about twice as thick as this one due to the crud built up all over it. This chain is going to stay shiny. I will sell the bike before I replace the chain again.

CJ

PS. Off to reoil the sucker right now..
 
Thr old fart method is to clean it and lube it often. Use what you like but there are no free rides when it comes to metal to metal contact. lube it often and it will last. if you ride in a dirty dusty place clean it often or get a shaftie. No doubt about the enclosed chain and drive mechanism thing.
 
I just tossed some 80w90 on it again to see if I can get the o-rings to stop squeeking. I must be losing half my HP fighting those little rubber things by how much noise they make when turning the wheel by hand. :cry:

Steve
 
The thing to use is a scott oiler. In >20,000km I've never had to clean the chain nor adjust it (although the back wheel has been off 3 times for new tyres) and is still not showing any signs of wear. Looks like new.

Anthony
 
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