You've been misinformed.
Chain Cleaning -- what kind of gizmos or manual cleaning methods do you employ?
- Thread starter Triple
- Start date
You've been misinformed.
This from Canadian Tire (bike section) and a bottle of Febreze filled with kerosene
I didn't know Canadian tire carried this. I asked at the parts dept but they said they didn't have it. I had to go all the way to GP.
I use the same method, except I only do the first ride, and I use the brush to clean the chain.
bleed_blue
Banned
^^ this. It's perfectly safe to use as both a cleaner AND a lube.
silverbullet132
Well-known member
I never clean my chain, never have never will. I just lube up after every fill up.
+1 For the Grunge Brush. Er... I've never seen it at Cdn Tire. I picked mine up from GP Bikes.
Well thank you for correcting me, all this time I was cleaning my rear sprocket with wd40 and carefully trying not to get any on the chain. Geez, I just heard that it damages the o-rings
bleed_blue
Banned
lol!
youngrider
Banned
I've heard oil doesn't really help unless used on a scotoiller, anyone have other opinions on this?
More on using WD40 to clean your chain...
"Saw your article on using WD-40 for chains and you asked for evidence of potential harm that WD-40 can do, so am attaching a photo. This photo is of a bearing surface from an airplane.
This is a ball and races in a sealed bearing that had been subjected to regular use of WD-40 for a year or two. The grease was NOT cleaned out before taking this photo - there simply is no grease and the brownish tint is really rust.
The ball had grooves (visible) and was shaped like a potato chip. The races had not evenly worn (see sectioned edge) and were rutted in spots, although neither shows too well.
We learned that WD-40 is really good for the light uses that it was intended for and that needs to be emphasized. However, it is largely a penetrant, which will do just that!
Once it penetrates into the sealed area, it dissolves the petroleum out of the grease, leaving the clay binders. What's left in the bearing is essentially dirt that cakes up, causing the balls to skid. Without the petroleum, the bearing will also rust.
The reason that kerosene and diesel fuel are still favorites and recommended by the chain people is that while both can be penetrants, they are a thicker petroleum and just what the O-rings are trying to seal against.
Of course, gasoline cleans about the same, but with thinner viscosity and better penetrating power. In all honesty, I still use gas to clean (I'm lazy), but don't beat the bike often, regularly measure for linkage stretch and sprocket wear, and re-lube on every other tank of gas."
Moral of the story is to not use WD-40 for cleaning motorcycle chains. Does anyone know of a better product that is specifically designed for cleaning a motorcycle chain without dissolving the grease behind the O-rings?"
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/motorcycle-chain-cleaner/
http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-lube/#wd40
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_I_clean_the_drivechain?
"Saw your article on using WD-40 for chains and you asked for evidence of potential harm that WD-40 can do, so am attaching a photo. This photo is of a bearing surface from an airplane.
This is a ball and races in a sealed bearing that had been subjected to regular use of WD-40 for a year or two. The grease was NOT cleaned out before taking this photo - there simply is no grease and the brownish tint is really rust.
The ball had grooves (visible) and was shaped like a potato chip. The races had not evenly worn (see sectioned edge) and were rutted in spots, although neither shows too well.
We learned that WD-40 is really good for the light uses that it was intended for and that needs to be emphasized. However, it is largely a penetrant, which will do just that!
Once it penetrates into the sealed area, it dissolves the petroleum out of the grease, leaving the clay binders. What's left in the bearing is essentially dirt that cakes up, causing the balls to skid. Without the petroleum, the bearing will also rust.
The reason that kerosene and diesel fuel are still favorites and recommended by the chain people is that while both can be penetrants, they are a thicker petroleum and just what the O-rings are trying to seal against.
Of course, gasoline cleans about the same, but with thinner viscosity and better penetrating power. In all honesty, I still use gas to clean (I'm lazy), but don't beat the bike often, regularly measure for linkage stretch and sprocket wear, and re-lube on every other tank of gas."
Moral of the story is to not use WD-40 for cleaning motorcycle chains. Does anyone know of a better product that is specifically designed for cleaning a motorcycle chain without dissolving the grease behind the O-rings?"
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/motorcycle-chain-cleaner/
http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-lube/#wd40
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_I_clean_the_drivechain?
TrainingWheels
Well-known member
.....can't imagine how much of a roller coaster ride this thread has been for WD-40 users
I like my way. Spray the chain with kerosene from a spray bottle (I think canadian tire garden dept. has them), run the Tirox chain brush over the chain in both directions. Proceed to wash the bike, including spraying the kerosene and liquified grease/dirt off the chain. After washing it, take it for a ride around the block or spin the tire while on the centre stand. Apply Dupont Chain Saver.
Chain comes out looking brand new and takes next to zero work
With this method and lubing an average of 1k km (shorter interval with the Chain Saver, the old Dupont Multi-Use lasted longer), my first chain lasted ~55k km, current chain is at ~45k km and looks good.
Chain comes out looking brand new and takes next to zero work
With this method and lubing an average of 1k km (shorter interval with the Chain Saver, the old Dupont Multi-Use lasted longer), my first chain lasted ~55k km, current chain is at ~45k km and looks good.
More on using WD40 to clean your chain...
"Saw your article on using WD-40 for chains and you asked for evidence of potential harm that WD-40 can do, so am attaching a photo. This photo is of a bearing surface from an airplane.
This is a ball and races in a sealed bearing that had been subjected to regular use of WD-40 for a year or two. The grease was NOT cleaned out before taking this photo - there simply is no grease and the brownish tint is really rust.
The ball had grooves (visible) and was shaped like a potato chip. The races had not evenly worn (see sectioned edge) and were rutted in spots, although neither shows too well.
We learned that WD-40 is really good for the light uses that it was intended for and that needs to be emphasized. However, it is largely a penetrant, which will do just that!
Once it penetrates into the sealed area, it dissolves the petroleum out of the grease, leaving the clay binders. What's left in the bearing is essentially dirt that cakes up, causing the balls to skid. Without the petroleum, the bearing will also rust.
The reason that kerosene and diesel fuel are still favorites and recommended by the chain people is that while both can be penetrants, they are a thicker petroleum and just what the O-rings are trying to seal against.
Of course, gasoline cleans about the same, but with thinner viscosity and better penetrating power. In all honesty, I still use gas to clean (I'm lazy), but don't beat the bike often, regularly measure for linkage stretch and sprocket wear, and re-lube on every other tank of gas."
Moral of the story is to not use WD-40 for cleaning motorcycle chains. Does anyone know of a better product that is specifically designed for cleaning a motorcycle chain without dissolving the grease behind the O-rings?"
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/motorcycle-chain-cleaner/
http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-lube/#wd40
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_I_clean_the_drivechain?
No idea who wrote that article but I'll listen to these guys, http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=291370&highlight=Wd-40+chain+lube ,some of them are top builders in the AMA. Do what you like, I was just giving my opinion and what I use.
redridernl
Well-known member
On second thought I'll keep this to myself and do my best to stay out of the chain lube threads...
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I don't really care which is right... But my line of thought is: everyone agrees that using kerosene is Ok, but there's a huge debate if WD40 is good or not... Heck, why am I going to risk? I'll just use kerosene.
Splash
Well-known member
It's in the Bicycle section.. at least that's where I got mine a few years ago. HERE
You might also find it at Walmart
http://www.walmart.com/ip/DuPont-Grunge-Brush/16672661
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?87792-grunge-brush-awesome
gav.man
Well-known member
So people are saying WD-40 will seep past an O-ring??? If your o-rings are bad yes it will and so will kerosene and the solvent you use in the chain wax (there's a reason it comes out thin then gets thick). Looking up what WD-40 is made of, general consensus is that its a solvent between kerosene and Naphtha. If an o-ring cant keep this stuff out, your Coleman lantern would blow up when you first used it. That said, year after year I have been using it to clean the chain first then replacing the lubricant removed with the chain lube. I rarely ever have to adjust for chain stretch and I've never replaced a chain or sprocket using this method. Oh well, to each his own....
Here are a few photos of my chain ('01 CB750) after about 8200 kilometres of neglect (meaning, a light lube here and there, but no real cleaning). I love to keep my machines looking clean, but I have a bad habit of ignoring O-ring chains on occasion.
As I indicated in my first post, I simply wipe the chain down with a kerosene soaked rag and follow with a thin coat of 2-stroke 80 wt gear oil -- as I spin the rear tire with my right hand. I've been doing this for the past 25 years, and my chains last between 15,000 and 40,000 kilometres. This is usually a 20 minute job for me. I refuse to spend a minute more on my chains. Now if I can find an automated process that is less labour intensive, and takes less time, "I'm all ears".
The chain, as shown in the photos, isn't perfectly grunge free, but for 20 minutes (max) every 500 or so kilometres, I am more than happy with my method. BTW, the wife's old cotton panties make good rags
Still looking for one of these... my local Canadian Tire didn't have any:
As I indicated in my first post, I simply wipe the chain down with a kerosene soaked rag and follow with a thin coat of 2-stroke 80 wt gear oil -- as I spin the rear tire with my right hand. I've been doing this for the past 25 years, and my chains last between 15,000 and 40,000 kilometres. This is usually a 20 minute job for me. I refuse to spend a minute more on my chains. Now if I can find an automated process that is less labour intensive, and takes less time, "I'm all ears".
The chain, as shown in the photos, isn't perfectly grunge free, but for 20 minutes (max) every 500 or so kilometres, I am more than happy with my method. BTW, the wife's old cotton panties make good rags
Still looking for one of these... my local Canadian Tire didn't have any:
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I used to do the gear oil thing too in place of lube. It kept the chain amazingly clean and free running (I could hear the rollers moving at slow speed). The problem was the initial spray; I'd lightly coat the chain, take the bike for a quick spin around the block, then have to clean the fling off of the tire. Now it's kero to clean every now and again and PJ1 for lube. I may try a Grunge Brush out soon.
Here are a few photos of my chain ('01 CB750) after about 8200 kilometres of neglect (meaning, a light lube here and there, but no real cleaning). I love to keep my machines looking clean, but I have a bad habit of ignoring O-ring chains on occasion.
As I indicated in my first post, I simply wipe the chain down with a kerosene soaked rag and follow with a thin coat of 2-stroke 80 wt gear oil -- as I spin the rear tire with my right hand. I've been doing this for the past 25 years, and my chains last between 15,000 and 40,000 kilometres. This is usually a 20 minute job for me. I refuse to spend a minute more on my chains. Now if I can find an automated process that is less labour intensive, and takes less time, "I'm all ears".
The chain, as shown in the photos, isn't perfectly grunge free, but for 20 minutes (max) every 500 or so kilometres, I am more than happy with my method. BTW, the wife's old cotton panties make good rags
Still looking for one of these... my local Canadian Tire didn't have any:
Dayao12
Well-known member
I've got my own ritual that gets her done in <5 mins.
I leavve the brushes of the Grunge Brush soaking in a small jar of Kerosene so it's ready to use.
1. Bike on rear stand with engine running and n 1st gear
2. Firmly hold the 3-sided grunge brush to the chain and let it run for few rotations
3. Firmly hold my microfibre on the chain to soak up all the kerosene for a few rotations
4. Soak my chain wax on all suggested areas
DONE!
Encore:
Chain Wax > Chain Lube
The wax adheres to the chain and stays on(no mess) whereas the lube will fling off as the chain spins.
-personal observation
