Lube your chain

[william_liu]

It'll be better to spray lube onto a warm chain. i.e after wash with soapy water go for a short ride then lube and leave overnite.

[MC28]

it is recommended to at least warm up ur chain wif a 5mins ride before applying the chainlube...

[Ericloo]

i use 4t to lube my bike chain.

[okl]

just a few questions.. assuming the chain looks like this...

 

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

 

 

1) cleaning the chain means removing all the dirt from the chain & sprockets only issit? no need to remove the grease?

 

2) does cleaning the chain removes the grease? if so, do i need to re-grease the chain or does the lube (im using castrol chain wax) re-grease the chain automatically?

 

3) when lubing the chain the center part no need to lube? ive heard some ppl saying that only the horizontal part of the chain (according to figure above) needs to be lubed

 

thanks alot guys.

[d0n]

Originally posted by kkz@Nov 3 2004, 03:49 AM

anyone can tell me use wat chain spray good hur ? i bought one chain spray b4 as i dun feel it gd cos the spray is sticky type one . i heard my frid say sticky one not gd , gt sell oily one , he say jb gt sell .. is it gd ?

oily one will fling more easily compared to sticky ones marh

 

not so sure abt the lubricating properties thou......

[d0n]

Originally posted by okl@Jan 16 2005, 06:24 AM

1) cleaning the chain means removing all the dirt from the chain & sprockets only issit? no need to remove the grease?

hm...frm what i experience...the dirt and previously applied lube will all be mixed together....how isit possible to clear the dirt away only w/o clearing away the old lube leh?

 

2) does cleaning the chain removes the grease? if so, do i need to re-grease the chain or does the lube (im using castrol chain wax) re-grease the chain automatically?

lube yr chain after u clean it

 

3) when lubing the chain the center part no need to lube? ive heard some ppl saying that only the horizontal part of the chain (according to figure above) needs to be lubed

lube both sides of the chain will be the correct way

[standlee]

Originally posted by okl@Jan 16 2005, 06:24 AM

just a few questions.. assuming the chain looks like this...

 

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

 

 

1) cleaning the chain means removing all the dirt from the chain & sprockets only issit? no need to remove the grease?

 

2) does cleaning the chain removes the grease? if so, do i need to re-grease the chain or does the lube (im using castrol chain wax) re-grease the chain automatically?

 

3) when lubing the chain the center part no need to lube? ive heard some ppl saying that only the horizontal part of the chain (according to figure above) needs to be lubed

 

thanks alot guys.

btw, clean it with brush & kerosene.

[Xiao_Di]

any here use EO to lube ur chain ?

[Swakoo]

sounds crazy, but what i do is use degreaser to throughly brush the debris off the chain and quickly wash it.. then relube

[duo maxwell]

found this on other forums... hope its useful...

 

 

Chain Maintenance 101 - The Care and Feeding of Your Chain - or - How to love your chain the Mity Mouse way!

 

How to clean, maintain & adjust your chain:

 

Clean the chain & sprockets with a rag sprayed with some WD-40. I spray the rag rather than the chain in order to prevent WD-40 overspray on the rear tire, etc.

I like to use an old sock - it covers the whole hand, then just wipe away at everything. WD-40 is also the best thing I've seen to clean the chain lube off the swingarm, chain guard & rear wheel, etc. It leaves everything perfectly clean and shiny, with a light film to resist the chain lube in the future.

Some folks like to use only the WD-40 to clean and lube the chain, based on the theory that the O-rings keep the grease inside, but I feel more confident with actual chain lube inside the unsealed pin / roller. I use Maxima Chain Wax and highly recommend it. There is practically no fling or greasy build-up. WD-40 is not really a lubricant, and certainly has no sheer strength like a product designed for the purpose.

Clean the chain and everything thoroughly with the WD-40. Go ride for a while. When you get back, the chain will be warm.

The heat will have allowed the steel parts to expand, slightly increasing the space for the chain lube to flow inside the roller. The heat will also warm the lube itself, increasing it's penetration.

Immediately after your ride wipe the chain down thoroughly with a clean, dry rag to remove any excess crud while it's easy to wipe off.

Then, while the chain is still warm, carefully spray a small amount of chain lube directly onto each roller - try to get the small gaps between the roller and the sideplates. There's no need to get the O-rings. The WD-40 will have lubed them sufficiently, and getting chain lube on them will only increase the fling-off and attract more dirt.

You want to lube the inside run of the chain - If you look at your chain from the side it's a big loop - lube the top side of the bottom run (the part that actually makes contact with the sprockets).

If you do not have a center stand or swingarm stand to support the back wheel off the ground you will need to back the bike up several times to get the whole chain.

After cleaning & lubing, park your bike for the night, allowing everything to cool, and the chain lube will set up.

Before your next ride, simply wipe the chain and sprockets again with a dry rag, or SLIGHTLY moistened with the WD-40. The overnite setup, and pre-ride wipe down will nearly eliminate lube fling.

After a good cleaning, there will continue to be some fling for a while from the residual WD-40. Continue to wipe the chain & everything else daily. and do not add any more WD-40 until after the fling stops, and then use it sparingly. Daily lubing and wiping will keep things very clean thereafter, and the fling will be negligible. You should rarely need to do the WD-40 cleaning routine.

Your chain should always have a slight gleam & clean shine, but not dripping lube; it should appear clean and new - NEVER dry!!

Believe me, this way seems like more hassle, but it's MUCH cleaner.

This whole procedure is actually simpler to do than it is to describe. Once you get the hang of it, it only takes a couple minutes and everything stays pretty clean.

The other critical aspect of proper chain maintenance is adjustment. Consult your owner's manual for the manufacturers recommended procedure.

Basically, find the approximate center of the bottom run of the chain, between sprockets. Grab the chain with two fingers and move it up and down. It should have about 1 1/2 inches of vertical travel from the highest point to the lowest. It's OK to eyeball - a slightly loose (but properly lubricated) chain is better than too tight. Slightly loose allows the rear suspension to work freely throughout it's full travel.

After adjustment, sight down the chain line from the rear of the bike looking forward along the top of the chain towards the countershaft sprocket. the rear spocket should appear to be lined up directly behind the countershaft sprocket, with the chain centered over both sprockets.

There are some other more precise ways to check the alignment using several measurements and a couple devices, but if you're careful this is all that's really necessary on the street. If you have a swingarm stand, rotate the rear wheel in neutral, and you'll be able to see this clearly.

Checking chain wear: The simplest way to check is to pinch the chain between two fingers, at the rear of the rear sprocket (the 3 o'clock position when viewed from the side), and pull the chain directly off the sprocket. You should not be able to see more than 1/2 of the base of a sprocket tooth at the biggest gap. The sprocket teeth should also not appear sharply pointed, extremely rounded, or chipped.

When you decide it's time to replace the chain due to wear, the chain and BOTH sprockets should also be replaced at the same time. Consider a new chain to be a package deal, unless both sprockets are showing no wear, or very little wear. This is rarely the case on streetbikes.

Racers may encounter this because they may change sprockets frequently to adjust gearing for a particular track or conditions.

Sprockets are relatively cheap, the big cost is the chain. Stick with steel sprockets for durability unless you are racing or have invested in lightweight aftermarket wheels.

The chain is one of the hardest working, yet most neglected parts of a motorcycle.

Follow this regimen after every ride, or whenever the chain appears dry & dull, and you'll have many miles of trouble-free service from your chain, with no worries about it breaking suddenly. Every time you service your chain (before & after every ride) you are also inspecting it. You'll know it's worn and time for replacement, long before sudden failure becomes a concern. I've gotten well over 30,000 miles from an RK chain on a hard-ridden FJ1200 (big, heavy & powerful), used in all weather, with a passenger, as well as many other chains on other bikes.

The maintenance is really quite simple, fairly clean, and only takes a few minutes, if you follow the procedures above.

Lube after the ride; wipe it down before the ride; adjust periodically, and clean the swingarm & wheel occasionally as necessary.

[ongcs]

For O-ring and X-ring chain,

 

NEVER use Engine Oil to Lube. The O-ring will absorb the oil and expand. The chain life will be shorten by a lot.

 

For normal chain (i.e. non O or X ring), EO is ok for use as a lube.

 

 

Symbol of a bad chain include excessive noise and short tightening interval.

[william_liu]

Rubber absorbs engine oil?? Are you sure about that?

[Guest Dewei]

So is EO suitable for both X-ring & O-ring chain? I'm planning to lube my chain wif EO next week onwards.

[kata_killer]

Originally posted by ongcs@Mar 8 2005, 12:28 PM

For O-ring and X-ring chain,

 

NEVER use Engine Oil to Lube. The O-ring will absorb the oil and expand. The chain life will be shorten by a lot.

 

For normal chain (i.e. non O or X ring), EO is ok for use as a lube.

 

 

Symbol of a bad chain include excessive noise and short tightening interval.

I dun agree wat U say. I have been using d same DID X-ring chain n spocket for 2 years using Engine oil to lube it, so far, no problem at All. Wat make U say nvm use Engibe oil to Lube d O or X ring chain?

 

Any expert saying this? I would like to know tat.... Thanks....

[GRassCuTTeR]

Originally posted by Dewei@Mar 9 2005, 01:40 AM

So is EO suitable for both X-ring & O-ring chain? I'm planning to lube my chain wif EO next week onwards.

 

I dun agree wat U say. I have been using d same DID X-ring chain n spocket for 2 years using Engine oil to lube it, so far, no problem at All. Wat make U say nvm use Engibe oil to Lube d O or X ring chain?

 

Any expert saying this? I would like to know tat.... Thanks....

duno leh i havent try before, i did ask my mech about using EO before... he advised me better not try... cos he did experiment before, just use normal EO and 2T- applied on normal rubber tube. after some time the rubber become soft and expand a little.

 

but our tai-lo kata say so far is ok to use.... just dat i dont dare to try hehe...

[Guest Dewei]

Heard tat Motogp bike use EO to lube the chain. I think I did read in dunuo wat bike magazine.

[william_liu]

http://www.endorphin-express.com/dod/o-rings-solvents.html

 

Don't know how true, but interesting..... perhaps we can carry out a similar experiment too.

[ashyamahar6]

Personally, i prefer to use degreaser (can get for 10 bucks), then spray on the chain let it absorb for a while, then hose it off with water use garden hose, higher pressure better. all the grease will come off very easily. wah After that the chain very clean, then either u ride around for a bit so that xs water in the chain come out, or leave to dry. Then just use chain lube, i prefer this to wax, wax if put too much will scatter all over chain guard tyre and will solidify.

[ketten hunde]

hmmm....engine degreaser

 

ani more comments on this fr ani one

[CivicR]

Is it possible to remove the greaser without depending on a main stand? How should I do it in a void deck environment (don't want to dirty the place)

[ET]

use a wood stick to hold the bottom of your swingarm so that you can get a lift for your tyres....thats what i do...then you can spin your wheels easily..

[d0n]

Originally posted by ashyamahar6@Mar 29 2005, 12:56 AM

Personally, i prefer to use degreaser (can get for 10 bucks), then spray on the chain let it absorb for a while, then hose it off with water use garden hose, higher pressure better. all the grease will come off very easily. wah After that the chain very clean, then either u ride around for a bit so that xs water in the chain come out, or leave to dry. Then just use chain lube, i prefer this to wax, wax if put too much will scatter all over chain guard tyre and will solidify.

hm

im wondering if its possible that the degreaser could well ended up removing the lubricants that are originally in the chain as well?

[ET]

currently using LPS 1 to clear my chain, then use gearoil to lube my chain and leave it for the night. no oil fling and my tires are still as clean...

[aalphaa]

Originally posted by ongcs@Mar 8 2005, 12:28 PM

For O-ring and X-ring chain,

 

NEVER use Engine Oil to Lube. The O-ring will absorb the oil and expand. The chain life will be shorten by a lot.

 

For normal chain (i.e. non O or X ring), EO is ok for use as a lube.

 

 

Symbol of a bad chain include excessive noise and short tightening interval.

The bike manual recommends EO as lubricant for the chain.

The bike manufacturer wont want us to damage our bike, right?

Can anyone clear this up?

[retro1983]

Originally posted by aalphaa@Apr 14 2005, 01:13 AM

The bike manual recommends EO as lubricant for the chain.

The bike manufacturer wont want us to damage our bike, right?

Can anyone clear this up?

think ongcs is referring to the stock chain/ original chain, which is not X-ring or O-ring... so using engine oil to lube ur stock chain shuld be fine.