Chain cleaner

Is there a brand of chain cleaner that states it is O-ring safe on the label?

 

I use 80-90 gear lube and the chain stays clean, the wheel gets dirty, but the chain is clean. :smile:

I believe WD-40 will work very well, and so will kerosene from what I've read. Whatever you use don't try to make it a speedy job and have the motor running in gear to speed up the process. One of the guys on the VFR mailing list made that error and wound up with his hand in the sprocket, a real nasty mess.

 

You can buy brake cleaner that is safe for o-rings at any m/c shop. Some people will say WD40 can harm the chain, others say it is just fine. I do not know for sure. On the other hand, I have not heard anybody say kerosene is bad for the chain...I have always heard kerosene is safe.

I have a can of Motul Chain Clean and it states it is safe for o-ring, x-ring, and z-ring chains.

http://www.speedsupplies.com/accessorylistingdetailpurch.asp?item=19530

You still need to "brush" the chain to get it clean, just like kerosene, so for the cost, kerosene is a much better value. I do like it in a spray can though. You can go through a 1/2 can on one good cleaning. I use an old toothbrush, but they do have brushes made specifically for the task. I have also been looking at this product but have not tried it yet.

http://www.xtsportbikeaccessories.com/kettenmax.html

 

I have been trying to find this stuff in the U.S., but no luck so far. I did e-mail them to find out where I could purchase in the U.S. and they never responded. Still looking.

Motorcycle WTK Chain Cleaner, motorcycle maintenance

 

Maxima clean-up works VERY well, what's better is that it works best when cold. Spray it on, let it sit for a 20 seconds, hose off with a gentle stream, grime melts right off. However, though it says it's safe for plastics steer it clear, the stuff discolored my hugger.

 

i used to use wd40 all the time, the aerosol is what can harm the o rings, so if u get it in a sray can, spray it on something then wipe down the chain.

today i picked up some engine degreaser. much easier, spray on, wait a few minutes, hose off, nice and shiny again, and it'll clean the swing arm too. just make sure it says its safe for rubber too.

 

I've used WD-40 on a rag and given it a good ole wipe down, I myself don't spray down a chain with WD40, I have on dirt bikes but that's different, I've also used kerosene.

 

I too have used the Maxima cleaner. Works good on all the grime. Stuff just melts off the bike.

 

I use Paslode Pneumatic Tool cleaner. Comes in a spray can for about $5 from Home Depot. Use it with a soft brush or rag and it evaporates without residue.

 

I've been using WD40 for 30+ years on many bikes and many chains with never a problem.
WD40 is cheap and readily available EVERYWHERE, including grocery stores, quick marts, etc.
I've never lost an o-ring, and have had quite a few chains last more than 30,000 miles with proper maintenance.

I'll spray the side plates, but try to avoid the rollers/gaps to not remove the internal lube.
Then just wipe down the sides with a rag, finishing by wiping all surfaces of the chain with the WD40-moistened rag, including the rollers.

If I want to get things REALLY clean, I'll follow with a rag moistened with any citrus-based general cleaner to wipe down the sides of the chain, sprockets, swingarm, wheel, etc.

I personally think a good chain wax type lube (I like Maxima Chain Wax) keeps the chain cleanest, but I've never really found any decent moto-specific chain lube to really perform any better than other, as best I can tell.

After lubing the top surface of the bottom run (under the swingarm - get the roller gaps & o-rings), I let it sit overnite to penetrate and set up (best to lube the chain immediately post-ride when warm), then wipe everything down with a clean, dry rag before the next ride.
No fling-off anywhere.

 

I use kerosene with a rag and an old toothbrush. Then 90 weight gear oil to lube. That's what my manual says to do (1996) and I haven't found a compelling reason to change.

+1 on the comment about doing this with the engine running. I know some guys put it in gear and clean/lube the chain with the engine idling. My fingers think it's a Bad Idea.

 

What, did everyone forget about "Slickfiddy" ?

 

Heh, all jokes aside, Id not thought of the PAM before. That’s actually a very good idea.
Kerosene, alcohol, gasoline, engine cleaners, break cleaners, all contain amounts of alcohol.

I am a plastics engineer for the automotive industry. I also do silicone and other TPA rubber seals. Alcohol will break down the chemical chain of polymers, specifically going after the Carbon molecules. It will attach to Carbon, and separate it from the chain by forming a byproduct with the alcohol.

WD40 does not contain alcohol.

The best way to clean your chain… BEST, is to remove it, and soak it in fresh oil. Wipe it down, and repeat, until you are happy.

I would put WD40 second, if you wanted to clean it without removing the chain. The main ingredient in WD40 is a type of penetrating oil. Pure penetrating oil, is designed to pit metal when heated on a microscopic level, and the oil will sit in the small pockets it creates. The stuff in WD40 is non heat activated.

Word of caution tho, this same penetrating oil is very very bad for composite break pads.

 

+1 on the kerosene. It does a nice job, and is recommended in the owners manual.

 

I've never bothered with Kerosene because it's smelly, and hard to get.

WD40 works perfectly, smells kinda sweet, comes in convenient little spray cans, and is available EVERYWHERE - you can't hardly walk down a street without passing someplace that sells WD40.
No messing around with a container, brush, splashing, etc.
Can't beat WD40 for effectiveness and convenience, storage, etc.
It also has countless other uses around the home & shop.

Also, it seems likely that the OEM OM's specify Kerosene as it's a sort of "universal" degreaser.
It's available in every country around the world, and works well enough.
I doubt that the OEMs could really specify "WD40" as it likely would mean nothing at all to people from many parts of the world, as well as Trademark/Copyright Infringement or something along those lines.
I see no reason to bind myself to 18th century technology because of some obscure requirements that don't really apply to the task at hand.

I'll use something equally effective, more convenient, and that smells better: WD40.

Just my 2¢.

 

I use nothing but WD40 to clean AND lube my chain.

My previous bike (1993 Nighthawk 750) has about 31K miles on it and is on the original chain. While it has stretched, there are no missing o-rings, no rust, and it still looks great. The current owner plans to replace it after the season because it's near the end of the adjustment range.

I put 8K miles on my VFR since getting it a year ago, and I've adjusted the chain only once. 13K miles on it total and the chain still looks great and has plenty of adjustment range left.

I've thought about using synthetic gear oil as some others have used, but so far I really have no reason to change....

 

Even if a chain doesn't bind/kink and there's lots of adjustment range left, the 'real' method of checking the chain is to do measure the 15 link length against what your M.O.M specifies, irregardless of the status of the O-Rings and rust. The pins can only bend a certain length before they're bent too far (which is where an O-Ring chain stretches) to be considered safe/usable and can stretch too far while being asymptomatic otherwise. The minimum and maximum adjustment range isn't a a wear indicator, it's an adjustable part designed to accommodate the OEM chain/sprocket configuration AND what you might change it to, where the needs of the configuration might change. Obviously being loose at max adjustment means that you've really toasted the chain, but the chain can be worn out long before it gets there.

 

Actually, not quite right...

Chain wear, commonly referred to as chain "stretch", is actually almost entirely due to wear of both the pins and rollers, internally where it can't be seen, which incrementally causes the chain to become slightly longer as the wear between each link adds up.
Typically a "stretched" chain that is still loose even when the adjusters are maxed out will have sloppily loose rollers, which is somewhat disguised by copious amounts of chain lube filling the enlarged spaces between the pins & rollers.
Nothing usually "bends", and sideplates rarely actually stretch anymore, except perhaps with Busa dragbikes and such with humongous rwhp.

The adjusters are just that - adjustments to take up excessive slack from a worn chain.
A properly sized chain for given swingarm length and sprocket combination should be near the shorter end of the available range to allow for ongoing adjustment for wear/slack.

True, though, that actually measuring the "stretch" with a gauge is the most precise method of determination, but it really doesn't matter.
A chain is either worn or not, and no amount precise measurement will change that or make any difference.
It's really not a high-precision thing; close enough is good enough.

Adjust for proper slack (about 1 1/2" at point of highest slack), keep the chain cleaned and lubed, and just ride.
* Better slightly loose than too tight for best suspension action and full travel.
I've never owned or even used a chain gauge and never will.

WD40 is an effective degreaser.
While it has 'some' small degree of very light lubricating ability, it's true purpose is to remove water, but it also removes grease & heavier lubrications, which is why it's important to not allow WD40 to get into the gaps between the rollers and sideplates - it'll actually remove the grease from the areas of highest forces and wear.
Due the the extreme shear forces a moto chain is subject to, WD40 alone is insufficient and will allow metal-to-metal contact which causes friction heat & subsequent micro-welding / pitting, with resulting wear.
Best to use an actual moto-intended actual chain lube product loaded with anti-shear protections and heavier lubricants.
I'm all about being frugal, but in this case I think it's important to pay the money for the correct product.

*BTW - (nothing personal / pet-peeve) - "irregardless" is not an actual word; it's 'regardless'.

 

I think that maybe too much energy is going into this topic. I got 30K miles on a chain, using nothing but WD40 on it. The sprockets both look great, the chain looks great, and the o-rings still look great.

Whatever bad things WD40 supposedly can do to a chain and/or o-rings, this chain still went over 30K miles and isn't kinking, binding, rusting, etc, etc. I even ran it for my first 2 years of riding too tight (before I understood how to set the chain tension correctly).



I guess it's like the "Best Oil?" topic - many people have opinions based on what they read online, and many people have opinions based on what has actually worked for them in the real world.


Anywho...... I need to go WD40 a squeaky cabinet hinge in my kitchen. I already took care of the chain on the VFR on Sunday... :smile: