[notabiker]

i thought it would be fun to start a chain servicing thread, i admit i am nutty about how i service my bike. to me it is not as important how you service the chain as if you do it often enough.
chain wax works good and i have used it. but i like my chain to look nice also. the wax builds up and looks dirty.
so this is my goofy way i do it.
i put the bike on the stand. i take a rag and dip it in diff gear oil . i spin the tire and rub the oily rag along the sides of the chain. then i take syth brake grease and use my finger to put a little brake grease on each roller of the chain. this syth brake grease is very thick. it is made to put on all the sliding surfaces of a disc brake job. it can take a lot of heat,
it stays on to protect roller to sprocket surfaces.
i am not trying to have other do as i do. it is just how i do it. in the 11 bikes i have owned i never replaced a chain.
if you keep a bike long enough or ride hard all chains will wear out for sure.
please share your chain cleaning- lubing operation.

 

[jrick56]

wow! that sounds like a lot of work. that's a great way to do it, but i don't like to spend that much time. unles my chain is unusually dirty i raise bike put in nuetral while chain is hot and spin tire while lubing chain with clear no sling lube. then let bike sit over night. 25,000 mile on my zrx before i had to change and then it wasn't wore out yet. just changed it and sprockets when went doen 1 in front. didn't have to do this on my harleys. oh yeah every so often cleaned with kerosene and old t shirt

 

[kweezy]

Here is how I do it. Put the bike on the rear stand. spray the chain with WD-40. Lightly scrub the chain with a brush. Risne the chain off with the water hose. Wash the entire bike with soapy water. When everything is nice and dry I put a coat of chain wax on it. The End.
I do this every time I wash it, wich is about once a week or so. The wax does not sling off at all.

 

[jrick56]

haven't put water on mine yet, except for rain. i dry wash.

 

[zriderguy]

this is my method -- with a warm chain raise wheel using race stand bike in nuatral - sray chain with wd/40 scrub with chain brush -- whip all the goop off with rags -- spray with chain wax -- let dry over night -- of course clean the rest of bike --with wndow cleaner and rags really don't like to saop and water on my bikes

do I need to say remove and replace chain guard which starting to think about leaving off

 

[BeastIncarnate]

I use Dupont Teflon Chain Wax. Works great. If the chain is looking particularly grimy, I'll wipe it down with kerosene on a rag/shirt, let it dry, and lube it up.

 

[notabiker]

i have been to bike gatherings and see bikes that look like the chain has never been lubed, i mean RUST. at a minimum just spray something on the poor thing.

 

[moellermania]

I use Dupont Teflon Chain Wax. Works great. If the chain is looking particularly grimy, I'll wipe it down with kerosene on a rag/shirt, let it dry, and lube it up.

+1 exact stuff I use. Works great. Actually cleans pretty good too if you are in a hurry.

 

[AirWolf]

I use Dupont Teflon Chain Wax. Works great. If the chain is looking particularly grimy, I'll wipe it down with kerosene on a rag/shirt, let it dry, and lube it up.

Kawi book recommends kerosene, brush, rinse and lube method. Works for me!
I'm a firm believer in the KISS principle.

 

[tomohawk]

I use kerosene or some sort of degreaser to clean it up and black label no fling lube after I'm done. Then I clean it off the sides of the chain because I have a painted chain. No fling is bull**** might I add, it flings all over the wheel, but I clean it up after I've given it a week or so of riding and lube it once a month or so.

 

[notabiker]

what you must not do is clean with something that will penitrate the O RING seal. your chain has lube inside the O RING. the cleaner you use must not get past the seal.

 

[tomohawk]

what you must not do is clean with something that will penitrate the O RING seal. your chain has lube inside the O RING. the cleaner you use must not get past the seal.

Yeah, I use degreaser on a rag and just pinch it on the outside of the chain while spinning the wheel. I try not to get any on the rollers, but in the event that I do touch one or two I just look at the rest of the chain and see the goop there and assume It'll make itself to the right places rather quickly. No problems so far, about 5k on the ek chain this year and its as good as new.

 

[zephyrboy738]

I use to use chain wax but it turns black, then I tried chain lube but it turned my chain white and that don't look good on my gold chain. Plus with both of them my chain would squeak after 200 miles. So now I clean my chain with degreaser then spray it with W-D 40 wipe it down real good with terry cloth & it stays good for over 500 miles no mess no squeaks. Plus water beads off like wax

 

[jrick56]

how long do you let it set after?

 

[tomohawk]

how long do you let it set after?

I rip it around the block and let it heat up plenty so the lube will sink in, then I let it set for 30 min or so. I don't think you need to let it sit too long because the chain cools off after about 5 min, if that.

Then I'll ride it however many days it takes to get 50 miles on it, usually one day, and clean her up.

Unless I'm seeing a hot chick that day, then I clean it up regardless of how far I've ridden it.

 

[So-Crates]

I do the same as most others here - bike on rear stand, I spray WD-40 onto a rag, and then use the rag to wipe the grime off the chain. Then, once the chain is nice and clean, I use Bel-Ray chain wax for lube.

Just in case anyone is curious, WD-40 stands for "Water Deterrent, Formula #40" - it took them 40 tries to get it correct. It was developed by the US military as a way to keep bomb parts from rusting over while in flight. It has so many crazy uses, you might be surprised at some of them... For instance, it is a great repellent for pigeons! And it is also very useful as a lubricant for prosthetic limbs! It is also a great way to completely remove all traces of duct tape from any surface.

 

[jrick56]

man, you are either very well educated, or have entirely too much free time.HA!~HA! seriously i didn't know some of that info. we used to spray it on wet distributor caps to get a car started.

 

[zephyrboy738]

It will also clean tar off your hands and you can use it as starting fluid.and some pepole say it cures arthritis

 

[zriderguy]

also usefull for cleaning any kind of rubber gasket , o-rings for plumbing or bikes
great stuff

 

[jrick56]

a plethora of uses. HA!HA!