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Cleaning the chain

12K views 46 replies 32 participants last post by  xtian 
#1 ·
OK guys, I've been doing a "Chain cleaning" search of the forum. While I found a lot of interesting thread but nothing yet about the best chemical to clean the chain. I am presently laying over in Sacramento for a couple of days after riding in horrific wind and dust conditions in Arizona and southern California. I had to adjust the chain today in an auto parts store in Ripon, CA when I noted that it was extremely loose. O'Reilly's loaned me a torque wrench. I gave it a good lube on Saturday in Mesa before departing and noted that the chain was a bit out of tension spec but thought I could make it home OK. Bad decision.

In any event, the chain is extremely dirty/cruddy after 1000 miles in the dusty conditions and I want to give it a good cleaning and lubing before I set out on Friday. I have considered WD-40, gasoline, kerosine etc. to get the crud off the chain before giving it a good coating of lube for the final 800 miles to home.

Aside from my old Triumphs the Vee is the only chain drive bike I have so I am still in the learning curve stage on these O ring chains. With the vintage Triumphs we removed them, dunked them in bath of diesel fuel then in a bath of oil and hung them overnight to dry.

Any suggestions on the best way to clean the O ring chain will be appreciated.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
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#5 ·
+kerosene
Watch out for the rear sprocket. It eats inattentive fingers.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I never clean my chains... waste of time... I just keep spraying Dupont Chain wax every few hundred kms right over the "crap" already on the chain... I noticed the aerosol in the DuPont lube kinda' cleaned off the old crud before leaving a new coat of wax, anyway....Don't believe me..? Just ask VTom...:yesnod:
 
#7 ·
I use WD-40 for lack of better information, but I think after reading this thread I'll use DuPont Chain Saver...

Also, if you're in need of a workspace, I'm in Sacramento and you're welcome to pop over. I'll send you a PM.
 
#15 ·
Your signature line says it all--I got my VStrom from a Harley dealer!! Felt pretty good about it, too.

Back to the thread--Kerosene here, with brush and rag, followed by Dupont Chain Saver in the small squeeze bottle. I just put a large piece of cardboard under the bike to catch the drips from cleaning the chain. I am also lead to understand that using a Grunge Brush or one of its clones, can damage the outer edges of the O-rings. I hope I'm wrong on that account, as the Grunge Brush works well. Anyone have any info on that aspect?
 
#8 ·
... after riding in horrific wind and dust conditions in Arizona and southern California....the chain is extremely dirty/cruddy after 1000 miles in the dusty conditions...
I never clean my chains... waste of time...
Quite similar conditions, riding for 1000 miles through desert valleys in windy/dusty conditions and putting around Ontario with it's humid and lush farm lands, etc...

Navigator, if you're chain's covered in desert silt and dust, do clean it using kerosene and a brush/rag, spin the tire around to help get the excess off and then hit it with the chain lube of your choice.
 
#20 ·
Quite similar conditions, riding for 1000 miles through desert valleys in windy/dusty conditions and putting around Ontario with it's humid and lush farm lands, etc...

Navigator, if you're chain's covered in desert silt and dust, do clean it using kerosene and a brush/rag, spin the tire around to help get the excess off and then hit it with the chain lube of your choice.
I ride on gravel roads almost every day. I ride on Salt covered roads, in rain, on muddy roads. Some of my riding has included deserts as well.

A best as I can figure cleaning with a rag is not going to do anything but cosmetic stuff, and any brush that can get in between the links to remove stuff from there risks damaging the O-Rings.

I lube with HHS2000 with every tank of gas an after every ride in the rain. As far as I can tell the solvent that carries the lube takes away any stuff that is in between the links just as effectively as the kerosene did on the first two chains on my 2006 (which only lasted 21,000 and 23,500 miles.) The next chain was lubed as I described earlier in this paragraph and was replaced at 46,000 miles (75,000 km.) The replacement chain is still on my 2006 with about 34,600 miles and is still useable. My 2012 has the OEM chain and has 28,300 miles on it and has never been adjusted after the initial adjustment at the 1,000 mile inspection. I wear out the front sprockets long before the chain.

From everything I have seen and read the key to the life of the chain is keeping it lubed.

..Tom
 
#11 ·
I kerosene once a year, and keep dumping on dupont like canuckFZ6 does. it's dusty here, too. only chain I've had to replace in years was on my trials bike. YRMV.
 
#14 ·
Cleaning chains is where my old toothbrush goes to die. That and kerosene. I've used a chemical spray, but kerosene works with less mess.
 
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#17 ·
I fill a spray bottle with Purple Power and use the DuPont chain cleaning tool. Hose it off. Run it on the center stand until the water flings off, go for a short ride then lube the chain with the DuPont stuff everyone uses here.

I get nasty grime on my chain from just commuting and the build up really does affect performance and smoothness of the bike. Not cleaning the chain isn't an option here.
 
#18 ·
Thanks much guys. I've put about 10K on the Vee since purchasing it a couple of years ago and have been pretty attentive about lubing the chain. I've only cleaned it once or twice using a bit of WD-40 but it has never been as cruddy as this.

And Doug, I sent you a PM and will give you a call today.
 
#22 ·
Ok so I have a question.

How many miles are you guys getting out of your chains and sprockets? Does spraying it that much really add life to them? Then what does it cost to do spray and clean the chain? How much is a new chain and sprockets?

Lets say the cleaner and lube are $20 how many cans before the chain is needing replaced? Is it 2k miles extra? 5K?


I'm not saying the chain doesn't need something but it seems people work on the chain more than they ride the bike. I spray my chain but have never de-greased it etc. Got 13k+ miles (2 trips to AK w/lots of gravel) from my stock KLR chain. Sprockets were OK.

For the difference in millage at the end of its life it just seems silly. Of course if you just Want a clean pretty chain...well then go for it. But then I could be missing something.
 
#24 ·
Ok so I have a question.

How many miles are you guys getting out of your chains and sprockets? Does spraying it that much really add life to them? Then what does it cost to do spray and clean the chain? How much is a new chain and sprockets?

...
46,000 miles. It takes about 10 or 20 seconds to lube my chain and never clean it.

It is totally no hassle to do it when you have a center stand.

..Tom
 
#23 ·
You're worrying too much over silly details. Just ride that thing and clean the chain when you think it's getting dirty. Maintenance intervals and chain life will always vary depending on which conditions you are riding.

A set of DuPont Degreaser and Saver cost me less that 15 bucks and lasted me like two years. The thing I like about the Teflon wax is that it repels dirt and water so you really don't have to worry too much about your chain.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I lube every 600 miles or so. My bike gets a clean chain when its time to replace the old one and not before. No chain cleaning for me.

The important question is why did it loosen so quickly on your trip the last few days. Either you are adjusting it wrong or this is a sure sign of a worn out chain and/or sprocket combination.

Forest for the trees and all that stuff...
 
#29 ·
There is lots of good information here guys. I gave the chain a good cleaning today with some WD-40 and light kerosene until it was **** & span. I then gave it a good lube and wiped it off. While I was at it I gave the old girl a complete wash down and she now sparkles, to include the chain. I'll lube it again in the morning, wiping off the excess and then head north Saturday morning.

As to why it loosened I have no idea. The rear 43 tooth sprocket that I bought from Blaire has only about 3K miles on it and the chain is in excellent condition with no "end play" at the back sprocket. It is properly adjusted and all is well. And it is no as if I don't know how to adjust a chain. My primary ride for about 30 years was a 1967 Triumph TR6C and I put a lot of miles on it. I will of course be more attentive on chain tension in the future. I put so many miles on my several bikes every year that I believe I just got a bit careless.

It occurred to me that it was not accurate that this is my first O ring chain bike. I had a beautiful 1978 Harley FLH Anniversary Edition that I restored a couple of years ago and it had an O ring chain, although much heavier. Also it is one of those bikes that I didn't ride much except to shows and vintage/classic bike events.
 
#33 ·
Riding style, load and engine displacement have a lot to do with the length of chain life.

I would imagine that a 525 chain and sprocket set with a fat guy like me with three bags filled to the brim and flogging it everywhere would drastically reduce chain life, no matter what.
 
#39 ·
Well you nailed it Scott.

The entire ride back from AZ was the trip to the second level of hell. Rain, sleet, hail and heavy winds awaited me in from Dunsmuir, CA through Oregon and Washington with a final chain failure 80 miles from home. Oh and a rear flat to top it off. I checked the tension again prior to departing from Sacramento. Around Chahalis, WA I noted the odd noise again, pulled off and found the chain stretched and the rear sprocket egged out with only about 4K on it. There is also something amiss with the front sprocket but I won't know until I pull it. I believe it was about the throw the chain. Two friends fetched me and my broken Vee this morning and hauled us home.

The bike is now on the table lift and I'll be pulling the wheel and front sprocket this week (never done a front sprocket so will consult the service manual). I'm going to order stock pullies and a chain from the dealer tomorrow.

I have absolutely no flippin' idea what went wrong. When I changed the rear to a 43 tooth at about 14K miles, the stock 41 was in like new condition, same as the chain. I always tensioned the chain (and it didn't need it many times) by the owners manual spec on the side stand and had no issues. The dealer even confirmed that I had it right when they installed the new Battlewings a couple of couple of thousand miles ago. Logic says it was a way over tightened chain that brought about this problem but it just wasn't the case. I'm stumped.
 
#43 ·
Be aware the DuPont stuff in the blue can is no longer a dry wax lubricant and is not recommended fro chains. The newer Chain Saver in the yellow can is a dry wax lubricant.
 
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