I employ good old handy Gas to a rag and degrease chain and wheels...
I employ plastic polish to add a nice luster to the wheels...
55 Chain Lubes Tested
- Thread starter BBDartCA
- Start date
I employ good old handy Gas to a rag and degrease chain and wheels...
I employ plastic polish to add a nice luster to the wheels...
Looks great!
I find that chain grease or gear lube clean up very easily. It is the various waxes with their no sling formulas that can be hard to clean up and often require stiff brushes and harsh chemicals, which incidentally are not so kind on the very o-rings we are trying to protect.
However, WD40 seems to deal with the waxes pretty well in my experience.
If you got lucky enough to ride my RC45 you'd understand how I run minimal chain snatch thanks to HRC chain slider...
Kerosene easily cuts every chain lube I've ever used, including wax based chain lubes. Kerosene is safe for all materials too, and called out in manuals as the preferred cleaning solvent for O-ring chains.Looks great!
I find that chain grease or gear lube clean up very easily. It is the various waxes with their no sling formulas that can be hard to clean up and often require stiff brushes and harsh chemicals, which incidentally are not so kind on the very o-rings we are trying to protect.
However, WD40 seems to deal with the waxes pretty well in my experience.
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So are you actually running a clip and rivet master link on the same chain?
Mercy 02SE... It frees up the ponies like a 30 wt, doncha' know?
So are you actually running a clip and rivet master link on the same chain?
Of course. I shoulda' known...
I guess there is no possibility here that these are two pictures taken at totally different times, maybe even years apart, that represent a different setup of that time.
There certainly IS a possibility of that. That's why I asked.
Lol, I wasn't saying he was running both types of links or not, that one was simply tee'd up too good to pass on.
As a former USAF Quality Control Inspector I do have the skills...
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I bought a can of this a few months ago for $6, to use on my bicycle. I'm truly impressed with this stuff.
I ride 15 miles daily, and it'll go 3 weeks between applications.
WORK!!! what is that???
Lots of good and bad info in this thread so my $.02. Waxes are for NON O-Ring chains (Think Dirt Bikes). Sprayed on the carrier volotiles boil off leaving behind a dry seal around the link plates to block grit from entering the pins/bushings. Grit that enters the wax gets trapped and sloughs off, again keeping the pins/bushing interface sealed and clean.
X/O Ring chains have grease sealed inside the critical pin/bushing interface. Critical for sealed chains is to lubricate the SEALS so they stay slippery don't dry/crack or leak grease out or allow contamination in. This is why gear oil works so well. Using anything that is a light solvent for cleaning can leech past the seals and contaminate the grease inside or dry out and cause the seals to wear more quickly.
Other than the seals themselves external roller lubrication is not required for long service life and this also avoids the typical mess it creates. With a NEW chain/sprocket set slowly rotate the rear wheel and look closely as a roller approaches the sprocket teeth and see it drops directly into the valley between teeth without touching the tips! Once it is seated it does not rotate at all. All the rotation occurs between the internal lubed PIN and the BUSHING inside the links. Each Pin/Bushing rotates X degrees as it bends to rotate the sprocket. The rotation angle can be calculated by simple division 360/#teeth.
Having the chain too tight will quickly destroy a chain by wearing the Pins/Bushings. On the POWER side of the chain the engine is pulling HARD and that load is squeezing the grease film from between the Pin/Bushing interfaces. The equidistant links then rotate around the sprocket to the LOOSE side. At this point the chain links need to loosen enough for the grease to reestablish a film inside for its next rotation across the sprockets. Insufficient loose slack squeezes the lube from the Pin and bushing interface leading to heat, wear and even galling if the chain is tight enough. This condition is what most would then incorrectly refer to as chain stretch. once the pins/bushings are worn the sprocket and link alignments around the sprockets mismatch and wear accelerates no matter how much lube you use. Look at ultra slo-mo of a MotoGP bike chain as it flaps around like a flag in the wind ...this is a good thing.
Typically the ADD types will over tighten and excessively clean chains to quick death. Then cry about how crappy chain brand was. You know you're doing it right when with just gear oil and a few shop towels you can get +30k out of a set on a sport bike.
I lube my chains with rear wheel lifted and use a large syringe. I pull some M1 diff lube into the syringe then put the dulled tip from directly behind the bike into the X-ring slot on top of the rear sprocket and rotate the wheel while I steadily squeeze it on. the oil goes directly onto the o-rings and the needle stays centered in the slot hitting every one until they all look shiny. After doing both sides of the chain I take a towel and run a few more rotations cleaning any excess. Another towel to wipe the wheel of any dry drips from the last oiling and wheel looks like new with no solvents needed. Usually done after a ride before putting away.
Sorry for the long rant ...been seeing same misunderstanding of how chains work in bike forums for years. ...not like a rubber belt lol more like cut gears in function.
X/O Ring chains have grease sealed inside the critical pin/bushing interface. Critical for sealed chains is to lubricate the SEALS so they stay slippery don't dry/crack or leak grease out or allow contamination in. This is why gear oil works so well. Using anything that is a light solvent for cleaning can leech past the seals and contaminate the grease inside or dry out and cause the seals to wear more quickly.
Other than the seals themselves external roller lubrication is not required for long service life and this also avoids the typical mess it creates. With a NEW chain/sprocket set slowly rotate the rear wheel and look closely as a roller approaches the sprocket teeth and see it drops directly into the valley between teeth without touching the tips! Once it is seated it does not rotate at all. All the rotation occurs between the internal lubed PIN and the BUSHING inside the links. Each Pin/Bushing rotates X degrees as it bends to rotate the sprocket. The rotation angle can be calculated by simple division 360/#teeth.
Having the chain too tight will quickly destroy a chain by wearing the Pins/Bushings. On the POWER side of the chain the engine is pulling HARD and that load is squeezing the grease film from between the Pin/Bushing interfaces. The equidistant links then rotate around the sprocket to the LOOSE side. At this point the chain links need to loosen enough for the grease to reestablish a film inside for its next rotation across the sprockets. Insufficient loose slack squeezes the lube from the Pin and bushing interface leading to heat, wear and even galling if the chain is tight enough. This condition is what most would then incorrectly refer to as chain stretch. once the pins/bushings are worn the sprocket and link alignments around the sprockets mismatch and wear accelerates no matter how much lube you use. Look at ultra slo-mo of a MotoGP bike chain as it flaps around like a flag in the wind ...this is a good thing.
Typically the ADD types will over tighten and excessively clean chains to quick death. Then cry about how crappy chain brand was. You know you're doing it right when with just gear oil and a few shop towels you can get +30k out of a set on a sport bike.
I lube my chains with rear wheel lifted and use a large syringe. I pull some M1 diff lube into the syringe then put the dulled tip from directly behind the bike into the X-ring slot on top of the rear sprocket and rotate the wheel while I steadily squeeze it on. the oil goes directly onto the o-rings and the needle stays centered in the slot hitting every one until they all look shiny. After doing both sides of the chain I take a towel and run a few more rotations cleaning any excess. Another towel to wipe the wheel of any dry drips from the last oiling and wheel looks like new with no solvents needed. Usually done after a ride before putting away.
Sorry for the long rant ...been seeing same misunderstanding of how chains work in bike forums for years. ...not like a rubber belt lol
more like cut gears in function.I like lube on the center rollers too, regardless if they roll even a little or not. There is obviously friction between the rollers and sprocket teeth as they will slowly lose lube and become dry and shiny with miles. Been using Maxima chain wax for 30 years and the O-rings never fail, and the chain and sprockets last a very long time.
Negative... the 4 points of an X ring are as effective as your fork seals in
separating external and internal fluids and don't require lube...
You can submerge the chain into a sea of oil and not one molecule will migrate
pass the effective X ring seals held in tension to lube the seals...
Currently we have the X rings designed out of the new fluoroelastomer
product known commercially as Viton or Kalrez and reasons are:
1)Excellent Resistance to Drying Out
2)Low Drag
3)Seals at 4 points
4)Grooved Reservoirs of Lube
What that means for us is the fact Viton or Kalrez X rings will be
100% serviceable far beyond a chain's first adjustment mileage point
where metal to metal wear begins to happen at the critical pin and
roller junction...
If you wish to lube reach the critical pin and roller junction just
remove X rings with razor knife...
Negative... the 4 points of an X ring are as effective as your fork seals in
separating external and internal fluids and don't require lube...
You can submerge the chain into a sea of oil and not one molecule will migrate
pass the effective X ring seals held in tension to lube the seals...
Currently we have the X rings designed out of the new fluoroelastomer
product known commercially as Viton or Kalrez and reasons are:
1)Excellent Resistance to Drying Out
2)Low Drag
3)Seals at 4 points
4)Grooved Reservoirs of Lube
What that means for us is the fact Viton or Kalrez X rings will be
100% serviceable far beyond a chain's first adjustment mileage point
where metal to metal wear begins to happen at the critical pin and
roller junction...
If you wish to lube reach the critical pin and roller junction just
remove X rings with razor knife...
This is quite an exaggeration. Sure, when new the X-rings and O-rings will seal very well, never 100% however, but the seal effectiveness can only deteriorate from here. Fork seals never seal 100% either and leave a thin layer of oil, which helps them travel smoothly on the fork. These require replacement, usually due to dirt damage over time.
So I agree with @Kawiguy454 that lube helps with keeping these sealing components in good shape and the dirt away.
Many confuse the dirt that sticks to the non-working surfaces that are lubed with it being bad. It is quite the contrary, the dirt you see is simply accumulating, or being pushed out by the lube to the place where it is not in contact with anything. Lube stays in place between the contact points, not allowing dirt to enter.
It is on a dry seal, that may appear clean, that very small dust particles are working themselves in between the contact places and slowly damage damage the seal.
I don't think you read what was said. The X/O seals made out of whatever miracle material are still subject to wear. So dust and grit can tear them up just like fork seals engine seals etc. And once the seals get worn they will leak (Only takes one) and you have hundreds of them on one chain. Once damaged grease will leak out or grit will get in to contaminate the grease. If you want to have nothing on the seals then do so. I keep mine wet with something i know will help them slide and not degrade.Negative... the 4 points of an X ring are as effective as your fork seals in
separating external and internal fluids and don't require lube...
You can submerge the chain into a sea of oil and not one molecule will migrate
pass the effective X ring seals held in tension to lube the seals...
Currently we have the X rings designed out of the new fluoroelastomer
product known commercially as Viton or Kalrez and reasons are:
1)Excellent Resistance to Drying Out
2)Low Drag
3)Seals at 4 points
4)Grooved Reservoirs of Lube
What that means for us is the fact Viton or Kalrez X rings will be
100% serviceable far beyond a chain's first adjustment mileage point
where metal to metal wear begins to happen at the critical pin and
roller junction...
If you wish to lube reach the critical pin and roller junction just
remove X rings with razor knife...
I have seen poorly maintained ringed chains that when a link is popped off for removal the X rings are VERY worn down flat and loose between the plates.
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