Chain ultrasonic cleaning

[JHZR2]

To me, it seems like a waste of time--first ride on sand, dirt, or just a messy asphalt road, it's going to get black, again. I'm all for fun and games, but it seems like effort that will be for naught the first time the bike gets use.

For a show bike, I'd just buy a new chain, strip off the packing great, then oil. And make sure to not ride. Otherwise, it just seems like time not well spent.

I've taken to mineral spirits in a used salsa jar. I found the old trick of using a soda bottle to be annoying--the much wider opening on a glass jar is much easier to fish the chain out of. I just wish I could better filter the mineral spirts, but then again, when I clean my chain, which isn't often, it's good and truly loaded with dirt. After the bath, I do hit with a bit of brake cleaner, the chain won't quite fully dry out in the sun, and often I'm not waiting, so a quick attempt to get that off, then back on the bike. [Been using that Rock and Roll lube lately, not sure how well it would do with extra spirits left on the chain.]

Waste of time? Maybe. I wanted to see how effective certain techniques are, so when I use them in the future, I’ll have some idea. Indeed, the chain will pick up dust and grit with use. But I wanted to understand how various techniques did, and if anything stood out.

 

[Bailes1992]

Well thanks, never before have I considered cleaning my children's bike chains, but suddenly it's a priority for me. Bloody BITOG!

 

[Pablo]

Thing is, it is not filthy anymore.

When I got the bike, the bike itself was clean, like new. The rear cassette was fairly clean, as were the front chainrings. Cleanish. The chain had a dirt caked on it that was hard to rinse off.

I wonder if long-term sitting with dirt caked on was the cause, and it’s more staining?

It is hard to tell in the (my phone) pictures. If is back to the color of the basic chain alloy then heck yes.

 

[JHZR2]

It is hard to tell in the (my phone) pictures. If is back to the color of the basic chain alloy then heck yes.

Well I don’t think it’s that either. I have a brand new kmc chain, the same one. It’s brighter.

Perhaps the caked soil actually did react and stain the metal.

 

[Pablo]

Well I don’t think it’s that either. I have a brand new kmc chain, the same one. It’s brighter.

Perhaps the caked soil actually did react and stain the metal.

We used to sell KMC chains. They have have some coating on them - the brownish ones. Not sure what it is

 

[Trav]

Well I started with ultrasonic cleaning and scrubbing with simple green.

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After all that’s I boiled it.

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Even got a $1 pot from goodwill to use.

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Then rubbed it some more.

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Always more dirt coming out.

Marginal results, so back into my Ed’s red with a hint of beeswax.

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Still more dirt coming out.

So not silver, not gleaming, nothing after all that.

Is what it is I guess. I’ll install it, apply some dumonde let my child run it a while, then put on a new chain.

That simple green in the tank looks like pretty weak sauce, try putting the chain in straight simple green for a couple of days then in the tank.

 

[nthach]

Don't leave it soaking in the Simple Green. A dip and rinse is OK. Hydrogen embrittlement is a thing.

I use Simple Green HD or even Dawn in an ultrasonic. Regular Simple Green is as caustic as Purple Power or SuperClean.

Last time I ultrasonic cleaned my chain to prep it for wax, it purged out lapping compound.

 

[JimmyChainsaw]

I run a number of bikes with waxed chains.When I clean a dirty chain that has not been waxed before,I use turpentine as the solvent in an ultrasonic cleaner.This is followed by a short run with methylated spirits.The chains come out pristine.Have tried kerosine,it is definitely not as good as turps.If interested in this subject look up Zero Friction Cycling.He's very long winded,but I know you will learn a lot if you persevere