What are we using for chain lube?

[gahdzila]

Thank you very much for a very enlightening discussion. You have certainly convinced me to give dry-film lubricants a try as my next motorcycle chain lubricant.

To get back to the beginning, the whole point of starting this thread, if you will...

The only dry-film lubricant that has been mentioned by name in this thread has been Honda's red can. And, as mentioned previously, Honda isn't selling it any more.

Are there any dry-film lubricants designed for motorcycle chains out there on the market? Could anyone recommend one by brand name? All I see on the shelves at my local dealer is chain wax and the goey petroleum based lubes (that I know of...I havent exactly read labels or researched it thoroughly). No doubt, if there is a dry-film lube on the market, and I go in the local dealer and ask for it, they would order it for me.

More than willing to try out a dry-film chain lube if someone could point me in the right direction.

Thanks, and thanks again for an eye-opening discussion!

 

[Bobio]

You might want to give Dupont's new Multi-Use Lubricant a try. I do believe it is a dry film lube. It is becoming very popular on other moto sites that I frequent. I still have a few of the Red cans of Honda HP Chain Lube so I haven't tried the Dupont stuff yet.

Here is a review of it from webBikeWorld...
http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-lube/dupont-teflon-chain-lube.htm

Here is Dupont's page...
http://www.performancelubricant.dupont.com/dp_products_multi.html

From what I understand it is available at places like Home Depot or Lowes and probably hardware stores as well.

 

[bugman53]

MOTUL road chain lube is one of the best ive found. It a good cleaner before it tacks up. The old back oil with drip out of the chain and leave the new oil behind.

 

[Jaybird]

My partner and I mfg and sell moto spscific dry-films, but to point yu to it would be spam.

I think that there are a couple of sponsors on this site that have quality products for sale.
Might be worth it to check them out.

 

[Chris142]

Wow!!!!!!!!!! What happened to my thread?

 

[Jaybird]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GeorgeCLS:
Chain lubrication has been a constant problem for me and my Ducati.. I got so fed up with everything I deveped our own . The fluid is synthetic, obviously, as we do NOT want to be drawing dust/dirt/abrasives to the chain but also utilizes a unique additive which provides a secondary level of barrier. The secondary barrier protection has reduced my chain operating temperatures significantly and at this point has doubled my normally short chain life... We have several racers running it and they cannot believe the chain performance; i.e. reduction in stretch, operating temps and sprocket wear.. I hate to use the terms but they talk in terms of "phenomental, fantastic, etc." It is not your average chain oil.....
The product will be on our web site soon as it is in packaging process.

George Morrison, STLE CLS
AV Lubricants Inc.

---

I would highly sugggest trying out this product.

George...we need to talk.

 

[Alexbobus]

Chains are simple to maintain. Just get a sprocket that fits the chain. Run a bolt thru the center, chuck it into a varispeed drill clamped in your vice. Remove your chain and link it back up. Loop it over the sprocket with the claim looping down thru some cheap transmission fluid. Start the drill and run it slow with the chain running thru the fluid. Go ahead and service and clean the rest of the bike. After a 1/2 hour or so, stop the drill and let the chain drain. After 10 minutes, wipe the chian with a clean rag and reinstall. 3,000 miles, repeat.

 

[Jaybird]

There is absolutely no way that tranny fluid is going to provide the protection needed for a roller chain for 3000 miles.

I'm sorry, but you could find a far better method that will give you far better life of your equipment.
What you have described is a big waste of time and energy.

 

[cos]

Wow, now that was a thread - I'm ready for a nap! I guess I'll try out that Dupont Multi-Use lube in the spring.

 

[badnews]

So it is settled then

Dupont Multi-Use lube i

Is the way to go .

 

[sunruh]

i am testing out the MX-1000 by Digilube Performance Products. it was applied to a new DID X-ring 520 chain. it went on very easy and did NOT fling off, because it is dry once the carrier has evaporated. this will be a long term test. however, i usually only get 2 rides out of the stock oem chain and sprockets. this time i threw the oem chain in the trash at 0.9 hours on the motor and thus saved the nice sunstar aluminum rear sprocket any harm. as of now, the motor has 2.3 hours on it. so far, the rear sprocket still looks new.

 

[C.O. Jones]

The thickest gear oil available, not too much, just enough to keep the rollers and teeth lubed.

 

[sunruh]

5.7 hours on the oem sprocket now and still looks new. this is a record for me already.

 

[castor]

thank you for all the info, jaybird. as i can't find the lubes here in oz that you recommend, can one be made using a proprietary gearbox ptfe supplement thinned down with WD 40 and applied with an oil can or a spray bottle. if WD 40 is not suitable as a carrier, can you suggest an alternative, thanx in advance, johnny
p.s. we do have a spray lube with ptfe in it called NULON NU-LUBE, not sure if you are familiar with it, but it does not seem to evaporate off the carrier fluid

 

[tom slick]

I'm trying out CRC's moly chain lube at work. i'll see what I think in a couple of months. maybe it will be good for the bike too.

 

[Vstrom]

"Chains are simple to maintain. Just get a sprocket that fits the chain. Run a bolt thru the center, chuck it into a varispeed drill clamped in your vice. Remove your chain and link it back up. "

Most chains on bikes with much power are RIVITED nowadays, removeable masterlinks are a thing of the past, except on some dirt bikes and weaker street bikes.

 

[rice_smuggler]

All this talk of dry lube has really piqued my interest. I've been using Bel-Ray Super Clean Chain Lube and am somewhat satisfied with it. I'm from the dinosaur age I guess when it comes to chain lube, "If I can't see it then it's probably not there". I just replaced my chain and sprockets (530 VM x-ring with AFAM steel sprockets) and would like to take a different approach this time around. I've been searching around here and on-line and only came up with a few dry lubes suitable for motorcycle chain use:
* Dupont Teflon Dry Multiuse Lube
* Schaeffers #227 Molly Roller Chain Lube
* MX-1000
* Pro-Link Chain Lube
* Honda Pro Chain Lube (now discontinued?)
* Amsoil Heavy Duty Metal Protector

I'm located in Canada and can't really find these products readily available as you guys down in the states. I was interested in the Dupont product but the Home Depot's up here don't seem to stock it. Can anyone point out any other dry lube products I could use for the chain/sprockets or any sites I can order those products listed above?

[ December 29, 2005, 02:23 AM: Message edited by: rice_smuggler ]

 

[Jaybird]

Most chains on bikes with much power are RIVITED nowadays, removeable masterlinks are a thing of the past, except on some dirt bikes and weaker street bikes.

Not true.
First off, "bikes" do not have links of any sort, it's the chain that has the links.
And yes, some bike chains use riveted master links.
But the reason mfg's use them and recommend riveted masters is mostly a liability thing.
Too many folks are not as mechaincally inclinded as they need to be and will mount up a clip type master backwards. It is easy to have a chain come apart with a clip that has been mounted backwards. SO, as a "dummy" factor, mfg's use and recommend riveted links.

The best thing to use is a clip type master link, as you have the ability to remove and service the chain at any time.
No bike, beast or not, can cause a properly mounted clip master link to come apart.

An improperly mounted riveted master is MUCH more dangerous than a clip type master. IF you do not properly peen the pins, the assembly can come loose.

 

[Hooch]

Master links are much more prone to failing than rivet links.

I'm involved with club racing, and the racers generally use master links to facilitate changing sprocket sizes for different tracks. The tech inspection done before a bike goes out on the track includes checking the master link to ensure it is correctly installed, and either safety wired or bonded with silicone.

Yet the master links do sometimes fail. The rivet links, as a rule, don't fail.

For a steet bike, you would be foolish to use a master link.

 

[fastbear]

No problem here with master links (properly installed) and for that matter I will refer to riveted links as (properly installed). Last bike we put a chain on was a 97 ZX-11D with 20K on the oddometer. Bike was ran thru its paces by two other owners after me and still had the master link installed several years later. We are running 11 bikes with chains on the streets and h.p. runs from 91 rwhp to 165 rwhp. All will receive a master link chain on replacement. Have run this type of chain in the past and not a problem for me. Chains are all cleaned and lubed around 500 miles.