Chain Cleaning - Methods and Products

[dsan1964_imp]

Well I finally really cleaned my chain ...I had been only brushing it and adding " chain wax". Today I used the maxum chain cleaner and the hose...she is sparkling now... I. Won't wait to long next time.


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[ride4now_imp]

Well I finally really cleaned my chain ...I had been only brushing it and adding " chain wax". Today I used the maxum chain cleaner and the hose...she is sparkling now... I. Won't wait to long next time.


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How many miles since new or the last time you cleaned it?

 

[riceburner_imp]

Interesting thread,first bike I've had with an o-ring chain.In the 70's we never cleaned them,course maybe we didn't know any better.Just lubed and adjusted as needed.Always carried a couple spare master links.When a chain wore out (no adjustment left) we went to the hardware store and bought it by the foot.Cheap and didn't present any unusual problems.Picked up can of PJ 1 chain lube last week,thought it would be thick and heavy like the last one I bought 30 years ago,it's not,kind of thin and light and runny and drippy(said for o-ring chains),guess i'll use that for cleaner.See if i can find a can of the waxy stuff somewhere.

 

[dsan1964_imp]

Well I finally really cleaned my chain ...I had been only brushing it and adding " chain wax". Today I used the maxum chain cleaner and the hose...she is sparkling now... I. Won't wait to long next time.


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How many miles since new or the last time you cleaned it?

How many miles since new or the last time you cleaned it?

I kinda brushed off a few times... Keep putting more chain wax on every 5 to 600 miles ...I think I will do a full clean like I did when I change the oil..Thinking back I started putting the chain wax on over the factory lube...I probably should have stripped it clean and started off with the wax type.. It looks good now ...rollers roll freely when I touch them.. I will keep giving it a shot of chain wax every 5 to 6 plus hundred miles. Just clocked. 6800. Today bike is a year old tomorrow.


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[Chapomis_imp]

This is my first chain driven bike in a long time and cleaning it hasn't been my favorite thing to do. I picked up a Tirox chain brush and it makes the job much easier

 

[Riko_imp]

I voted for Other -> brake cleaner!

There is a lot of controversy about using this, but when thinking about it, brake cleaner is used too for the rubber parts around the brakes, and I believe the O rings is made of a similar kind of rubber.

I have read experiences where users have applied brake cleaner without issues.
And most of the negative comments about using brake cleaner are comments without actual proof of the stuff eating up the o rings...

I have only used it once and for a fact it cleans up all kinds of dirt in an instant!
Plus you got the extra that its not dripping, it evaporates immediately.
Proven downsides: its expensive and the cans are about the worst types of can for the environment.

For now my chain hasn't been in the wet and I'll wait till the next interval (every 1K) to clean my chain thoroughly, than I will apply brake cleaner.
And I'll update the board once and for all about this stuff being bad or not for Motorcycle chain O rings.
My bike has just over 10.000 km on it, so in the worst case when it does eat my O rings, I can live with the fact I must replace my chain at 10K.

Very important not to use that stuff on painted areas.

edit:

Brake cleaner to clean and Honda Pro Chain Lube for lube. About every 1,000 miles or so. I have over 13k miles on my high-hp CBR's chain and it's still fine.

Anywhere where there's metal-to-metal contact there needs to be lubricant. The chain itself is internally, permanently lubricated, so there's no reason to worry about that, all you need to worry about is the sprocket to chain interface and the outside links/rivets.

Anywhere there is lubricant exposed to the elements, dust and dirt will accumulate and moisture will eventually break-down the lubricant as well as accumulate along with the dust and dirt, so those areas must be periodically cleaned of the dust and dirt, or accelerated wear of the parts will occur (both mechanical and corrosive).

 

[Chapomis_imp]

I watched a video where a guy took apart a chain and soaked the o-rings in different solvents. its probably in this thread somewhere....Popgun ? WD40, being controversial, had no effect on the rings...as I recall

 

[Cormanus]

redbirds posted it here.

 

[DJS_imp]

there is also this page (not a video).
Chain O-ring WD-40 exposure effects study and results

 

[Chapomis_imp]

I find it easier to remove my chain guard and work from the top for cleaning. When I had the guard off this time I cutout the bolt holes to create notches. Next time I clean the chain I will only have to listen the 2 bolts to remove the guard.



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[flynrider]

there is also this page (not a video).
Chain O-ring WD-40 exposure effects study and results

That's the link I always point to when someone asks about chain cleaning products. Keith really took the time and care to make a thorough test of various potential cleaning chemicals.

Riko, he didn't test brake cleaner, but another seemingly innocuous substance, carb cleaner, turned out to have a very bad effect on the O rings tested.

 

[kmoney_imp]

Brake cleaner shouldn't hurt rubber, as it's designed not to effect the rubber components in brake systems. That said, that stuff is strong, and I don't know if I would want to spray it on my chain.

 

[Django]

I would suspect brake cleaner, not to damage the O-ring rubber, but to went thru the rubber sealing and destroy the grease, which is encapsulated inside the chain by the O-rings.

Brake cleaner is a highly volatile solvent.

 

[Riko_imp]

there is also this page (not a video).
Chain O-ring WD-40 exposure effects study and results

That's the link I always point to when someone asks about chain cleaning products. Keith really took the time and care to make a thorough test of various potential cleaning chemicals.

Riko, he didn't test brake cleaner, but another seemingly innocuous substance, carb cleaner, turned out to have a very bad effect on the O rings tested.

That's the link I always point to when someone asks about chain cleaning products. Keith really took the time and care to make a thorough test of various potential cleaning chemicals.

Riko, he didn't test brake cleaner, but another seemingly innocuous substance, carb cleaner, turned out to have a very bad effect on the O rings tested.
I didnt say I would use carb cleaner, but brake cleaner.

As pointed out even by the AVRIDER test, break cleaner seems to be harmless, it certainly did not show visible harm for the O rings, let alone confirm the malicious consequence I read on boards about the topic.

If brake cleaner was indeed that bad, the "test" would at least show some hints of that.

Brake cleaner shouldn't hurt rubber, as it's designed not to effect the rubber components in brake systems. That said, that stuff is strong, and I don't know if I would want to spray it on my chain.

it certainly is the best cleaning solution for all kinds of dirt on your chain.

Strong and a clean method since it evaporates in an instance.

The first and only time I used it a few weeks ago, I couldn't believe my eyes

 

[flynrider]

there is also this page (not a video).
Chain O-ring WD-40 exposure effects study and results

That's the link I always point to when someone asks about chain cleaning products. Keith really took the time and care to make a thorough test of various potential cleaning chemicals.

Riko, he didn't test brake cleaner, but another seemingly innocuous substance, carb cleaner, turned out to have a very bad effect on the O rings tested.

That's the link I always point to when someone asks about chain cleaning products. Keith really took the time and care to make a thorough test of various potential cleaning chemicals.

Riko, he didn't test brake cleaner, but another seemingly innocuous substance, carb cleaner, turned out to have a very bad effect on the O rings tested.
I didnt say I would use carb cleaner, but brake cleaner.

As pointed out even by the AVRIDER test, break cleaner seems to be harmless, it certainly did not show visible harm for the O rings, let alone confirm the malicious consequence I read on boards about the topic.

If brake cleaner was indeed that bad, the "test" would at least show some hints of that.

Brake cleaner shouldn't hurt rubber, as it's designed not to effect the rubber components in brake systems. That said, that stuff is strong, and I don't know if I would want to spray it on my chain.

it certainly is the best cleaning solution for all kinds of dirt on your chain.

Strong and a clean method since it evaporates in an instance.

The first and only time I used it a few weeks ago, I couldn't believe my eyes

Just an FYI, he didn't test brake cleaner. The only brake product tested was DOT4 hydraulic fluid.

Let us know how the brake cleaner works out. That stuff is an excellent grease cutter.

 

[Riko_imp]

aigth, will let the board know for sure

 

[Shinchan_imp]

Is it brake cleaner or brake fluid that will eat the paint off of anything it touches?

 

[rickcb]

Is it brake cleaner or brake fluid that will eat the paint off of anything it touches?

That would be brake fluid.

 

[Riko_imp]

Is it brake cleaner or brake fluid that will eat the paint off of anything it touches?

brake cleaner! never use that stuff on your tank for example

i believe the instructions actually state this