Chain Oil

[Daytona79]

Hi i was just wanting to ask the looney winter riders like me what chain oil they use through the winter. The weather being yuk i feel like i am fighting a losing battle with wet weather and a rust on my chain.

Can i use a mountain bike chain lube on my motorbike chain??

[Guest]

Standard chains: engine oil / gear oil

O-ring / X-ring / Z-ring chains: WD-40

[Stu]

O-ring / X-ring / Z-ring chains: WD-40

 

Chain wax right?

[Guest]

Tacky chain wax mixes with dirt, and forms a grinding paste. Same thing with chainsaw bar oil.

[Stu]

Tacky chain wax mixes with dirt, and forms a grinding paste. Same thing with chainsaw bar oil.

 

So the chain lube then?

and not the original WD40 thats not a lubricant

[JRH]

I use an auto chain oiler.

At the mo it is a Scott vacuum oiler. Last bike had an electric oiler. Chains last for ages and no rusting.

Every so often give the chains a good clean with paraffin or a proprietary chain cleaner.

[Gerontious]

Ive been using gear oil. no rust. no gunge build-up. just a clean chain protected from the elements.

[fastbob]

Standard chains: engine oil / gear oil

O-ring / X-ring / Z-ring chains: WD-40

 

Definitely not . WD40 is a water dispersant that will wash off the lubrication .

[Guest]

Definitely not . WD40 is a water dispersant that will wash off the lubrication .

For that to happen, the rubber rings must swell. Hasn't happened with my X-ring chain.

 

[Gerontious]

Definitely not . WD40 is a water dispersant that will wash off the lubrication .

For that to happen, the rubber rings must swell. Hasn't happened with my X-ring chain.

 

 

He said wash off.. not wash out. little differences like this are important in British English.

where in America are you? One of the drier 'desert' states maybe?

[manxie49]

I use Motul chain paste, seems to do the job pretty well, just don't over apply it and make sure the chain is clean.

[Marino]

I think we need a volunteer who will perform the test. To Install brand new chain maybe sprockets and run it without any maintenance.

Anyone?

[Gerontious]

I think we need a volunteer who will perform the test. To Install brand new chain maybe sprockets and run it without any maintenance.

Anyone?

 

plenty of people do that.... and then join forums like this, or post on FB to complain about how quickly their original chain has worn out and what is best to replace it with.

I think the confusion with modern chains comes with the use of the word 'lube'.. we only need to very slightly lubricate a modern chain as there is only a very small area of direct 'metal on metal' contact within the chains structure at the side plates. (arrowed)

 

 

The primary reason for lubing a chain is to prevent rust. if rust appears between the side plates then the chain will rapidly lose its ability to 'flex'.. it will become stiff and wear out.

So.. we apply oil.. or whatever 'water resiatant' product of choice.. to stop water getting at the bare metal and causing rust.. and premature wear. As well as keeping the entire chain looking good.

[Stu]

where in America are you? One of the drier 'desert' states maybe?

 

He's not! Unless he is masking his IP address to sky broadband!

[Gerontious]

where in America are you? One of the drier 'desert' states maybe?

 

He's not! Unless he is masking his IP address to sky broadband!

 

So an expat.. where in America did he come from? And if he is using WD40 as chain lube.. how often is it applied and is the bike used in the wet?

and.. does his bike have a battery?

[Guest]

OK Boomer.

[fastbob]

I think we need a volunteer who will perform the test. To Install brand new chain maybe sprockets and run it without any maintenance.

Anyone?

 

plenty of people do that.... and then join forums like this, or post on FB to complain about how quickly their original chain has worn out and what is best to replace it with.

I think the confusion with modern chains comes with the use of the word 'lube'.. we only need to very slightly lubricate a modern chain as there is only a very small area of direct 'metal on metal' contact within the chains structure at the side plates. (arrowed)

Motorcycle-Chain-Maintenance-17.jpg

The primary reason for lubing a chain is to prevent rust. if rust appears between the side plates then the chain will rapidly lose its ability to 'flex'.. it will become stiff and wear out.

So.. we apply oil.. or whatever 'water resiatant' product of choice.. to stop water getting at the bare metal and causing rust.. and premature wear. As well as keeping the entire chain looking good.

 

Absolutely spot on . In fact , I used to use WD40 or

3 in1 Spray Oil to clean the old lube and dirt off my chain before applying another light coat of chain lube . We do seem to be going round in circles a bit here ....

[Guest]

Thread's a disaster. Valuable internet space clogged up by critics. Abandon hope, all ye who posted here.

 

[fastbob]

Thread's a disaster. Valuable internet space clogged up by critics. Abandon hope, all ye who posted here.

otc.jpg

 

Critics ? No , not really , just people who happen not to agree with you . As I am fond of pointing out , WD40 is a Water Dispersant that took its inventors thirty nine failed attempts to get right . Lovely stuff for cleaning a dirty chain if you don't happen to have any Paraffin ( Kerosene ) to hand , but quite unsuitable as a chain lubricant . It's entirely possible, however, that you are referring to a type of chain lube that bears the WD40 brand name . Anyway , I wouldn't worry about valuable internet space being wasted , there's plenty to go round . Biscuits anyone ?

[fastbob]

Aha ! I think I have it ! Now I see where the confusion might be arising . WD40 do Chain Lube for dry conditions and Chain Wax for wet conditions as well as a cleaner .

[skyrider]

now we are cooking

[Ian Frog]

Just to add to the confusion there is a video that was posted to UKBusas by someone where they did detailed tests of a lot of lube options and they came up with the same recommendations as the chain manufacturer which was gearbox oil!

Before anyone says it they included an anti fling test with a short length of chain in a drill and new clean lengths subjected to the same test with the other options.

Good watch !

Cheers

Ian

[Guest]

Critics ? No , not really , just people who happen not to agree with you . As I am fond of pointing out , WD40 is a Water Dispersant that took its inventors thirty nine failed attempts to get right . Lovely stuff for cleaning a dirty chain if you don't happen to have any Paraffin ( Kerosene ) to hand , but quite unsuitable as a chain lubricant . It's entirely possible, however, that you are referring to a type of chain lube that bears the WD40 brand name . Anyway , I wouldn't worry about valuable internet space being wasted , there's plenty to go round . Biscuits anyone ?

The original WD-40 is a penetrating oil, and water displacer. Penetrating oil is a lubricant... how is it not?

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Critics ? No , not really , just people who happen not to agree with you . As I am fond of pointing out , WD40 is a Water Dispersant that took its inventors thirty nine failed attempts to get right . Lovely stuff for cleaning a dirty chain if you don't happen to have any Paraffin ( Kerosene ) to hand , but quite unsuitable as a chain lubricant . It's entirely possible, however, that you are referring to a type of chain lube that bears the WD40 brand name . Anyway , I wouldn't worry about valuable internet space being wasted , there's plenty to go round . Biscuits anyone ?

The original WD-40 is a penetrating oil, and water displacer. Penetrating oil is a lubricant... how is it not?

 

I was shown a clock that someone had tried to lubricate with WD40, it was wrecked. WD40 displaced the oil that was in the bearings and gears. It penetrates because it is a dispersant, so it can free things up but it does not lubricate long term.

When I dismantle an old rusty car I use Plusgas to free off seized bolts. On the rare occasions that doesn't work I give it a second application followed by a spray of WD40. That rarely fails as the WD40 drives the Plusgas into the seized component. But anything freed off with WD40 very soon seized up again because it is simply not a lubricant.

[fastbob]

Critics ? No , not really , just people who happen not to agree with you . As I am fond of pointing out , WD40 is a Water Dispersant that took its inventors thirty nine failed attempts to get right . Lovely stuff for cleaning a dirty chain if you don't happen to have any Paraffin ( Kerosene ) to hand , but quite unsuitable as a chain lubricant . It's entirely possible, however, that you are referring to a type of chain lube that bears the WD40 brand name . Anyway , I wouldn't worry about valuable internet space being wasted , there's plenty to go round . Biscuits anyone ?

The original WD-40 is a penetrating oil, and water displacer. Penetrating oil is a lubricant... how is it not?

 

The original WD40 is not suitable for lubricating motorcycle chains is all I'm saying .