Chain Waxing Made Easy - 101

[34468 Randy]

Originally Posted by nvoges

For what it's worth, I've read that you don't want to use WD-40 or equivelant on an o-ring chain because it will degrade the o-rings and allow the oil out. I'm not sure what the o-rings are made of, but this may be true.

I have used WD40 to clean the chain many times then pressure wash the chain off at the car wash. A 1 1/2 mile ride home then re-lube. I got 45,000 KM out of my chain and sprocket so I figured I did OK on that. Or did I. I am too new to know for sure.

[Shikyo]

"high pressure hose"

I think better not using a power washer on o-ring chains.

I have been using Maxima Chain Wax since 1993 and I don't want to
use any other lubes. I am too lazy so I just spray rollers and insides of plates
while bike is on the centre stand and after I come home from a ride. I never wipe chains
after I spray nor use a cardboard too shield off the rear wheel. I use a skinny
nozle and watch carefully so that I don't spray anything else. I spray very close
and so that the tip of the nozzle almost tuching chainlinks. In my case I don't keep motor
running since I do this in my garage. My out sides of chain plates are not as shiny as Wabbit's,
however, much cleaner than lubed with oil.

I ride bicycle (Colnago C40, Litespeed etc.) and I have used Whitelightning fo 14 years.
After I lube, I wipe wax off from plates and rollers vigolously. Maxima Chain Wax is much
cleaner than Whitelightning chain wax.

[terdog]

More than a few miles and a few bikes have taught me a couple of things.

A clean shiny chain is a good thang... especially if it gets you to actually inspect the chain for defects/malfunctions (ex. lost Master clip, cracked side plate)

An O ring or X ring chain are best for most riders, street or dirt.

The rings will de-grade with a constant over use of WD40.

The rings hold in the grease, so "lubeing" is for keeping the chain rust free, and giving a bit of lubrication to the ring / sideplate interface.

The best time to lube is AFTER your ride, when the chain is its warmest. The worst is just before your ride. Anytime else is ok, as long as the carrier agent has time to evaporate.

High Pressure washing is not the best way to clean it. If the spray wand is adjustable, open up the spray patter to minimize the pressure. I have settled on spraying it with Castrol Super Clean, running a grunge brush over it, hoseing off and then lubing.

BUT, this is a professional rider on a closed course, and your mileage WILL varry. (lol)

[34468 Randy]

Originally Posted by terdog

More than a few miles and a few bikes have taught me a couple of things.

A clean shiny chain is a good thang... especially if it gets you to actually inspect the chain for defects/malfunctions (ex. lost Master clip, cracked side plate)

An O ring or X ring chain are best for most riders, street or dirt.

The rings will de-grade with a constant over use of WD40.

The rings hold in the grease, so "lubeing" is for keeping the chain rust free, and giving a bit of lubrication to the ring / sideplate interface.

The best time to lube is AFTER your ride, when the chain is its warmest. The worst is just before your ride. Anytime else is ok, as long as the carrier agent has time to evaporate.

High Pressure washing is not the best way to clean it. If the spray wand is adjustable, open up the spray patter to minimize the pressure. I have settled on spraying it with Castrol Super Clean, running a grunge brush over it, hoseing off and then lubing.

BUT, this is a professional rider on a closed course, and your mileage WILL varry. (lol)

So having read his one and Shikyo's post, am I wrong in how I deal with my chain. Is 45,000 KM too early to be replacing a chain and sprocket. I really don't know. My Mechanic tells me I did well getting that kind of mileage out of it but then he has alternative motives. He gets my money for a new one. I simply do not have the experience with motorcycles yet to know if I did OK by this chain.

What I can say, and I know bicycle's and motorcycles are two different beasts, this is exactly how I kept the bicycles cleaned and lubed. And I put mega miles on them for well over 17 years. I made one chain and cog change on my Rocky Mountain after riding it for about 10 years.

Your thoughts gents.

[Shikyo]

"45,000km"

Very good if you can ride 45,000km. I think you have to start thinking at around 30,000km. It depends how you ride. Young people who do wheely make chains strech faster even if chains are maintained properly. People ride dart bikes expect replacing their chains at 15,000~20,000km. I ride very slow and smooth, so my bike doe not
ware out chain at 30,000km.

I heard and read power washer may injure o-rings. Bicycle chains don't have o-rings, so
they might be able to washed with power washers, although washers could be strong enough to blow side plates off or bend chainlinks. Before O-ring chains were invented, we had to change chains at around 10,000km.

I replace bicycle chains at around 4,000km, so that I don't need to replace $450 cassette each time.

[ZonaMan]

Originally Posted by FrankoQ

Anyone using PJ1?

I rock the PJ1 Blue label. It's great! I clean my chain with Prep-all. I do it after a ride home from work whenever it's lookin a little dank.

[terdog]

Randy, I'd say that your doing pretty good. Like Shikyo stated,it all depends. There are too many factors to chain life. Engine size/hp/torque, riding style, chain grade, etc.

I think that chains are like a lot of other things in modern motorcycling... we are truely blessed as things get better and better.

Randy, sleep well, you got it under control.

[300shooter]

I use the same wax, my dealer here said it's the best they've used and these are guys that ride every day. They had more expensive ones but said I wouldn't be as happy with the guck slinging around.
As far as the method of application, I'm pleadin' the 5th.

[Bartman-eh]

Originally Posted by nvoges

For what it's worth, I've read that you don't want to use WD-40 or equivelant on an o-ring chain because it will degrade the o-rings and allow the oil out. I'm not sure what the o-rings are made of, but this may be true.

There is quite a bit of debate about using WD-40 to clean o-ring chains. There are 2 reasons why I don't use WD-40 to clean my chain. [1] there is debate about whether WD-40 may or may not damage o-rings so best to avoid it and [2] the risk of over spray or drips of WD-40 getting onto the brake pad and rotor area are too risky. It is a lubricant after all so getting on the brakes is a really bad thing.

Kerosene gently applied with a soft bristle brush seems to be the best approach. I know some of you have read not to use a brush as this can damage o-rings, but if a soft brush is used softly, I don't believe there is any damage done.

[Wabbit1961]

The thing about WD-40 is that it cleans AND lubes. I have no fear about using WD-40 to clean a very dirty chain, and if you apply it to a rag it does a damn good job cleaning your wheels as well. No, I don't get it all over my tires and brakes, I apply it to a rag and then rub the rims. Nice n shiney

What you don't want to do is use any engine or electrical parts degreasers! They can deteriorate seals anywhere they make contact. That's a no-no!

I have to say Honda gave me a damn good chain. I have 12,000 miles on it and I have YET to adjust the chain! It's still nice n shiney too!

I do have a question for those that have done this already. How many miles should one expect to get out of the brake pads on this bike? I don't ride hard. I mostly commute. I only weigh 175#. I just brought my bike in to my local mechanic, one that I have trusted with numerous bikes (including my 1982 Yamaha Seca 650 Turbo), and he suggested it's time for me to replace the pads on my next oil change (15,000 miles). He did say not to worry and that I have plenty of pad left, but that it would be wise to change it at that time. Compared to other bikes I have owned this is kinda low in my opinion. I think because they bike is so heavy for it's block size perhaps, and so front heavy to boot. These are the stock pads from Honda. He's going to replace the pads with EBC.

I am also having the air filter replaced with a K&N at that time, along with a change of the plugs and inspection of the plug wires.

I have 4,000 miles on my Metzler Racetec Z6's and they have way more than 2/3 the tread left so far, with no hardening of the center of the treads. I love these tires! BatlAx SUK!

One last thing, I am having the plugs changed and wires checked cause it seems my fuel mileage has decreased enough for me to notice. I haven't really noticed any performance problems except an intermittent stall of acceleration when I start off cold from work to go home in the heat of day. I crack the throttle a bit harder and it comes back to life. I think it may be a clogged air filter, or a fouled plug. At least I hope so. I put STP Octane boost in the bike and OMG! Yeah, I overdosed it and put the whole little bottle in all at once (it's made for 21 gallons, not 5.8), but DAYUM! The front tire comes off the ground and I wheelie when the four barrels kick in. It used to barely pull the wheel off the ground. Today I had to back off cause the front would have kept climbing upward! I only plan to do that this one time in an effort to clean out the tank and lines a bit. I think it worked! *lol* Fuck, I need to get it tuned to do this on regular fuel! Btw, my mechanic said not to do it, but i had already bought it. Waste not, want not. He said it can degrade a lot of the fuel system and should not be used, nor should their fuel injector cleaner.

Stan

P.S. - I love this fuckin' bike!

[whenindoubt01]

Funny thread. If you don't feel safe oiling your chain with the engine on and in first gear with the center stand down, than don't do it! If you are comfortable and feel confident about it, than do it.
Thanks for this thread, I will keep my chain clean from dirt and my bike clean from over spray.

[Mainjet]

I tried this method & was very pleased. It is very easy to control the chain speed with the clutch. A job that normally takes 5-10 mins was done in 15 seconds.

[whenindoubt01]

My chain is waxed and clean!
Thanks

[whiteboyslo]

wow. such a heated debate over something so trivial.

myself, i just throw the bike on the centerstand, put it in neutral, and spray the wax from the backside while i spin the wheel with my hand. i do this about twice a week after my commute home from work (about 65 miles one-way).

Mike

[GreyVF750F]

Being out of the current day motorcycles/motorcycling groups. I didn't know there was chain wax. This post brought back memories of what we would do with our 24hr bike chains, before O-rings. We would take paraffin wax, melt it in a pan on the stove then drop the chain in it. Simmer for 30 minutes and viola the chain was coated all the way thru between rollers and pins. It really made the chain wear less and less adjustments during the race. Of coarse you wouldn't do that with an O-ring chain.

I would never use WD40 for a chain. It may dispel water, but it has no real lubrication strength between sprocket and rollers. I use PJ1 or the alike for my O-ring chains and the last one lasted 15k miles before replacing due to rust from letting the bike set for several years without lube on it. Sprockets were still like new. I matched them up with new OEM ones and was amazed how great they were.

[Michael D]

Thanks Wabbit. For the last 25 years I have owned shaft-drive bikes so I needed a primer on doing this properly. Your system works great and I still have all my fingers.

'Course you should have moron-proofed your instructions for people like me with the following addition:

If-you-need-to-spray-more-lube-on-remember-to-put-the-cardboard-back-in-place!! Had a fine mess to to clean up on a hot bike.

[klee27x]

Sure, there's some needless risk involved with the Wabbit method. There are safer, but slower alternatives. Funny, you could argue the same things about riding a motorcycle, to begin with. :)