What can you safely soak an O-ring chain in?

[Smousley1995]

I've got a DID x-ring chain that I need to properly clean, what can I leave it to soak in that won't damage the rubber?

Also how does everyone clean their chains? I usually spray it with castrol chain cleaner, give it a good wipe and a spin and then lube it but this doesn't get all the crap out very well, just makes it gold and shiny again

I know a lot of people who say they never clean a chain and just lube it somive never considered it to be abusing my chain but I do love a very clean chain!
And I can't soak it n the castol chain cleaner because it evaporates too quick and would cost too much.
Cheers!

[Mori Man]

Diesel or paraffin do an all right job.

I never clean mine , gets a dry lbe when the rings look they need it and that's about it.

Chain on my RG is a non O ring , 2yrs old , 7,000miles and rusted to hell

ZXR is O ring 5yrs old not sure the miles , got some surface rust only one tight spot

[banner001]

i used to use chain lube, but it can be a pain to get off when it splatters everywhere.

now i just use a bit of used engine oil and a cheap 10p supermarket toothbrush to work it into the chain (top, bottom and both side plates), chains been on the bike for 2 years and done 12,000 miles with no visible wear to the front steel sprocket, and only a small amount of wear to the aluminium rear sprocket, if i try to pull the chain away from the rear sprocket there is almost no give.

no rust on it, and i use the bike all year round, in all the salt and general road crap in the UK.

[Smousley1995]

So diesel or paraffin definitely won't damage the o-rings?

And everyone always says about the splatter but I use castrol chain spray O-ring and that's sprays on well and then turns a tacky waxy substance and I never have a problem with it flicking! I love the stuff! It is £8 a can but that's not so bad.

[RedexRobB]

You will get splatter no matter what you use i find, so i just live with it.

As for cleaning i use muc off chain degreaser and a tooth brush, but really most degreasers do the job of getting old oil off you will need a tooth brush for the nooks and crannies. Muc off also washes off with water so a light spray with hose and the chain is gleaming afterwards.

To lube i use scottoil. Appky to a clean toothbrush and work it in. The chain on my versys had this treatment and was on 24k miles when i sold it. It could probably have been changed by then but was still good.

[Mori Man]

'esus , toothbrushes - I have missed that memo !

Of course Diesel & Parrafin OK - if not all combustion engines and burners would have problems with it destroying seals !

Used oil contains spent carbon and that is corrosive , never use as a lube or cleaner - as a quencher to blue steel , ideal

The whole point of doing an oil change before laying up your bike is to rid your engine of as much burnt carbon.

MM!

[banner001]

maybe true, but ive never had a problem, and its free...

[cargo]

Used engine oil is carcinogenic....................but then what would I know I'm only a dumb stupid IOM road racer.


Am I correct to believe that the X ring is intended to keep lubrication in the rollers as well as contaminates out. Surely therefore a harsh solvent would get past the x ring and dilute the lube in the rollers ?

Some good advice here.......................funny what even a complete idiot can find with google

http://www.sprocketsunlimited.com/Chainmaintenance.html

[KwakKwak]

I know a lot of people who say they never clean a chain

They are what is commonly known as lazy bastardos, it's bloody easy to clean and lube a chain, I'm using Silkolene cleaner and racing lube, makes me sound faster, you'll always get crap coming off the chain.
Having just had my swingarm and chain (endless)off, I can be completely smug about having given mine a damn good clean and lube.

[banner001]

Used engine oil is carcinogenic

so is oxygen, and so is petrol.

i bet my exposure to petrol vapours is worse than my exposure to used engine oil, given that i wear nitrile gloves when working/cleaning my bikes.

[KwakKwak]

I wear these gloves too, irony is I take them off to have a ciggie

[cargo]

so is oxygen, and so is petrol.

i bet my exposure to petrol vapours is worse than my exposure to used engine oil, given that i wear nitrile gloves when working/cleaning my bikes.

I'll give up on breathing and sniffing petrol too then but I'll keep dumping the used oil down the toilet

Thanks

[Mori Man]

Am I correct to believe that the X ring is intended to keep lubrication in the rollers as well as contaminates out.

Yup, sealed O ring means just that any cleaning is just for the outside and lube is for keeping the O rings moist

I guess people don't use google as they want to log into a forum and interact with peeps riding the same bike as themselves or are forums just libraries , you come here , shut up and just search & read ?

MM!

[Smousley1995]

We'll by creating this thread I've given all of you something to do, to help me out and also it seems let off some steam which is always a good thing I was also interested in what everyone else did with their chains and some useful tips you can't find on google.

Am I correct to believe that the X ring is intended to keep lubrication in the rollers as well as contaminates out. Surely therefore a harsh solvent would get past the x ring and dilute the lube in the rollers ?

Thank you very much cargo! I never knew that so I think I'll skip the soaking part and use lots of elbow grease on it.

given that i wear nitrile gloves when working/cleaning my bikes.

I love nitrile gloves! Saves me scrubbing my hands for 10 minutes whenever I work on the bike

[cargo]

Top Cargo tip


W5 hand cleaner is THE single most best hand cleaner you can buy..................sadly it seems to only be available from Lidl occasionally so watch out for it. It's cheap as chips too.