very bad for the o-rings. Makes them brittle.
Chain-cleaning system
- Thread starter ksanbon
- Start date
There is a new kind of WD/40 made from synthetic mixture and states is great for rubber and plastic also. Find it at Home Depot or lowes.
OR go to wal-mart and get
The DuPont seems to be good
Motorcycle Chain Lubes Reviewed 2010 - webBikeWorld
Motorcycle Chain Lubes Reviewed 2010 - webBikeWorld
I used Simple Green the other day to clean my chain and it did a good job of removing the Chain Wax too.
I just used the Grunge Brush to clean and then hosed down the chain real good afterwards. It was a very "green" cleaning too.
I usually put cardboard over the tire and rim and use Coleman's white fuel or Denatured Alcohol with the Grunge Brush to clean and then rinse with more of the fuel or alcohol and wipe down with a rag. It's messy, smelly and dangerous and it tends to screw up the paint and the driveway (asphalt) but it's pretty cheap.
I used a towel to dry the chain as I spun the rear wheel using the rear stand.
I let it sit for a few minutes and then gave it 2 good coatings of Chain Wax to drive out any moisture and completely coat the all the chain surfaces.
I wiped down the whole bike and cleaned the whole bottom end while waiting for the water to evaporate from the chain before lubing it. Was nice to clean and pamper the bike.
I just used the Grunge Brush to clean and then hosed down the chain real good afterwards. It was a very "green" cleaning too.
I usually put cardboard over the tire and rim and use Coleman's white fuel or Denatured Alcohol with the Grunge Brush to clean and then rinse with more of the fuel or alcohol and wipe down with a rag. It's messy, smelly and dangerous and it tends to screw up the paint and the driveway (asphalt) but it's pretty cheap.
I used a towel to dry the chain as I spun the rear wheel using the rear stand.
I let it sit for a few minutes and then gave it 2 good coatings of Chain Wax to drive out any moisture and completely coat the all the chain surfaces.
I wiped down the whole bike and cleaned the whole bottom end while waiting for the water to evaporate from the chain before lubing it. Was nice to clean and pamper the bike.
Hmm. I used WD-40 to clean my Ninja 500EX's chain and I had that bike for 5 years and 13K miles, all with the original chain, and when I sold it, the chain still looked, and performed, like near-new.
I'm going to try out the Simple Green next time I clean a chain, but if it doesn't work as good as the WD-40, I'll go back to that.
Simple green is concentrated so the more you use the more potent it is. I'd try 30:1
Kerosene works fine. I used to put it in a spray bottle for easy application. I've just been lazy and grab the cans of degreaser. They are made for o-ring chains so you have nothing to worry about there.
Alright, I'll add my review of the Chain Doc.
Ease of use: 9 This is so easy to use. It clamps to the neck of the cleaner or lubricant, has a trigger to keep the enclosure around the chain, and the integrated hose attaches to most all spray cans. You just hold it in your hand and press the spray button with your thumb while you rotate the wheel.
Cleaning efficiency: 6 (dirty) 8 (clean) Ok, so I give this two separate ratings. If your chain is filthy and only cleaned once in a blue moon, the Chain Doc is not going to make it spotless without a little extra work on your part. The little "brush-like" projections inside are not strong enough to remove old lubricant and road grime that is caked on. However, once you get the chain cleaned up, and if you stay on top of the chain maintenance, this does a pretty good job of cleaning.
Included cleaner: 7 The included cleaner that Muc-Off recommends does a decent job. It is highly volatile, meaning that it doesn't stay wet very long and evaporates off the chain quickly. It works well on chains that are cleaned regularly, but it won't cut through caked on grime. Bright side, you can attach your favorite cleaner to the Chain Doc and use that instead.
Lubrication: N/A I have not used the Chain Doc to lubricate my chain after cleaning it. It seems that it would reintroduce dirt onto the cleaned chain if you didn't first clean the Chain Doc enclosure. It states that you can use it to lubricate, but I would first recommend cleaning the enclosure and bristles inside before attaching your lubricant and applying it to the chain.
Overall: 8 In sum, this product works pretty well. It is so easy and quick to use, that you could easily do it every weekend for a spotless chain. It works best with a chain that is regularly maintained and not laden with gunk. Also, the replacement cleaning bristles are pretty cheap, so it's not overly expensive to keep the Chain Doc working for quite a while. Another bonus is that you can use your favorite cleaner and lubricant with it, and you're not required to use the Muc-Off cleaner/lubricant products.
Ease of use: 9 This is so easy to use. It clamps to the neck of the cleaner or lubricant, has a trigger to keep the enclosure around the chain, and the integrated hose attaches to most all spray cans. You just hold it in your hand and press the spray button with your thumb while you rotate the wheel.
Cleaning efficiency: 6 (dirty) 8 (clean) Ok, so I give this two separate ratings. If your chain is filthy and only cleaned once in a blue moon, the Chain Doc is not going to make it spotless without a little extra work on your part. The little "brush-like" projections inside are not strong enough to remove old lubricant and road grime that is caked on. However, once you get the chain cleaned up, and if you stay on top of the chain maintenance, this does a pretty good job of cleaning.
Included cleaner: 7 The included cleaner that Muc-Off recommends does a decent job. It is highly volatile, meaning that it doesn't stay wet very long and evaporates off the chain quickly. It works well on chains that are cleaned regularly, but it won't cut through caked on grime. Bright side, you can attach your favorite cleaner to the Chain Doc and use that instead.
Lubrication: N/A I have not used the Chain Doc to lubricate my chain after cleaning it. It seems that it would reintroduce dirt onto the cleaned chain if you didn't first clean the Chain Doc enclosure. It states that you can use it to lubricate, but I would first recommend cleaning the enclosure and bristles inside before attaching your lubricant and applying it to the chain.
Overall: 8 In sum, this product works pretty well. It is so easy and quick to use, that you could easily do it every weekend for a spotless chain. It works best with a chain that is regularly maintained and not laden with gunk. Also, the replacement cleaning bristles are pretty cheap, so it's not overly expensive to keep the Chain Doc working for quite a while. Another bonus is that you can use your favorite cleaner and lubricant with it, and you're not required to use the Muc-Off cleaner/lubricant products.
FYI....Coleman's White Gas is highly refined kerosene. You can get it at Home depot as a generic cheaper too.
I use it to clean my skate bearings. I just add a few drops of oil to it so I don't scratch the bearings while spinning the road grit out of them. After it dries I use a speed oil like sewing machine oil on the bearings. It does not leave any residue..it dries clean as a whistle....
I use it to clean my skate bearings. I just add a few drops of oil to it so I don't scratch the bearings while spinning the road grit out of them. After it dries I use a speed oil like sewing machine oil on the bearings. It does not leave any residue..it dries clean as a whistle....