[Raccoon]

The most commonly sold size is the 64gm aerosol can. It can be had for around Rs. 80.

You can generally find it in hardware shops, supermarkets, etc.

It has no local term that I'm aware of.

[praful]

Originally Posted by Sankar

WD-40 is a very good cleaning & lubricating agent and safe for use with most O-ring and X-ring and other-ring type chains.

After cleaning the chain in diesel (recommended over kerosene) spray a bit of WD40 (it's main constituent is something like Diesel) on normal chains. In case of ring type chains spray something like the silicone spray or chain spray or something like it. It will keep those rubber rings supple and prevents from drying up.

For regular cleaning without taking the chain off the bike use WD40 spray.

No doubt that WD 40 is a good cleaning and lubricating agent, but it is also quite active much like Kerosene or Petrol. That's why these three are not to be used on O-Ring spec chain as they tend to harden up the rubber rings. A pressure wash and diesel cleaning work really well. It can be followed up with lubing either using a O-Ring spec Chain spray or the SAE 90 gear oil. After using 2 different brand of Chain spray and then trying the SAE 90 oil, I would vouch for the SAE 90, but nothing beats the convinence of a chain spray!

Search of google and you'd get varied results about this....

This says its ok to use:
http://wd40.com/pdfs/WD-40_2000UsesList.pdf

This doesn't:
WD-40 O-ring safe? [Archive] - RiderForums.com Community

What is the best way to lube an O ring chain , without damaging the O rings ? - Yahoo! Answers

Why WD40 Should Never Be Used on Your Bike Chain


Here are pics of cleaning the chain with diesel.

Stage 1: Dipped in kerosene and shook the plate so just by the action of diesel the slime comes off.



Stage 2: Repeat the process for a few time (Abt 2-3 times seemed to be enuf!). Notice how the grime comes of on its own.



Stage 3: Now we get down and dirty, used a old toothbrush to get to the insides of the chain, and that dislodged a LOT of stuff.



I had easily a handful of crud (sand+oil+dust+what not) when I drained the plate now.

Stage 4: Left the chain to dry for a little while.



Stage 5: Finally generously sprayed the Chain spray over the chain and left it like that overnight, not that overnight has any benefits !




I have done this procedure only once and it was after about 10K had already been covered. After this i noticed a huge improvement in reduction in chain noise, overall smoothness.

I would definitely recommend removing the chain and thoroughly cleaning it whenever possible.

But, rains in Bangalore last one months+offroading around nice daily+no maintenance has finally taken a toll on the chain and no amount of cleaning or lubing is quietening it and its worn out too, so getting it changed now at 20K. Mechs told me that its run quite a bit more than it normally does, most people are replacing the Chain sprockets between 12-16K!!!!

[Sankar]

WD40's use is controversial as said by Racoon, but all o-ring chain manufacturers doesn't ask to stay away from WD40.

Anyways here's a link that's worth visiting:
Chain O-ring WD-40 exposure effects study and results - ADVrider

[Shakensoul]

Thanks praful for the excellent guide. I think I'll follow the conventional method of diesel and gear oil.

[Raccoon]

Intresting!

Having to replace chain & sprocket (I'm assuming that they changed both together, though you have mentioned only sprocket) at 12,000 km is ridiculous! I'd say even 20k is too early. They probably didn't bother to even lube the chain between servicings.

My 1st bike, a Hero Honda did nearly 30,000 km when I sold it. And I had no reason to even think about replacing the chain... it was visually as good as can be. The new owner must have done several thousand km more on it (assuming he maintained it).

The only thing I'v done on my chains is to wipe them with a rag... if really necessary, then with kerosene. For wiping, I guess even WD40 should be cool, because its very unlikely to trickle in upto the O rings when you just dab it sparcely on a cloth just for wiping. Then usually after a gap, I use Castrol CRB (I usually have some quantity left over after using it for the transmission) in a oil gun and drip it on the rotating chain.

I feel, even wiping with Castrol CRB seems to do a good job cleaning... possibly because of its high detergency (diesel oil).

I'm not saying this method is the best (and maybe SAE90 will do a better job at lubing), but I dont have the patience or time to take the chain out and all... and I certainly dont trust clumsy mechanics with the job. And I'v never had chain/sprocket wear problems (though admittedly, my bike use is quite low right now).

[praful]

^^ Well I was referring to the ultra sporty open chains on the P200/220's. Its open and exposed to our dusty grimy roads, and that brings down the life of the chain+sprocket drastically unless you maintain it like a mad man.

I've seen people having their chain sprocket sets being replaced as early as 8K. Well one can certainly prolong their (220/200) chain sprocket sets life by riding on clean roads and cleaning and lubing the chain every 300-500kms.

[Raccoon]

Oh ok. Without chain covers, its understandable.

But I cringe to think what these guys will do when they require chain+sprocket replacement. I mean most mechanics do a very shoddy job... and will VERY likely even create several scratches in the process. I'v experienced many of them dont even bother to align the wheel properly!!!

I'd just stay away from open chained bikes... lol!

[sreerama]

my chain gets loose or something happens to it if i ride hardly for 30 kilometers after that each time i take the bike in 1st gear from signal i hear tuck sound from the front sprocket & the sound goes away if i take it after 10min. The same thing happened with my rx135 after tough accelerattion for the same distance & mechanic was not able to sort out what was the problem as i had replaced the whole set some 2000k back.The sound was from rear sprocket in rx135. The same thing happens to my uni if i ride the same way continuously for 30k like racing.

What might be the problem?

[rdna]

There seem to be numerous methods of cleaning the chain and after riding in the rain twice, I have not been able to clean the chain. I've searched a lot for the Motul chain spray(NOT the lube) throughout Bangalore, but no luck. Cherry Automobiles on J.C.Road told me that there have been no stocks for well over 2 months

I managed to get the TVS Tru4 chain spray and I think it's a lube. Planning to clean the chain(bike overall, in fact) this way:

1. Water wash the bike fully including the chain
2. Wipe the bike dry with a dry cloth
3. Clean the chain with WD 40 or SAE 90 gear oil using a toothbrush
4. Use TVS Tru4 spray to lube the chain
5. Use a wax and polish to give a good look to the bike

Please let me know if this is the correct procedure.

[tantragna]

Diesel or WD40 to clean the chain & ride for a km or so to get all the dirt out of the chain, then remove the chain clean with rag & dip in molten grease/90grade oil to lubricate. This should help the chain to the most, anyways the chain is always better to be replaced at 15,000kms!

[rdna]

I don't have the experience of removing the chain. Anyway finished cleaning the bike today. Used kerosene to scrub away the dirt and then immediately applied TVS TruSpray lube. Should have taken the bike for a small ride, but forgot :(

[junaid12345678]

Wakening up the thread,My CBZ xtreme has covered 46k kms and is still running on stock sprockets. When I showed it to my mechanic he said its worth for another 20k kms. I think most sprocket damage occurs due to wrong gear shifting technique. I have seen most people shifting gears before even depressing the clutch lever. Shifting at high rpms wears out sprockets very easily as the sprocket would be having hard time handling the high torque induced into it when slotting at high engine speeds.This can easily take the tooth off any sprocket. And in case of open chains the damage can progress very rapidly. Its just my thought, based on my experience with my bike.

[vijay_k]

Hi Guys,

Can anyone suggest where can I get a chain cleaning brush like the one in the below pic in Bangalore or does any one know any website in India where I can order it online.

Vijay

[n_aditya]

I used to opt for diesel for cleaning the chain and it does a great job but several conflicting articles point that diesel can breakdown the O-rings in chains so i only use solvents meant for cleaning and lubricating the chain ; mostly Motul chain clean and chain lube.

Originally Posted by praful

I've seen people having their chain sprocket sets being replaced as early as 8K. Well one can certainly prolong their (220/200) chain sprocket sets life by riding on clean roads and cleaning and lubing the chain every 300-500kms.

Regular cleaning and lubrication certainly extends the life of the chain and the sprockets.

I changed the chain and sprockets on my Ninja at 30,000 kms and even then the mechanic was surprised. According to him, most replacements happen at the 20,000 kms mark on this bike.

Also, i was only required to change the sprockets but changed the chain too for uniform wear.

Originally Posted by rdna

I've searched a lot for the Motul chain spray(NOT the lube) throughout Bangalore, but no luck. Cherry Automobiles on J.C.Road told me that there have been no stocks for well over 2 months

Please let me know if this is the correct procedure.

If you're unable to buy Motul, you can opt for Tribocor or OKS products. They are equally good if not better.

This is the procedure I follow:

Ride for a few kms to heat up the chain so that it expands

Spray the chain clean and leave the bike aside for 15-20 mins allowing the cleaning agent to soak in. You will see muck falling off. Use a tooth brush or a rag (which has no loose threads) to dislodge stubborn dirt.

Spray the chain lube and leave the bike aside for at least a few hours for the lube to penetrate the links.

Originally Posted by vijay_k

Hi Guys,

Can anyone suggest where can I get a chain cleaning brush like the one in the below pic in Bangalore or does any one know any website in India where I can order it online.

This is called the Grunge Brush and is available on eBay.com which works out to around 600 bucks in Indian currency. I dont know if any Indian websites stock them ; searched and couldn't find. IMO, a simple used tooth brush works just fine. 600 bucks is a lot for such a simple task.

[ishan12]

Hello Experts,

I had been cleaning my motorcycle chain with Kerosine in the past. This time I couldn't find Kerosine in any of the shops, was thinking of using diesel this time.
Can diesel be used? Or are there any other alternatives.