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Had an interesting "conversation"

1K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  Cuchulainn 
#1 · (Edited)
In speaking about my new TUTORO oiler, There's this squid troll over on G+ who says, and this is a direct cut and paste,
" Except that new chains have o rings in them to prevent the lube they have in the pin/roller from escaping and also prevent the entrance of water or dirt... or in this case oil... and oil on the outside attracts dirt which will cause premature wear... so not, not no but hell no..."
I then asked him if he lubed his chain, at all, and he responded,
" No... modern Motorcycle drive chains are not made to lube."
W T F?
Which of us is whacked?
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
#2 ·
With non o-ring chains I used the petroleum based foaming penetrating spray foam.
With o-ring chain I am using wax based spray. I figure it helps keep the o-rings from deteriorating and smooths the meshing of chain and sprocket. As triumph lightened my motorcycle by removing a center stand, I actually just give the sections of the chain that are visible a light spray when I shut down for the night.
Don
 
#3 ·
The rollers still make contact with the sprockets and will wear if there isn't some lube between them to help prevent wear. Primarily however you need a protectant of some sort to prevent rusting. O-ring chains have been around and common for well over 35 years and during that time yes they have recommended lubing them. They also require cleaning occasionally.

I've had customers destroy a chain in under 10,000 miles because they never lubed it. on the other hand I have a couple friends that lube daily with gear oil and get over 80,000 miles out of a chain and sprockets. The most I've gotten using a good chain lube is 60,000.
 
#5 ·
on the other hand I have a couple friends that lube daily with gear oil and get over 80,000 miles out of a chain and sprockets. The most I've gotten using a good chain lube is 60,000.
60,000 and 80,000 miles out of a set of chain/sprockets? I suppose it can be done but I'm lucky if I get 20,000 miles from a set on my Tiger and yes, I do adjust, clean, and lube my chain on a regular basis. I just put on a new chain/sprocket set yesterday after getting back from a 4 day trip to New Mexico. This chain was toast...kinked, tight spots, stretched, and hanging off the rear sprocket. This set if I remember had slightly less than 20,000 miles on them.

Now granted, I ride my Tiger very aggressively and I do a good amount of off road riding, so there is no freakin way I could get 60-80,000 miles out of a chain/sprocket set under these conditions. I'm on my 3rd set of replacements on my 13 Tiger working my way up to 60,000 miles.

Bob
 
#4 ·
Well, I don't follow his logic. By that conclusion, he must think that there is a lifetime supply of lubricant trapped inside the chain, and the o-rings will keep it there. As if the only wear points were inside the rollers/links. As MB pointed out, the outside of the rollers and the sprockets themselves need cleaning and lubrication.

I replaced my factory chain/sprocket set at 24K, which I didn't think was too bad. I lubed it fairly regularly, albeit not at the 200 mile interval that Triumph recommends.

I replaced it with another Triumph set, and at the same time installed a Scottoiler. Time will tell whether the oiler extends the chain life, but I think it will. At the very least, all I have to do is fill the reservoir occasionally.
 
#6 ·
You have to be willing to carry lube and put up with mess. I use to lube once a week commuting (25-30miles/day) or every day if it were raining. On a long trip I would lube every tank of gas. That is how I got 60 with chain lube. The guys using gear oil did the same and carried a small bottle with them.

Rust is the killer and all chains rust if they are bare.
 
#7 ·
60-80,000K seems like crazy miles out of a chain. I got about 28K out of my chain, milking it until it was due for a service, but I probably should have changed it out at about 25K.

Then again, I think I may have cleaned and lubed it 3 times out of spite in 28K. So, maybe 50K is possible.
 
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