[Buckwheat]

Sticky chain lube or WD40?


WD40 is a brand of light oil marketed in the USA. Can that the sticky lube make it past the o-rings anyhow. Doesn't it just attract dirt and muck while slinging it all over the rear wheel and swingarm?

 

[daytona 750]

the reccomended method that i have always known, is to ride the bike first, get it all nice and warmed up, spray chain with wd40, which should flush out old lube and accumulated crap, then while the chain is still warm, slap some of the sticky stuff on, the warmth of the chain will melt it a little, and help it to get to the spots where its needed.the rest will trap a lot af particles, but these will be removed when you next use the wd40.
there are brands that dont splatter at all, but from personal experience, you also need to be equiped with some cardboard to put behind the chain to protect any bodywork/wheel/tyre that might get some on it while your spraying, as it is nearly impossible to remove!

 

[villageidiot]

as long as you clean the old lube off the chain before you put some more on you're ok. i use kerosene to clean, and yoshimotokingood chain lube.
an old chap i know swears by light gear oil, flings off like mad but he just wipes some on before every ride, i use this on the crf as grit and dust dont stick to it and turn it into grinding paste.

justin

 

[KitNYC]

I use heavy gear oil, as I find it easier to drip a little onto the chain than to use any of the aerosol spray products.

Lots of things are said about WD-40, I'll just point out that because it's so light, it's better used as a solvent for removing old lube than as a lube itself.

Cheers,
-Kit

 

[sailfish]

WD40 was designed as a Water Displacer. It's an excellent solvent but not much more. It has no durability or longevity.


WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. MSDS information, are:

• 50%: Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits-- primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene)
• 25%: Liquified petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)
• 15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
• 10-%: Inert ingredients

I've been using the old Honda chain lube, rated #1 in Motorcycle Consumer News several years ago. It's a light film that's self cleaning and coats everything well. The problem is they don't make it anymore so I'll have to find something different sometime this summer.

I now use chainsaw chain bar oil on my dirt bike chain. I clean it up with kerosene. It's amazing how little wear the chain has considering the abuse I've given it. (This is true for the entire motorcycle.) Abuse like Justin's profile pic a couple of posts above.

We're really just lubricating the o-rings so they can keep the factory installed grease on the inside. I used to lube every 500 miles, I now lube about every tank fill. This is especially important when touring all day, things get warm down there.

 

[wdietz186]

On the Ducati forum I frequent people have raved about DuPont Multi Lube.It is a wax type lube that dosen't fling off and cleans if you put it on and wipe the chain down before it dries.I use it and it seems to work as advertised.The best part is I got it at my local Ace hardware store $6.75 a can.

 

[Buckwheat]

Thanks for all the great ideas...albeit a few more interesting than others...

 

[The Vicar]

Use WD40 with caution. I have been told by more than one source that it can cause the 'O' rings to swell / expand and then they don't work well. Best cleaing product is Parafin (Kerosene?) as it is very cheap and does no harm. Best chain lube I have found is Wurth High Performance Dry Chain Lube. Best way is a Scottoiler but cannot afford one yet.