Replacement Chain

[flecc]

is there an alternative to petrol for the cleaning/degreasing

Paraffin is the traditional and safer one.

I've never scrubbed first.
.

 

[RobF]

Paraffin is the traditional and safer one.

I've never scrubbed first.
.

Another vote for paraffin - less 'oily' then petrol and much, much, safer.

We used to give the chain a scrub with a stiff brush with paraffin in an old kitchen roasting tray.

Drying the chain thoroughly before relubing is a good idea.

Wipe all the paraffin off with an absorbent cloth, getting it as dry as you can, then put it back into the dry tin and put it in a very low - or cooling - oven for ten minutes.

 

[oldtom]

I can't recall ever reading any advice or instructions regarding chain lubrication from the bicycle manufacturers of any bikes I have owned. Do any of them actually provide guidance on this or do they simply presume that we should understand how to look after mechanical parts?

As I mentioned in another thread, now that I have used 'Purple Extreme' dry lub over a few months, I have to confess to being a convert. Much less messy in use and seemingly long-lasting, it's far superior to the dry lub product I used previously and my gear changes are very silky now.

Price may be the only downside but I'll see how long the bottle lasts before I criticise it on that count.

Tom

 

[neptune]

Chain maintenance. Apart from saddles and helmets, the most talked about topic in bike maintenance. Paraffin is a good chain cleaner, but sometimes hard to find. I use a Tilly lamp when camping, and the only place I could find paraffin is garden centers, as it is used in greenhouse heaters. Diesel fuel works well for cleaning and is safer than petrol.

For lubrication, I use either 90 grade gear oil, which I have left over from motorcycling, or an aerosol of "Open Gear Grease", an industrial product.Does anyone remember Linklyfe, for motorbike chains? It was a sort of grease, and you had to melt it in a pan, and soak the chain in it.

 

[D C]

I like the idea of having 2 chains on the go to quickly swap, is there an alternative to petrol for the cleaning/degreasing though, and do you chainscrub it first or just stick it straight in all gunked up?

Lots of alternatives which would be safer, It's just that I always have a can of petrol to hand for lawnmower, and chainsaws etc.
I've been using acids and volatile chemicals all my life so it's second nature for me to be very careful and no young children around to be concerned about.
I just fill the container, put the chain in it after wiping any surface muck off, shake it up a few times (with lid on) then sediment drops to the bottom.
Diesel, Paraffin, white spirit etc.would do the same job and if left to settle a while can be decanted to a new jar and used again.
Dave.

 

[Gubbins]

Does anybody use an ultrasonic cleaner?

 

[D C]

Engine oil contains detergents which will penetrate and remove the manufacturer's lubricant in the chain. That lasts a long time on a new chain so it's best to avoid washing it away.

I've found that I need to get this original stuff off before use as it makes the chain sticky and prevents a smooth gear change on 27 speed derailleur.
Dave.

 

[D C]

Does anybody use an ultrasonic cleaner?

SWMBO has just bought a steam cleaner and is away for 10 days, I wonder if I dare..........
Dave.

 

[JohnCade]

I've found that I need to get this original stuff off before use as it makes the chain sticky and prevents a smooth gear change on 27 speed derailleur.
Dave.

Each to his own. I never had any problems with it on my later road bikes with 9 speed Campag mechs and cassettes. Just a wipe down with a clean cloth before putting it on. It's not so much the stuff on the outside as the lubricant put inside the rollers which can be diluted out and is hard to replace.

As a matter of fact I think the business of chain lubrication is a bit overdone on bikes. I paid more attention to chains when I rode motor bikes because they took a hammering and were expensive to replace. But even then it was just cleaning and lubricant. Dry lube in later years. I remember a friend cooking his BSA A10 chain in grease in a pan in the kitchen years ago.... That was quite common but I always thought it was a bit overdone. With bikes I just clean it regularly and lube it, and check for stretch. Bike chains are fairly cheap and I replaced them regularly on my road bikes.

I'll be replacing them a lot more frequently with this CD bike I have now too. I can't see a chain doing more a couple of thousand miles on this if I don't want to replace everything at the same time.

 

[awol]

Check out the first review of this kmc8-99 chain I come across. I think I will give one a go.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kmc-X8-99-7-8-Speed-Chain/dp/B004T98384/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408698379&sr=8-1&keywords=kmc+8+99

 

[Nealh]

Paraffin is a good chain cleaner, but sometimes hard to find.

Usually available in most local independant diy outlets found on various shop parades in 4ltr sizes.

 

[shemozzle999]

Try orange oil, it is not cheap, it is powerful stuff - it replaced the now banned Trichloroethylene as a flux removal cleaner on printed circuit boards.


Edit: substituted Carbon tetrachloride with Trichloroethylene.

 

[awol]

Thanks for all the chain cleaning advise.
I've now got some hypoid-ep90 oil and some paraffin, enough for a lifetime so now just need a quick weekly routine to swap chains.
I have found the paraffin has not evaporated off which I thought it would and my wife not being happy about it going in the oven, how can I clean all the paraffin off ?
Can the paraffin be washed off in another jam jar with something which is either water based or evaporates off or does it evaporate off it's self in a few days?

 

[Gubbins]

I tend to think that as parafin I'd oil based I leave it on. As an intermediate clean I use a clip on chain cleaner filled with parafin, then just wipe off and re oil with a chain oil spray. Every month or so I do a deep ultrasonic clean.

 

[PzPhil]

Domestic dishwasher.

Does an excellent job degreasing small car parts...

 

[NZgeek]

Domestic dishwasher.

Does an excellent job degreasing small car parts...

man after my own heart!

I've used it for car parts, bike parts and kenwood mixer parts... then I also paint stuff and bake it in the oven... and the oven cost more than my car did!

I have a lovely wife!

 

[awol]

I tend to think that as parafin I'd oil based I leave it on. As an intermediate clean I use a clip on chain cleaner filled with parafin, then just wipe off and re oil with a chain oil spray. Every month or so I do a deep ultrasonic clean.

I see, I've never used paraffin before and I thought it was like a solvent based liquid which was degreasing the old oil/dirt off the chain and then evaporates off afterwards leaving it dry.
So I am OK to just wipe the paraffin off as best as I can and re-oil even if some paraffin is still on the chain?

 

[Gubbins]

I see, I've never used paraffin before and I thought it was like a solvent based liquid which was degreasing the old oil/dirt off the chain and then evaporates off afterwards leaving it dry.
So I am OK to just wipe the paraffin off as best as I can and re-oil even if some paraffin is still on the chain?

This is what I do, it seems to work for me, but I am not saying it's the right thing to do though...

 

[JohnCade]

Paraffin is a refined oil but not as refined as petrol. So it leaves an oily residue. I always used it on chains and for cleaning car and bike parts. I still do but I use kerosene heating oil now which is much the same stuff but even less refined.