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How often do you clean and lube your chain?

8K views 24 replies 13 participants last post by  tika 
#1 ·
I'm doing it every 500 miles (800 km). Too frequently?
 
#8 ·
So then - I have experienced the CZ chain squeal. And it really squealed. Monday I took the bike to work (I have a really badly damaged tyre on the car and I am a week from having new rubber)

A huge 26km commute. Left home fine - but when I got there there was a definite squeal on overrun. Had no lube at work - so had to ride home hearing it get worse (even more worse because I forgot to put earplugs in). But noticeably worse on overrun - not so bad with clutch pulled in and less still accelerating.

Had a good look. It was clean, properly adjusted and with some lube. Though I will admit not VERY lubed.
Gave it a good blasting all over with WD40 Chain Lube. And left it. Took the big Triumph to work today.
Had a look just now and have given it another load of WD40 Dry Climate formula, especially on the rollers which looked a bit dry still. It's now making that sucky syrupy sound.

Will see how it is tomorrow. It'll fling some off for sure.

But if it even murmurs - It's DID time.
 
#9 ·
I don't understand the point of cleaning the chain. It won't protect the pins that carry the load - those are "life-time" lubed with grease and sealed by O-rings. It may protect the sprockets and rollers slightly if the build-up of grit is so severe that it can't get pushed to the side easily, but I've never seen anything that bad in many years of pavement riding. To clean the grit from the O-rings you need a fine brush and solvent, which may do more damage than protection. I lubricate the chain every 300 - 500 km to extend the life of the sprockets, knowing that the main wear point is internal and not reached by the lubricant.
 
#10 · (Edited)
For the type of riding I do, around 500-600 km is the average lube interval with actual cleaning a lot longer depending on the chain lube I have to hand. I prefer the dry lube teflon-based types simply because the chain stays cleaner than the stickier types which tend to attract fine grit. With dry lubricants, I've found Dupont Chain Saver to be good although not as good as their earlier Multi-Use Teflon which was withdrawn for some unknown reason. If I can find it, Tirox Synthetic Chain Wax lasts really well and keeps the chain clean. A proper clean maybe every 2000-3000 km.

I had a Scottoiler on my Blackbird and sold the bike with over 50,000 km on the OEM chain. The downside was that it was nigh on impossible to keep the back end of the bike clean from oil fling, no matter how carefully I adjusted it.
 
#13 ·
Well from this weeks experience - A hell of a lot of the squeal is from the outer rollers on the sprockets. OK I know I over lubed this week.
Chain Lube basically should not be doing much for the inner of the rollers with a sealed O-ring chain. And unless the o-rings are really SHRIEKING there should not be any plate to plate contact.
I think I will re-investigate an oiler.
 
#15 ·
I aim to get lube on the seals to help counter drying/brittling and lubricate seal outer contact with plates. Also aim to lube roller/sprocket contact to help dissipate heat/reduce wear. Oilers work even better(constant oil feed/less break-down/more heat dissipation/less wear), but unfortunately with more fling-off. Just depends which way you want to compromise.
 
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