OK fine... I realize I'm a stubborn SOB, but honestly I didn't come here just to antagonize the forum and make enemies. Before I start getting death threats, I'll shut up about WD-40 and stay quiet while CBRclassic or whomever else leaves their summarizing thoughts on the issue.

 

PM sent.

 

I don't for a minute think you are here to cause problems ... I think you have made some very valid points and caused us all to review how we look after our chains ... now, although I have been firmly in the camp of clean the chain with paraffin and use a good thick oil like gear oil or a quality chain lube ... I still hold your view as valid, even though yes, it goes against the grain ..assuming the WD40 doesn't damage the O rings then it's fine to clean the chain, if a little expensive in my view, but, that's only because I use a lot of cheap paraffin to thoroughly clean my chain and if I was as wasteful with WD40 it would cost a fortune ...

then there is your arguement about using it for lube which is something I would not do, nevertheless you are writing from your own experience and have found it worked ... I believe you, my theory is that chain life is based on lubing AND cleaning especially is frightfully important .. cleaning is so important, more than many realise as road grit mixes with your lube to create a grinding paste which would very quickly wear the chain and sprockets down ...



My theory on your WD40 approach

it could just be that the WD40 used to clean the chain regularly is the most beneficial, then you use it as lube and since grit doesn't stick to it the same way as it would a sticky lube (remember sticky lubes also hold grit easier) then you don't get the same wear rates as your chain is somewhat less gritty ..I do think the lube properties maybe marginal but perhaps the clean and less sticky nature of WD40 makes up for less lube properties somehow ..it's all food for thought and good discussion ...

Anyway I found something you might all be interested to read ..this guy looks after his F2 so well and has experimented with all sorts of lubes and look at what he says about wd40 ... food for thought :-)


All that said I will stick to my preferred method of regular cleaning with paraffin and gear oil "little and often" but I believe in your experience :-)

http://www.hondabikes.freeserve.co.uk/chain.htm

PS I ran out of chain lube and had to use WD40 for a few days and it worked great! ( it cleaned the chain at the same time! ) Does not appear to had any ill effects, O rings still nice and soft. ( It does fly off a lot but it will get you out trouble )


As I said above, my theory is your long life is due to the cleaner chain due to less crap sticking to wd40 ..

In my opinion very sticky chain lubes designed to stick no matter what actually help wear the chain by holding more grit and crud too .. it's why I actually prefer gear oil, it's less sticky than the chain lubes in a can designed to be anti fling ...

Hope this helps :-)

Jules



EDIT:

One more point, I notice some of you say you use WD40 in a rag and just kinda hold it around the bottom of the chain run as you turn it ... in my opinion this will give you very clean side plates but doesn't actually get the grit out the nooks and crannies or off your sprockets/rollers ... cleaning is easily 9/10s to stop all that road grit becoming a grinding paste on your chain/sprockets ..this is why the paraffin method of a bowl under the chain run and bringing up a brush dipped in the bowl and liberally brushing the top of the chain is better, it allows all the particles between the rollers to wash off and fall into the bowl ... making your chain "look clean" by having very clean side plates is not going to help it last longer ...

 

So would you say the heavy weight gear oil would work well?

I also heard that when you clean them you should use kerosene..... any truth to that?

 

Thanks for the info Jules. I might give gear oil test just for fun, it's about the only thing I haven't tried yet...

 

Have you tried Castrol Chain Wax? Greatest stuff ever man, I'm telling you.

 

I tried it years ago and from what I remember it was good about not flinging off, but it still attracted some dirt and cleanup seemed to be a little more difficult. Is Ride! still step 6 of the instructions printed on the can? One of my riding buddies used to call me up, "Hey are you ready for step 6?"

 

I guess I found the infamous WD40 thread. And a read the whole frick'n thing. All I can say is: