plastic for 06

[tilster187]

Hello, My chain looks real dirty and I was thinking of cleaning and relubing it, but am not sure the best way. What is the best way to clean it; gas, soap water...? What do you use to lube it; WD-40, oil, wax...? When is it supposed to be replaced? Thanks, Lou

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "tilster187" wrote:

> Hello, My chain looks real dirty and I was thinking of cleaning and > relubing it, but am not sure the best way. > > What is the best way to clean it; gas, soap water...? > What do you use to lube it; WD-40, oil, wax...? > When is it supposed to be replaced?

Wow, are YOU going to get an earful. Nothing this group likes better than a good oil thread . Cleaning: I usually put some diesel on a mechanic's rag and use it to mechanically remove all the caked-on goop from the chain system, using as many rags as necessary. Take off the front sprocket cover and clean under there. Once all the caked-on goop is gone, then I spray everything with WD-40 then dry it off with a mechanic's rag. Then I spray the chain with WD-40 while rotating the back wheel (put the bike on a lift or stand) until it is nice and clean. Then let dry overnight. Lubing: Wow. What a question. Nowdays I have a Scottoiler which I load up with Scottoil, chainsaw bar oil, or ATF depending upon on what the season is and how much money I have to spend. Before that, I tried various spray-on chain lubes, but they just attracted dirt which probably led to the early demise of that chain. I eventually end up just spraying the chain with a squirt of WD-40 everytime I jumped on the bike to go to work (20 mile round trip) or gave it a better squirt every 100 miles or so when on a longer trip. Problem I had with WD-40 is that it washed off in the rain, which probably also helped the demise of that chain. If doing it over today, I'd probably use chain saw bar oil. Note that the manual recommends 80 weight gear lube, which would also work. Note that the purpose of lubing the KLR chain is primarily to prevent rust and condition the o-rings that hold in the actual lubricant, so the actual lubricating property of whatever you're spraying on the chain is pretty much irrelevant. Replacing: The owner's manual has a spec in it (if you don't have an owner's manual, order one from your Kawasaki dealer), based on the length of a certain number of links of the chain. In addition, you should occasionally put the bike up on a stand or lift so that the rear wheel is on the ground and rotate the wheel around while looking for sticky links. If you have a bunch of sticky links (links that look kinked when they come off the cog and are clearly stiff when you try to manipulate them with your hand), the chain is on its last legs because one of those things is going to break fairly soon. Better to replace it early (chains are cheaper than your life -- a broken chain at best means suddenly your bike quits going while you're in the middle of traffic, at worst locks up your rear wheel and puts you down in the middle of traffic). In general, if the chain has been fairly stable in length for, say, 10,000 miles, and suddenly needs adjusting every few hundred miles, then probably it's time to replace the chain because the lube inside it has gone bye-bye and it hasn't long for this world. Do read your owner's manual. If you follow the owners' manual chain care, you'll have a happy chain. Note that spray-on lubes, in my experience, decrease the life of a chain because they attract too much dirt or because (in the case of "chain wax") they don't do a good job of conditioning the o-rings and preventing rust. Other than that, you'll get so many opinions on what to lube a chain with that I'm sure you'll leave here more confused than not .

[James Morrow Sr]

Lots of different info on this. I go with what the chain manufactures say, since they make it. Clean with kerosene, wipe dry, and lube with any good specified chain lube. I use Honda chain lube with moly and teflon, the two best metal to metal lubricants I know of. My chains last 25,000 on a Hayabusa, arguably the most detremental motorcycle to a chain (G). Think my KLR will last as long too. When the chain has stretched more than an 1/8" over 22 links, it should be replaced, and/or when you can pull a link more than half way off the sprocket at max adjustment.

On 10/10/07, tilster187 wrote: > > Hello, My chain looks real dirty and I was thinking of cleaning and > relubing it, but am not sure the best way. > > What is the best way to clean it; gas, soap water...? > What do you use to lube it; WD-40, oil, wax...? > When is it supposed to be replaced? > > Thanks, Lou > > > -- James Morrow Sr Union, MO '00' RT + dual plug + Bunkhouse '00' BUSA + 15hp '05' KLR650 + big fun factor [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[John]

You'll get a load of opinions on this subject-here's my 10c. About every 500miles I use WD40 to clean the chain. When its clean and dry I use PJ1 chain lube. I also check tension make sure it hasn't stretched too much-operators manual will tell you how to check that. If you have a center stand, bike jack, bike prop and can get the rear wheel off the ground it makes life much easier-you can do the complete clean and re-lube in about 10 minutes. When I'm on the road I carry a small can of WD40 and use that on a daily basis-not sure if it does much good, but makes me feel better! I have heard that a Scottoiler is a great product, it drips oil on to the chain automatically. Not sure how well it does in dry dusty conditions, but your chain is always lubed. Only downside is it chucks some of the lube on the rear rim and makes that a bit of a mess. I got 14k miles out of my last chain and sprockets, but wasn't as conscientious as I am now. I have heard of people getting over 20k. BTW, if you do have to change your chain, make sure you change the front and rear sprockets as well. Machog --------------------------------- Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[C COOPER]

I use a similar process, but I like WD-40 instead of kerosene. It has moisture displacement additives and is more convenient, especially while travelling. I really like the Honda chain lube because it leaves the chain "clean". It isn't gobby, doesn't attract and hold. dirt. I don't have as many miles on my VStrom or KLR as some, but the sprockets on both bikes show minimal wear, and I haven't had to adjust the chain on the VStrom in over 5K miles.

On 10/11/07, James Morrow Sr wrote: > > Lots of different info on this. I go with what the chain manufactures > say, > since they make it. > > Clean with kerosene, wipe dry, and lube with any good specified chain > lube. > I use Honda chain lube with moly and teflon, the two best metal to metal > lubricants I know of. > > My chains last 25,000 on a Hayabusa, arguably the most detremental > motorcycle to a chain (G). > Think my KLR will last as long too. > > When the chain has stretched more than an 1/8" over 22 links, it should be > replaced, and/or when you can pull a link more than half way off the > sprocket at max adjustment. > > On 10/10/07, tilster187 > > wrote: > > > > Hello, My chain looks real dirty and I was thinking of cleaning and > > relubing it, but am not sure the best way. > > > > What is the best way to clean it; gas, soap water...? > > What do you use to lube it; WD-40, oil, wax...? > > When is it supposed to be replaced? > > > > Thanks, Lou > > > > > > > > -- > James Morrow Sr > Union, MO > '00' RT + dual plug + Bunkhouse > '00' BUSA + 15hp > '05' KLR650 + big fun factor > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Kimosabe]

Lots of advice, huh? Here's more that I didn't see mentioned. Don't spray it with water. The pressure of the spray can blow by the sealing rings and inject water that remains in the chain and causes rust and wear. Of course, the likelihood of this happening is based on the pressure of the sprayer (car washes - muy malo!) or the conditions of the rings (older and worn being obviously worse). - Steve in Niceville --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "James Morrow Sr" wrote:

> > Lots of different info on this. I go with what the chain

manufactures say,

> since they make it. > > Clean with kerosene, wipe dry, and lube with any good specified

chain lube.

> I use Honda chain lube with moly and teflon, the two best metal to

metal

> lubricants I know of. > > My chains last 25,000 on a Hayabusa, arguably the most detremental > motorcycle to a chain (G). > Think my KLR will last as long too. > > When the chain has stretched more than an 1/8" over 22 links, it

should be

> replaced, and/or when you can pull a link more than half way off the > sprocket at max adjustment. > > > > > On 10/10/07, tilster187 wrote: > > > > Hello, My chain looks real dirty and I was thinking of cleaning

and

> > relubing it, but am not sure the best way. > > > > What is the best way to clean it; gas, soap water...? > > What do you use to lube it; WD-40, oil, wax...? > > When is it supposed to be replaced? > > > > Thanks, Lou > > > > > > > > > > -- > James Morrow Sr > Union, MO > '00' RT + dual plug + Bunkhouse > '00' BUSA + 15hp > '05' KLR650 + big fun factor > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Mike Peplinski]

I did a bit of research on this one. Chain maintenance is one of the most often discussed subjects, yet the answer, or "truth" is pretty basic. This is from a link to one of the chain makers, by the way. An "O" ring or "X" ring chain is permanently lubricated. That's what the rubber ring does. It seals the grease in and the dirt and water out. All you have to do is keep it clean and rust free. You don't really have to lubricate it at all. WD40 works great for keeping water off the chain. All the gunk, grease, oil and wax does is collect dust and grime, which ini turn wears out the links. So, according to the pro's, lubrication is not necessary. Just clean and rust proof the chain. ( I can hear the flack now; "incoming, incoming") http://onecare.live.com/standard/en-us/purchase/trial.aspx?s_cid=wl_hotmailnews [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[a14@att.net]

I use Orville Reddenbachers Buttery Flavored Popping Oil to lube my chain each day and the critters clean the chain for me every night. Walt

[C COOPER]

....and to clean the "residue" the critters leav??? ;~)

On 10/11/07, a14@... wrote: > > I use Orville Reddenbachers Buttery Flavored > Popping Oil to lube my chain each day and the > critters clean the chain for me every night. > > Walt > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jud Jones]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "James Morrow Sr" wrote:

> > Lots of different info on this. I go with what the chain manufactures say, > since they make it. > > Clean with kerosene, wipe dry, and lube with any good specified chain lube. > I use Honda chain lube with moly and teflon, the two best metal to metal > lubricants I know of. > > My chains last 25,000 on a Hayabusa, arguably the most detremental > motorcycle to a chain (G). > Think my KLR will last as long too. >

Be sure and let us know when it wears out. There is still no chain treatment regimen that has been shown to give longer chain life than regular lavings of WD40. My KLR chain with 90w ground itself to metal dust in about 5000 miles. With WD, they go just about 20,000.