[Hawkeye]

Hi everyone:

So my Scrambler is my first chain driven bike. I've owned a BMW for the past 14 years so I know shaft drive maintenance, but not chain drive. I know I've got to clean and lube the chain, and I've got a pretty good idea of how often and generally how to do it, but I have no idea what products are good and which ones are crap snake oil.

So, any advice? What do you all use for cleaning and lubing the chain? What's a good lube that won't fling off all over the place?

 

[hamer]

I've had the best luck with Chain Wax

 

[jazzndre]

The best lube tested by me so far is JMC Kettenspray "Topsynth". The best cleaner: JMC KETTEN REINIGER. I also used various Motul lubes (each one either too greasy, too tar-like) and Yamalube Chain Cleaner (cleaning gel, must be water rinsed after use).

 

[Joooooooosh]

I just use small amounts of WD40 to clean the chain and Castrol dry 'Racing Lube' and my chain has remained nice and healthy.
I've used various different combo's before and this seems to work the best.

I try to clean and lube every 350-400 miles now I don't ride in bad weather. When I was commuting in winter, it was every weekend.

Got lazy with the Scrambler chain and ruined it. So I've got a nice shiny DID gold link one on now. It's given me a bigger incentive to look after it.

 

[vincelp]

Hello

Best solution : a Tutoro Oiler.
Your chain is permanently oiled, no need to clean it and it lasts longer.

 

[Joooooooosh]

Hello

Best solution : a Tutoro Oiler.
Your chain is permanently oiled, no need to clean it and it lasts longer.

Surely you'd still need to clean it periodically? Dirt and grime is what really kills them.

 

[Deano968]

I've got one of those 3 sided brushes that you can slot around the chain links after soaking it in WD or paraffin - works a treat.

I use chain wax which I haven't had an issue with but I would advise you try not to spray it on anything but the chain. It won't do any harm but I did a 'really good job' of cleaning my chain a good while ago then had to spend another hour cleaning the wax of the back wheel. Once it sets it's a bit of a bugger

One of these...

 

[Max Kool]

I had the same with grease flinging off a brand new EK chain.

Sticks to the tire really good (too good)

 

[Hui]

Hello

Best solution : a Tutoro Oiler.
Your chain is permanently oiled, no need to clean it and it lasts longer.

I've used Scot-oiler for years and think they're fantastic especially as they have a small bottle available now too.
Next time round I'm going to try the Tutoro Oiler as they don't even need a vacuum fitted.
I suppose any of this type of product is the best for the chain, and no mess on the wheel/tyre when set correctly.

 

[Deano968]

I've used Scot-oiler for years and think they're fantastic especially now as they have a small bottle available now too.
Next time round I'm going to try the Tutoro Oiler as they don't even need a vacuum fitted.
I suppose any of this type of product is the best fir the chain, and no mess on the wheel/tyre.

I thought oilers were only really recommended for old 'unsealed' chains?

 

[Max Kool]

No, they work wonders on O ring chains (too). Besides, when was the last time you saw a motorcycle with a non O ring chain?

 

[Deano968]

No, they work wonders on O ring chains (too). Besides, when was the last time you saw a motorcycle with a non O ring chain?

Mmmmmm, probably giving my age away a bit too much there

 

[Hui]

I thought oilers were only really recommended for old 'unsealed' chains?[/QUO

]
A strange statement really.
The centrafugal force makes the oil have to travel in and through the chain to get out the other side which is why it needs to drip on the inside run of the chain. 'O' rings are more of a dust seal and cannot stop the oil from penatrating. Grease and waxes however tend to stick where they are unless applied to a hot chain when the wax is less viscous before it cools. The waxes you see stuck to the outer plates of the chain, wheel rims, tyres and swingarm etc. is actually lubricating sfa.

 

[Max Kool]

O rings (or X rings) are not just dust seals, they are designed to keep dust and dirt out, AND to keep the grease that EK/DID/Tsubaki put in the rollers INSIDE the rollers.

Oil doesn't have to get behind the O rings. As long as it forms a nice lubricating film for the oil ring it's already done it's job.

 

[Hui]

I think you will find that the O and X rings are as I said 'more like' dust seals. Meaning the primary function would be to keep dust from getting to the grease inside and creating a grinding paste. If your theory is correct then the chain would only need cleaned outside for cosmetics.
The centrafugal force carries the oil past the seal ( if fitted correctly), through and along the roller pin then out the other side. How else would the oil from a Scot-oiler get to the 2nd O/X ring using the more normal single drip tube placed adjacent to ONE of the seals ?
You can also buy a dual nozzle drip tube, one for each seal which I have used in the past but found it messy.
If oil doesn't have to get behind the O rings then why bother ??
Any and many chains I've removed for customers have always seized or partialy seized Inside the O ring at the pins and the original grease is long gone with the seals still in tact.

 

[greer]

I like the Dupont Teflon Chain Saver from Walmart. Very little fling off and mess.

Sarah

 

[vincelp]

I've used Scot-oiler for years and think they're fantastic especially as they have a small bottle available now too.
Next time round I'm going to try the Tutoro Oiler as they don't even need a vacuum fitted.
I suppose any of this type of product is the best for the chain, and no mess on the wheel/tyre when set correctly.

Yes, they really improve the chain kit life, because it is always oiled, even on wet road.
And yes again, when correctly set, you don't find any oil on the wheel or the rim.

 

[vincelp]

I thought oilers were only really recommended for old 'unsealed' chains?

No, they also work very well on O'ring chains. Since now 1999, I've always had a chain oiler (Scottoiler or Tutoro Oiler) on my different bikes and I can guarantee they had an O'ring chain and this chain was perfectly oiled by the oiler.

On the Scrambler, I can ride 3500 km before re-filling the Tutoro Oiler tank. It's so cool to wonder about my chain kit only every 3500 km... When re-filling the tank, I control the chain tension and that's all !

 

[Black dog]

Paraffin to clean the chain an Whutf dry chain lube

 

[ELVISTO]

Well, I think I've tried most of the chain oils, But for the last 6 months I've been using S-DOC100 chain oil and S-DOC 100 chain cleaner, give them a try, you won't be disappointed ,

I've been using S-DOC 100 bike cleaner for over 10 years, why it's taken me so long to find out about the other products is beyond me,

Spray the cleaner gel on the chain leave for 15 mins, work it in with a chain brush ,wash off with a hose and dry off,
Spray on the chain oil, they even do a little gadget to catch the overspray, the oil is white by the way, let it dry, it dries white , which is handy, I've been doing my bike chains every 500 miles, works for me