help with chain cleaning & lube...

[kmrcstintn]

I am asking for hints/tricks on chain cleaning & lube since I have not done it before...

I do not have a motorcycle stand/lift and no one to help...how do I safely raise and support my rear tire/frame? how do I remove my chain guard and sprocket cover? what chemicals do I need to clean? what kind of brush? what is best chemical to lube with that lasts & won't attract dirt? thanks...

[blaine]

You can do it with the bike on the ground,without removing the chain guard.Just clean & lube the bottom portion of the chain that is exposed & move the bike ahead till you expose more dirty chain.Kerosene is best to clean the chain with,as it won't harm o-rings.I always used a cloth with Kerosene on it to clean the chain as I found brushes to be to messy,as the kerosene goes everywhere.I use a good chain wax (PJ-1 as it goes on clear & doesn't attract dirt.(Great for lubing cables & pivot points too)
:) :cool:

[Skunkhome]

I jack up the rear wheel just enough to clear the ground then turn the wheel as necessary to access the chain. That way I can put a tray under the chain and catch all the kerosine drips and crud.
This next time I am going to try cleaning with the Kerosine in a high pressure oiler, hoping I can get a more thorough cleaning.


How do you lube the cables?

[kmrcstintn]

@ cable lube...I just got the bike @ 2 weeks ago and haven't done it; I did buy a can of Cable Life lubricant for that purpose, but looking at the cables I don't see easy access to do it...hhmmm

[Rookie Rider]

When i forst got my bike i didnt have anything to lift the bike. I cleaned the chain with kerosene and a brush, rolled bike forward bout a foot, then continued cleaning the chain. Then waited a few minutes, then sprayed on a chain lube. Covers come off with some screws, simple to see which screws come off. And im a newbie brother. DO IT !!

[5th_bike]

I made a bike stand from 4 pieces of "2"x"3" inch wood, 2 upside down T-shapes that I now use to get the rear wheel off the ground.

Clean with paint brush and kerosene. Paint tray underneath the chain, paper towels underneath the rear sprocket, to catch drips of kerosene & crud. Dry with paper towels and some time. Then put heavy gear oil on it also with the brush, to get it all over the chain.

[mrlmd1]

Once you clean the chain. spray it with Dupont Teflon spray lube. (Comes in a blue can, avail at Walmart, Autozone, Home Depot, Lowes, and any auto parts or hardware store). No further mess, doesn't fling off, no grime, as nothing - dirt/sand. etc - sticks to it, no further messy chain cleaning and maintenance. Just spray it on every few hundred miles and that's it. Recommended by innumerable members on many bike forums and good for anything needing lube.
Do a search on the forum and you will find numerous threads about chain care and products to use.

[Skunkhome]

Once you clean the chain. spray it with Dupont Teflon spray lube. (Comes in a blue can, avail at Walmart, Autozone, Home Depot, Lowes, and any auto parts or hardware store). No further mess, doesn't fling off, no grime, as nothing - dirt/sand. etc - sticks to it, no further messy chain cleaning and maintenance. Just spray it on every few hundred miles and that's it. Recommended by innumerable members on many bike forums and good for anything needing lube.
Do a search on the forum and you will find numerous threads about chain care and products to use.Agreed! That is what I used at the recommendation of a couple of veteran riders. It is safe for the o-rings and after a few minutes is completely dry. I have about 500 miles On my last lube and the chain and sprocket is still clean and well lubed. I just checked it after my last ride and decided that I will let it go another tank full before I clean up and relube.

[5th_bike]

[...] I have about 500 miles On my last lube and the chain and sprocket is still clean and well lubed. [...] I will let it go another tank full before I clean up and relube.

Yes 600 miles is the interval that the user manual recommends for chain cleaning and lubing, indeed.

[Water Warrior 2]

[...] I have about 500 miles On my last lube and the chain and sprocket is still clean and well lubed. [...] I will let it go another tank full before I clean up and relube.

Yes 600 miles is the interval that the user manual recommends for chain cleaning and lubing, indeed.
I will suggest taking the cleaning interval with a grain of salt. That is based on what the Suzuki manual recommends as a lube. A good clean chain lube will greatly extend the range before cleaning. You will also get less build up of mung around the front sprocket under the sprocket cover. As always, I recommend DuPont with Teflon.

That was a very interesting..I learned how to clean my chain and did'nt even have to ask..I love this site..

[Water Warrior 2]

That was a very interesting..I learned how to clean my chain and did'nt even have to ask..I love this site..







Keep reading. We have all sorts of little gems to make ownership easier and less work intensive. :rawk:

[kmrcstintn]

I removed the chain cover and the sprocket cover, used Orange Supreme degreaser & a 'Grunge Brush' while rolling the bike back and forth to clean the chain; I used shop towels to clean the excess, but the degreaser didn't evaporate very well (I used too much) so I took a 10 minute ride and flung the crap off; I used Bel-Ray Super Clean chain lube (way too much) and encased the entire chain until and now it has the tell-tale white film (I wanted the chain covered since there was light rusting in some areas) -- the Bel-Ray stuff doesn't fling off, but the Dupont Teflon spray sounds like a good alternative when I use up the other stuff

[Water Warrior 2]

I removed the chain cover and the sprocket cover, used Orange Supreme degreaser & a 'Grunge Brush' while rolling the bike back and forth to clean the chain; I used shop towels to clean the excess, but the degreaser didn't evaporate very well (I used too much) so I took a 10 minute ride and flung the crap off; I used Bel-Ray Super Clean chain lube (way too much) and encased the entire chain until and now it has the tell-tale white film (I wanted the chain covered since there was light rusting in some areas) -- the Bel-Ray stuff doesn't fling off, but the Dupont Teflon spray sounds like a good alternative when I use up the other stuff
Degreaser sounds like a good idea but it really isn't. If any degreaser works in past the O-rings it may wash out or dilute the sealed in lube. That is why kerosine is the best alternative. Nor does it dry out the rubber O-rings.
If you are concerned about surface rust on the chain side plates you should quit worrying. It happens. We would all look a little rusty and used if we lived outside and close to the ground.

[5th_bike]

Oops, with all our tips and good intentions we forgot to tell kmrcstintn that the manual says to use kerosene to clean, and motor oil to lube the chain. :blush: