Cleaning Chain for the First time

[fossil]

My GZ 250 has over 1,300 miles on it. At 600 miles it had it's first initial maintenance done by the dealer. The paper work states they "lubed and adjusted" the chain. This past winter I rode it quite a few times when the temperature was above freezing. Some of the times the times I rode it was raining and lot of the sand and de-icer where still on the roads. Now my chain has a lot of grit in it and it looks kind of dry. I want to clean and lube my chain myself. I have read the previous post about jacking or putting your bike on a stand and then cleaning the chain.

I told my friend I needed to get kerosene to clean the chain and then I was going to get Suzuki chainlube with "s-moly" to lube the chain. He then went into the garage and got a can of "Harley-Davidson High Performance Chain Lube Plus. The can says it's "total bike maintenance for chains, cables, levers and linkage." It will both lube and clean the chain. I read the Suzuki GZ250 manual and it say's "clean the drive chain with kerosene only." I don't see the word "kerosene" at all on the Harley-Davidson can. It does not even give a list of ingredients. The only thing I can find was that it say's under "Lubricants: ... contains multiple ingredients including specially treated PTFE." It also noted under "Danger: Contains Petroleum Distillates."

Do you think it's okay to use the Harley-Davidson High Performance Chain Lube Plus or should I go with purchasing the kerosene and chainlube from Suzuki?

[patrick_777]

Others will have better input on this, but it looks like you should be okay for this as just a lube. Using kerosene is necessary to actually remove dirt and grime from the chain, most of which is embedded in oil/lube. Kerosene cuts through the oil and helps to physically get rid of the stuff. Cleaning and lubing the chain should actually involve two separate actions - cleaning and lubing, one product is unlikely to do both.

If it were me, I would make a quick run to a sporting goods dept (camping supplies) and grab a quart of kerosene, then use that HD spray for the lube. If, after a couple hundred miles, you notice more chain noise than normal, then you'll know to try a different product for the lube. You're not going to destroy your chain by using the "wrong kind" of lube or cleaner.

Kerosene is cheap and messy, but cleaning a chain is like scaling a fish, it's messy any way you do it.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by fossil

Do you think it's okay to use the Harley-Davidson High Performance Chain Lube Plus or should I go with purchasing the kerosene and chainlube from Suzuki?

Yes, absolutely.

Another cleaning alternative is mineral spirits; it is basically kerosene without the obnoxious smell. Also avoid brushes.....or be really careful. A brush used too enthusiastically can cause a hell of a mess !! (Don't ask how I know that!) :roll:

Another recommendation is: Don't be obsessive with the cleaning. Saturate the chain and the wipe with an old rag. Repeat once. Let it dry for a few hours. Put a little lube on....unless you use the combo product and it still looks "wet".

If you don't have a stand you can trust, you can do it in sections by moving the bike a little at a time. Also wipe down the rear sprocket; it will look like crap after you clean the chain.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by patrick_777

You're not going to destroy your chain by using the "wrong kind" of lube or cleaner.

:plus1:

Well, unless you get TOO wild. Carb cleaner and brake cleaner come to mind as NO_NO's. :biggrin:

I think the only problem with using the Harley stuff for cleaner also is that it could end up being VERY expensive......as a lot might be required.

[mrlmd1]

Try Dupont Teflon spray lube after you clean the chain - a lot of us on here like it, not oily, chain doesn't get as dirty.

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

Try Dupont Teflon spray lube after you clean the chain - a lot of us on here like it, not oily, chain doesn't get as dirty.

I, too, use the Dupont Teflon spray lube (I actually stumbled upon this myself on another web site and happened to see it at the hardware store). I've used it almost since I got my bike last summer, but I can't shake the feeling that a chain should look more "wet" when lubed (as those who use this know, it dries after a relatively short time - one of it's most appealing qualities, actually). Just cleaned and lubed my chain the other day and all appears well. Am I worrying needlessly?

Keith

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by kmkindred

I, too, use the Dupont Teflon spray lube

I use the stuff too.....but for cables and other things requiring a little dab of "oil".

I think you will be fine with the chain too because the actual pivot points of the chain are (more or less) permanently lubed and sealed with O rings.........and all you really are lubing is the barrels going around the sprockets.

There is a camp that claims the O rings will wear out faster if they are not kept wet. Don't know if I believe that or not. Like you, however, it just feels funny to me if the chain is not wet and oily.....and getting my back rim all grimmy.....so I use the 90W that the book recommends.

I never get into heavy dust and dirt so I don't ever really clean it either; just add some extra oil, spin a few rev's and wipe off the excess. Maybe I should say "try to wipe off the excess" 'cause the left side of my back rim always ends up cruddy after a hundred miles or so !!!

[primal]

I'm a big fan of the Dupont Teflon lube as well.

[fossil]

Okay, so I will get a quart or so of kerosene for cleaning and check into the Dupont Teflon Spray. I think I might just do the roll the bike along method instead of buying a bike stand for right now. I've got plenty of plastic to lay down as I go and will try to catch most of the drip in a old cookie sheet.

Thanks for the info,

Fossil

[primal]

Do you have access to any woodworking tools (or know someone with a woodworking shop)? I put together some axle stands from about $4 worth of oak. I got the plans for them here, so you might wanna do a quick search. They were dead simple to make and worked like a charm.