Chain Lube - Friend or Enemy ?

[Mattjin]

I have only owned my Z1000 for a little over a month now, but in that time have changed everything about it. When I purchased it was filthy and not really kept clean, but I saw potential. What has been killing me is the amount of chain lube sludge that caked this bike. It was on everything! The rear sprocket I thought was black until I bumped it with my shoe one day and found it was aluminium. Under the chain guide had (no joke) about an inch of crap, and the front sprocket cover was so full that the outline of the chain could be seen in the buildup. Even the rear wheel was almost black on the LHS. 2 cans of brake cleaner and a pile of rags to rival the pyramids later and the bike is looking clean and new again. Not to mention the chain needed replacing anyway.

Now. After having ridden for around 25 years, with 24 of them offroad, I honestly never saw any chain live longer by using chain lube. Maybe on the road it might live longer being in a clean environment, but I know offroad all chain lube ever did was turn any chain into a lamington. The buildup would turn to grinding paste, and before you knew it you were up for chain and sprockets. Leave it dry and the crap fell off and did not wear everything. All I can imagine it doing is to lube the rollers, because the O-rings seal the pins and keep them lubed. And pretty much the first time you head up the street any lube inside the rollers will get squeezed out and do nothing. I am at a point now where my time spent cleaning is worth more than a new chain.

What are your thoughts? Do you think it does anything or is it all just a marketing gimic? They get you twice, first the lube then the cleaning products

[ttc]

Change the chain lube, if it's making that much of a mess it's not worth it.
Try Belray.

[robracer]

I Use this stuff & its available at some supa cheeep shops

Their Blurb:
Hyper-strong, PTFE boosted, super light gel that protects your chain, leaving it with a bright, white, ‘as new’ finish. Resists high speed fling-off while providing exceptional anti-wear performance on chains and sprockets. Contains special additives to give maximum corrosion resistance, even in the most severe weather conditions.

[Phil]

3 replies 3 different recomendations - one similarity is they all use lube of some type. My Zed had 11K on it when I purchased it, the chain looked like it had never seen lube and was scrapped at 14, it was cactus. OE chains should never wear out under 25-30K even with hard use.

I use Maxima Chain Wax, its parafin wax based, clings on when applied to a warm chain and dries clear Has worked for me for the last 15 years.

[robracer]

Experience has shown me that chain Lubes have come a long way, I grew up using Belray & could not fault it until the new formulas of chain lube became available. The stuff pictured above sprays on white so for a start you can see what you have covered when applying your lube I tend to also use the colour as a guide & that is when it goes black & starts attracting dirt I clean the chain & re apply....... about once a month. I use Kero for cleaning the chain... apply scrub wipe off then dry before the new lube goes on. Every 6 months I will use a can of chain cleaner to do a really thorough job, its too expensive to use all the time. Now for the sake of the cost of a can of chain lube once a year I would rather use it than not use it, the benefits... no rust, minimal noise, little chance of chain failure (it does happen). I don't know how often you use your bike but I knew a bloke that would keep his bike spotless but it got to a point where he became anal about it & would not ride the bike for fear of getting it dirty.... was a farkin waste of a good bike.

[DaveGPz]

I use a chain wax (sick of cleaning black crap off the wheel); good soak with kero first, clean the chain then run it in first (centre stand helps) to throw the crap off, then apply the wax. I do the chain every 600k or so (basically every couple of weeks), and the chain on the Sprint wasn't new when I bought the bike and is still OK after 20,000k. Mr Sheen is good for getting the old stuff off the wheels.

[Mattjin]

Hmmm, I wasnt really after a recommendation, more a tongue in cheek poke at the mess they make when you dont do it right. I spent many years using many types of lubes. Thin, thick, wax, you name it....

I have some of the Motul clear chain lube which is not so bad, but the point was that some people must spray this stuff around like it is a deodarant commercial. A little yes, but enough to paint the bike black...NO! A little tip: Spray it on the inside of the chain, not the outside. I could see what the previous owner was doing, spraying the chain as it goes around the rear sprocket, then as he rides off straight away it flings off before the end of the street. Remember we are only lubing the rollers in the centre of the chain, not the whole chain itself. But seriously, after your next short ride take a moment when you stop to see how much lube you reckon is still left inside the rollers. For me, I tend to think it is like spraying tyre shine on the tread.

I am no nancy-boy who doesnt want to get the bike dirty, but honestly if I want to get dirty I have a Berg for that job. But for this chain on my bike now, I am choosing to not lube it at all and see how long it lasts. I am a rebel , lookout!!!! haha

[robracer]

I am choosing to not lube it at all and see how long it lasts. I am a rebel , lookout!!!! haha

Rebel attitude progress reports would be good, how about before & after pics of the rear sprocket to gauge wear with non maintenance.

[smithy5]

Now. After having ridden for around 25 years, with 24 of them offroad, I honestly never saw any chain live longer by using chain lube. Maybe on the road it might live longer being in a clean environment, but I know offroad all chain lube ever did was turn any chain into a lamington.

You answered your own question Don't blame the lube on the life of a chain. There is no point lubing a chain if you don't clean it when it gets full of crap.... So OFFROAD you would need to clean and relube you chain after every ride in order to extend the life of your chain and sprockets and on road whenever you ride in dusty or wet conditions........ The lube won't alter the life of the chain as much as the dirt and grit left in the chain will.....

[laidback]

I find the best way is to clean and lube the chain after a ride while it's still warm. I remember reading that somewhere on a can I think and it's supposed to let the lube settle before riding and that way less is flung off.

[Mattjin]

Now. After having ridden for around 25 years, with 24 of them offroad, I honestly never saw any chain live longer by using chain lube. Maybe on the road it might live longer being in a clean environment, but I know offroad all chain lube ever did was turn any chain into a lamington.

You answered your own question Don't blame the lube on the life of a chain. There is no point lubing a chain if you don't clean it when it gets full of crap.... So OFFROAD you would need to clean and relube you chain after every ride in order to extend the life of your chain and sprockets and on road whenever you ride in dusty or wet conditions........ The lube won't alter the life of the chain as much as the dirt and grit left in the chain will.....

I do blame the lube. No lube - no grit. Within 2 mins of hitting the dirt the chain is covered in sand, mud, wildlife, and pieces of slow riders who get in my way. So by your account I should pull over and clean everything then relube and continue the ride for another 2 mins, then repeat? After a 6 hour ride, 15 cans of chain lube and solvent, and half a dozen mates that want my head on a stick, I can maybe possibly extend the life of the chain?

Think of your engine. Do we just put some oil on the bearings once each ride? No, because it only lasts a few seconds then comes off. It needs continual application and pressure to remove wear. If the chain ran in an oil bath as our timing chains do they would probably last the life of the bike, but it doesnt. I would be glad to do a back to back testing but only clocking up ~4000km per year it might be a while before we get a result.

I am not being deadly serious here. Just trying to entertain and get a discussion going. If you like chain lube I am not telling everyone to stop, just trying to invoke some thought and have a bit of a p*ss take at the same time.

[robracer]

~4000km per year it might be a while before we get a result.

Ok.... I will check back on this thread in say 5 years time

[Glen]

I'm with ya on the dirt bikes. In all the years Chris raced we never put chain lube on a chain. We used to WD40 them but they were never O ring chains, just the cheapest thing you could get. Chain lube just causes all the dirt and crap to build up.

Totally different on a roady though. I clean mine with Kero and a paint brush every time I wash it. I've used that many chain lubes over the years and like most things it's personal preference but I reckon Motul is the ducks guts.

[hoffy]

kero clean every 2,000k's..light lube every 500k's or after rain..my oem chain lasted 45K..

Interested to see how no lube works though..keep us updated.

[Supafrog]

Hoffy... but what bike is your chain off ?


ie: it could be the same as comparing the chain off my *unspeakable brand* .,... with say a 250cc bike's chain..

my chain is heaps thicker,designed for less maintanence etc etc etc.