• A few people have been scammed on the site, Only use paypal to pay for items for sale by other members. If they will not use paypal, its likely a scam NEVER SEND E-TRANSFERS OF ANY KIND.

Question Chain maintenance

Disagree. The pins run thru the bushings on which the rollers spin. See diagram. The rollers do not have sealed in lube. Go check Your chain and see how easily the rollers move side to side.

Yes, but chain wear that lengthens it comes from pins and bushings wearing against each other and the side plates, not the rollers.

Page 4 third paragraph and the illustration from:

 
Yes, but chain wear that lengthens it comes from pins and bushings wearing against each other and the side plates, not the rollers.

Page 4 third paragraph and the illustration from:


Fair enough I agree that worn pins will lengthen the chain, but they are as lubed by the sealed in grease as they can be. . Perhaps we are at cross purposes. My point on the rollers is that if they are not lubed then they will bind on the bushings and create friction that in turn will cause too much heat buildup on the chain. Binding rollers will also do the sprockets no good. They also make for a noisy chain.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MZ5
Haven't had a chain drive bike in many years. I installed a Tutoro oiler before I rode the NC. Works perfectly. The chain stays clean, lubed, and corrosion free.
No chain maintenance other than an occasional tension/deflection check. https://www.tutorochainoiler.com
 
Haven't had a chain drive bike in many years. I installed a Tutoro oiler before I rode the NC. Works perfectly. The chain stays clean, lubed, and corrosion free.
No chain maintenance other than an occasional tension/deflection check. https://www.tutorochainoiler.com
I am also a lover of chain oilers. I have a Scottoiler E system they don’t come much dearer, but it keeps my chain in tiptop condition and cuts out the messy job of cleaning it manually. I swap it from bike to bike.
 
Tutoro on my bike too. Simple. It just works. Some fling, but the fling is not burdensome. I clean the bike only when the mud gets built up and then it's just a hose down. So a messy rear wheel doesn't register as a problem.
 
Tutoro on my bike too. Simple. It just works. Some fling, but the fling is not burdensome. I clean the bike only when the mud gets built up and then it's just a hose down. So a messy rear wheel doesn't register as a problem.
The "fling off" is how an oiler cleans the chain. Dirt just flings off with the oil as it migrates over the chain. I use about 50 ml of oil in 1000 miles. I hose off the bike when the bugs get really thick on it.
 
Get your money out. This is not the cheapest stuff but I find it works great. Notice the coil brush cleaner that come with the chain cleaner works too good to be true.Then wash and apply the good Honda chain lube and you are in business. Doesn’t fling off and doesn’t stick dirt.17CB3621-D7D6-495D-9A9F-354B7547CFE8.jpeg
 
So how does the pressure in the can make the brush rotate? Does the cleaner come out simultaneously?

;)
 
Get your money out. This is not the cheapest stuff but I find it works great. Notice the coil brush cleaner that come with the chain cleaner works too good to be true.Then wash and apply the good Honda chain lube and you are in business. Doesn’t fling off and doesn’t stick dirt.View attachment 44934
I get a real chuckle out of the cleaner can’s wording, “O.E.M. Approved“. Is there some fine print that goes with that? Which OEM(s), OEM of what, what is it about the product that was approaved?
 
That is funny. (-:
Easy to justify, though. OEM does NOT mean Honda (or Suzuki or Kawi, or…). It means Original Equipment Manufacturer, which means ANY of the contract manufacturers Honda or anyone else might use, in addition to Honda themselves. If Tirox or whatever their name is ‘approves’ their own product, and if they make any product for almost anyone, including for consumers, then they are an OEM and so the statement is true.
 
Ryan F9 on Fortnine does a great job of talking about all the issues on Youtube so you can make a better choice.

There is no easy answer. I use machine oil once in a while, and chain wax most of the time. The machine oil penetrates the metal and flushes the chain out. The chain wax is a day-to-day thing that simply works without all the mess.

Do it wrong and you snap your chain... and nobody wants that. If you use a detergent to flush your chain out, keep this in mind. O-rings soak up the detergent.

The debate is open on power washers and plastic brushes. But know this. A lot of oil and a soft blue mechanics towel works pretty good.

Try taking your rear wheel off for a tire change and spin the chain around soaking it in an oil bath. Use a plastic pan. There is absolutely no harm in that. It will do a better job and you will never worry about what that detergent did to your chain again.
The whole concept of an oring chain is to seal the factory lube in at the critical wear points.

So........flushing or brushing or power wash defeats the oring seals and causes the chain fail prematurely.

Light oil or chain lube on the chain just enough to prevent rust might just be the preferred method.

If your going to consider auto chain lube systems........you have to consider over lube attracts dust and dirt, forming nature’s best lapping/grinding compound to destroy the chain.


prior internet posts
O-rings were included as a way to improve lubrication to the links of power transmission chains, a service that is vitally important to extending their working life. These rubber fixtures form a barrier that holds factory applied lubricating grease inside the pin and bushing wear areas.
 

Attachments

  • E4397CFD-32B8-4D5F-87DA-EDFA69ABC4E2.jpeg
    E4397CFD-32B8-4D5F-87DA-EDFA69ABC4E2.jpeg
    391.6 KB · Views: 10
If your going to consider auto chain lube systems........you have to consider over lube attracts dust and dirt, forming nature’s best lapping/grinding compound to destroy the chain.
I use an auto oiler and ride on dirt roads sometimes. I find that the slow continuous oiling flings off, carrying dirt with it. My chain never looks like it needs cleaning. There is only a thin film of oil that remains on the chain as the lube applied is a fluid, not sticky grease. The oil is applied to the rear sprocket and flows through and over the chain from centrifugal force. The rubber O or X ring seals seem to stay in great condition. I really like the auto lube approach.
 
I have a 1972 Yamaha DS7 cafe racer. The engine as far as I know has not had any work done for its 13,000 or so miles. When I was building the bike I found that the output shaft seal was leaking. I thought about replacing it but realized that it was leaking just the right amount of oil to keep the chain wet.
 
I've been hot waxing my bicycle chains for some 35 years with spectacular results. The reason wax works so well with chains is dirt and contaminants are the primary cause of chain wear. Hot waxing excludes dirt better than anything else, as well as being more efficient than any lubricant.

While hot dipping is not practical for motorcycle chains, the spray wax lubes are the next best thing. They clean the important rubbing parts of the chain (who cares about the external parts) and add lubricant and volume helping to exclude dirt entry.

I don't have a brand recommendation but for bicycles new "improved" variations come out every year. The issue is the solvent to wax proportion. More solvent means less wax volume deposited internally. Oil based additives only make things worse. I tried my own mixes in hot dip wax, and every single one made the chain dirtier. Mind you, I haven't seen such mixes on the typical motorcycle spray wax brands yet.

The one downfall to wax is poor life in rain versus oil, just not sticky (which is also its main virtue). My NC chain life has been good between applications (and total life), but I try to avoid even wet roads.
 
I've been hot waxing my bicycle chains for some 35 years with spectacular results. The reason wax works so well with chains is dirt and contaminants are the primary cause of chain wear. Hot waxing excludes dirt better than anything else, as well as being more efficient than any lubricant.

While hot dipping is not practical for motorcycle chains, the spray wax lubes are the next best thing. They clean the important rubbing parts of the chain (who cares about the external parts) and add lubricant and volume helping to exclude dirt entry.

I don't have a brand recommendation but for bicycles new "improved" variations come out every year. The issue is the solvent to wax proportion. More solvent means less wax volume deposited internally. Oil based additives only make things worse. I tried my own mixes in hot dip wax, and every single one made the chain dirtier. Mind you, I haven't seen such mixes on the typical motorcycle spray wax brands yet.

The one downfall to wax is poor life in rain versus oil, just not sticky (which is also its main virtue). My NC chain life has been good between applications (and total life), but I try to avoid even wet roads.
What is your NC’s typical chain life in miles?
 
I've only replaced the chain once at 15K. Current chain is 10K and it looks like it will go to 20K. Nothing special - just random brands of spray wax lubes. I relube seldom, just when I can hear increased chain noise or actual squeaking (as I do on my bicycles).

So some caveats besides random internet guy posting, my experience is mostly bicycle chains. I almost never ride my motorcycle in inclement weather or on wet roads. I also limit my speed to 65 mph and would assume that has chain life benefits over faster riders. I do accelerate briskly, but shift well before redline.
 
Back
Top