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Time for chain replacement?

LanceK

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I’ve been noticing some kinks in my chain lately and wanted some opinions on if I should change the chain or not. 2014 with 4,800 miles on it. I lube the chain every other tank (400-500miles) I was using gear oil, but couldn’t help but use too much, so I switched to DuPont chain saver. I only rub the chain down with an old rag and never give it a good cleaning.

Enough talk, pictures attached, let me know what you think I should do.DA0201BB-25F1-4C64-96BD-C3C48F1502AE.jpegB2B0EB37-093A-4FE5-A6DD-C2B935E411A8.jpegF76ADF6F-2AE1-4AF0-A7C2-3EE97FA868FE.jpeg777AA72A-802F-4477-AAEE-B1FF601F058E.jpeg
 
4800 miles seems extremely short life to be seeing kinks. I take it this is the original “cheap” OEM chain, but I would still expect maybe 10,000 miles from it. That said though, I wouldn’t call for change replacement based on the relatively minor kinking seen at this time. Keep it lubed and as you have, don’t use cleaning solvents, and monitor the chain condition for awhile. I have run old chains with a few kinks for thousands of miles more if they aren’t severe.
 
...and never give it a good cleaning.
If you've never cleaned the chain well, do so first. 8-year-old chain - it has the right to be a little rusty, which you may not see.
If you are still not satisfied, change the chain to a new one. Something less to worry about.
By looking closely at your photos the chain is indeed very dirty or rusty.
 
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I may just give it a good cleaning. The back tire is wearing flat in the center (not many curves in the roads here). When I swap the back tire I might just go with new chains and sprockets.
 
What you can see here maybe can be cleaned from the outside, but what about the rest from the inside?

chain 1.jpeg
 
O-ring chains only need lube on the outside to stop rusting and cushion the rollers on the sprockets. The O-rings keep the lube in and dirt out of the pins and rollers where it is needed. With less than 5K I would not worry about it now but the kinks are showing you to start looking into a new one.
 
I think, in general, cleaning will shorten a chain’s life. My current chain has 9500 miles on it, no kinks, and I’ve never cleaned it. Dirt does get wiped off the exterior plates when I wipe on new gear oil. In this case from post #1, the links are kinking because the interior lubricant is no longer effective or the pins and bushings have already galled up. Cleaning is not going to help. Worst case, it can wash out more lubricant and/or damage o-rings. I’d say the chain in the OP’s photos looks pretty clean as it is.

But, chain threads are like oil threads. No consensus on best practices will be reached.
 
I may just give it a good cleaning. The back tire is wearing flat in the center (not many curves in the roads here). When I swap the back tire I might just go with new chains and sprockets.
I'd save your money on the sprockets. The oem sprockets will likely wear out another chain before they actually need replaced themselves. I put a new chain on one of my NC's at around 9k miles. Went ahead and ordered new sprockets too without really looking at my current sprockets....wasted money, it didn't need them. I swapped them out anyways and kept the oem sprockets for spares. Both the oem front and rear sprocket are still in great shape, now, just laying on a shelf in my shop.
 
I'd save your money on the sprockets. The oem sprockets will likely wear out another chain before they actually need replaced themselves. I put a new chain on one of my NC's at around 9k miles. Went ahead and ordered new sprockets too without really looking at my current sprockets....wasted money, it didn't need them. I swapped them out anyways and kept the oem sprockets for spares. Both the oem front and rear sprocket are still in great shape, now, just laying on a shelf in my shop.
I totally agree; save your money on the sprockets. I changed my front sprocket at 37,400 miles, but I‘m not sure it needed changing. My NC‘s original rear sprocket is still on the bike at 61,000 miles. I may replace the rear sprocket in the next 10,000 miles.
 
That chain is kinked and will only get worse, not better. I say buy a replacement and change it when you change the rear tire (or before if it gets worse).
I too bought sprockets and a chain together. I have 11,000 miles on the OEM chain and no kinks so far. I'll decide when the time comes if I change only the chain or the chain & sprockets. It sounds like from others' experiences that I may have a couple of new sprockets just sitting on the shelf in the garage.
 
"they say" replace chain and sprockets at same time, but my opinion is it depends on how the sprockets look. Stock sprockets are steel. If they are not misshapen (worn and hooked) just put on a new chain. The next time it needs a new chain, then replace them both. No way at 4800 miles could the OP's sprockets be worn enough to require replacement.
 
"they say" replace chain and sprockets at same time, but my opinion is it depends on how the sprockets look. Stock sprockets are steel. If they are not misshapen (worn and hooked) just put on a new chain. The next time it needs a new chain, then replace them both. No way at 4800 miles could the OP's sprockets be worn enough to require replacement.
About what “they say”, if I sold chains and sprockets for a living I would advise all customers to replace the sprockets with each and every chain replacement. Then I would hopefully get customers to repeat that advice in internet forum discussions to make it universal. Then I‘d sit back and watch my business grow.
 
Two of my Hondas purchased new had kinks like this almost from the getgo. One was my former CRF250L and the other is my current X-Adv. They were indeed the cheap OEM chains and both bikes were purchased around the same time. At first when I saw the kinks I was concerned. However the chain wasn't "stretching" on the X-Adv and didn't have any tight spots of concern. The chain on the 250 did need occasional adjustment, but that was not unexpected given that the bike was used offroad a lot and in the end the front sprocket forced a change at around 12,000 kms.

I monitored the chain on the X-Adv and kept it lubed using Wurth HHS2000 sprayable grease and an occasional "treat" with chainsaw oil. Contrary to a lot of opinion, Oring chains do need lubing, but only for the interaction between the rollers and the bushings on which they roll. The pins do of course have sealed in grease, but they are contained within the aforementioned bushings. Anyway the chain on the X-Adv hung in there, kinks and all. I eventually changed that chain and sprockets at 33,000Kms and again it was the front sprocket that forced the change.

From what I can see of the OP's chain, it is no different to the condition of mine as mentioned above. Accordingly if the bike was mine I would not be in a hurry just yet to replace the chain set at such low mileage. Btw I hardly ever clean a chain. The important moving parts of a well lubed chain are more or less self cleaning and my experience is that grime only gathers on the outside of the side plates. I have been known to clean them off with an oily rag.
 
I had the problem with the occasional kink in the chain on a fairly new bike. I loosened the rear wheel so the chain had a fair amount of slack, lubed it really well (excessively) and manipulated the kinks.

It didn’t cure the problem, but it certainly reduced the amount of kink in the links.
 
So I cleaned and lubed the chain. I was moving the stiff links back and forth and then I thought about how that happens every time the chain goes around, then I got to figuring how many times it goes around for every mile I drive…. Got a little side tracked. I have a new chain on the shelf now, so I’ll just keep an eye on this one and change it if I notice the chain getting worse.

As an experiment I lubed the chain with automatic transmission fluid, the quick ride I did after the lube showed to have less sling than gear oil, so I’ll wait and see how it looks after a long ride.
 
This is my original chain and sprocket on 2014 with 14,000km. I have only cleaned it once and lube it about every 1000 km. What you guys think??? Looks good to me and sprockets seem fine. Bought this bike brand new in 2020. They liquidate excess stock at the Honda dealership up here in Canada. 12531455-4D56-41E9-99F3-A577AA665064.jpeg
 
The photo is very grainy so I personally can’t see enough detail regarding the sprocket. Will say I’ve never had a chain that looks as dirty as that on any of my bikes, but I’ve rarely ridden any of them off road.
 
This is my original chain and sprocket on 2014 with 14,000km. I have only cleaned it once and lube it about every 1000 km. What you guys think??? Looks good to me and sprockets seem fine. Bought this bike brand new in 2020. They liquidate excess stock at the Honda dealership up here in Canada. View attachment 50016
Sprocket looks good to me
 
This is my original chain and sprocket on 2014 with 14,000km. I have only cleaned it once and lube it about every 1000 km. What you guys think??? Looks good to me and sprockets seem fine. Bought this bike brand new in 2020. They liquidate excess stock at the Honda dealership up here in Canada. View attachment 50016
Could just be me, but that chain looks like it's a little on the tight side. Hard to tell.
 
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