All motorcycle chains currently being manufactured use Buna-N (Nitrile) rubber for their o-rings and x-rings, and all the manufacturers recommend kerosene as a cleaner. (In the UK, the term paraffin that is in common use, is short for paraffin burning oil; kerosene to the rest of us. In the US anyway, paraffin is a word that describes a solid waxy material similar to beeswax.) Alternatively, you can use WD-40 that is composed of 80% Stoddard Solvent (that is similar to kerosene), 20% light lubricating oil, and a bit of fragrance. It's highly compatible with Buna-N (Nitrile) rubber. Q. If I use WD-40 to clean my chain, should I also use a chain lube afterwards? The answer depends on whether external chain lubrication is beneficial for a chain with internal grease sealed with o-rings, and perhaps how often you clean your chain. One school-of-thought believes that no additional lubrication is needed. The other believes that the sprocket and chain surfaces that do not have permanent grease also need to be lubricated. The chain manufacturers tell us that also lubricating the chain and sprocket surfaces will extend the life of these components. But a chain lube will sling-off unless designed to stick to the chain, so it needs to stay tacky. Consequently, it will also attract grit and road debris that, in turn, will accelerate wear faster than if you just have a clean unlubricated chain. Chain lube will also reduce power losses due to friction and shed water that leads to rust (and wear). If you live in a wet climate, you should probable use chain lube. A chain newly cleaned with WD-40 will have a coat of light oil that will effectively displace water and reduce surface corrosion of the links. It's a low viscosity oil so any excess will sling off easily, but will attract very little grit - much less that any chain lube - and it will have the same rolling friction as a number of chain lubes on the market. If you clean with a soft brush and WD-40, and then follow-up with a chain lube, you can reduce chain lube sling-off if you first remove the oil residue that WD-40 leaves. This residue seems to prevent some chain lube formulations from sticking well to the chain. Brake cleaner has been used to remove the WD-40 but its effect on the o-ring seals may vary between brands, so I guess we're back to following the chain manufacturer's recommendation to use inexpensive kerosene as the cleaner. Of course, all lubes need to cleaned off periodically to remove accumulated grit. Cleaning a really dirty chain after multiple applications of lube is a messy task often put off too long. Maintaining a clean chain is relatively easy, which is why a lot of owners just clean with WD-40 every few hundred miles, have a sparkling clean chain, and get good chain mileage. Your chain should be frequently inspected for wear, tight joints, missing or damaged o-rings, and wear or damage to the component parts, especially the connecting link that is often the "weak link". As it wears, it stretches, and should be replaced when it reaches the manufacturer's allowable limit, about 10%. |