what do you put on your chain?

Its been a long time since i had to look after a chain driven bike, at that time it was a road bike and there was little choice in what you used ( Fat from cooked boerewors or ransid butter).
Now there are non fling grease's , wax and other stuff, with all the off road dust that clings to the chain and dries it out or sand that just removes all evidence of lubrication what is best ? any sugestions

I use Castrol chain wax. Works good for me

Mud. Well, that is what is on 90% of the time, so seems to work...

Any wax.

dakardrix wrote:Mud. Well, that is what is on 90% of the time, so seems to work...

Any wax.

I new we had it right Mud

So wax is the new stuf. Does dirt and sand stick to it?

martin wrote:So wax is the new stuf. Does dirt and sand stick to it?

Salesmen will tell you it won't, but it will! I believe lesser so with wax than with lube though

Thanks Sias

Some interesting arguments for both...

http://www.riderforums.com/archive/index.php/t-953.html

But personally I use either as long as I can spray it on! (mostly lube, though)

Interesting read! I think you must decide wat is most important to you. Lube surely provides better protection…but flings more. I’ve heard “the more it flings the better it protects and the less it flings the less it protects”. I am happy with the protection the wax provides (with little to no fling). I get at least 20 000km on a chain and sprockets set which is good enough for me.

The problem i see with the lube is that although it is working on the road when we go off road the dust clings to it, turning it into grinding past and dries out the chain, that fine dust sucks up the lube like cement powder sucks oil from a race track. not sure if wax is dry and therefore will not have so much dust stick to it?

From all I read and my own experience, lubrication, X-ring, O-ring, etc. are overrated. Any lube, even gear oil or whatever helps, I try and stick to between 500 and 1,000km or after a decent wash/mud ride and use wax cause it is less messy.

But I don't stress about it. And changed my chain on the 800 at 32,000km, only because it was unevenly stretched, not finished.

I have heard several guys just put a little water repellent oil (Q20 or WD40) on the chain after washing it to prevent rusting. The do not use any wax or lube as it is believed to only make grinding paste. According to them (both guys are experienced racers) that is the longest life they get from the chain.

The O-ring and X-rings are sealed with the lubrication in any case.

This will not work for non ring chains.

dakardrix wrote:From all I read and my own experience, lubrication, X-ring, O-ring, etc. are overrated. Any lube, even gear oil or whatever helps, I try and stick to between 500 and 1,000km or after a decent wash/mud ride and use wax cause it is less messy.

But I don't stress about it. And changed my chain on the 800 at 32,000km, only because it was unevenly stretched, not finished.

Hey! Maybe you can put some of that "any lube" around your wheel bearing seals too - to keep some of the water out

Watch it! Your 1200 is due for its chain service somewhere in the near future I guess!!

Most of the 'laaities' who have posted above would not know / remember the practice in the 60's and early 70's for lubricating a chain...

The best method was to coil the chain up in an old tin of Cobra floor wax - with a lid. The tin first had a lot of grease put in it. The tin was then put onto the wife's / mother's stove and heated up until the grease melted. If it did not cover the chain completely, then more grease was added until it did cover. The heat was maintained on low until all air bubbles stopped coming out of the chain links.

The tin with the chain in melted grease was then removed from the stove and allowed it to cool on a couple of folded-up newspapers - so you didn't burn the counter top. When the grease set again and was cool enough to handle, you hooked the chain out and used a 'lappie' to wipe off the excess before fitting it to the 'bark' again.

So what was the lid for?

Firstly it was to seal the tin off after you had finished - so that you could do it again with the next chain.
Secondly you kept it handy in case the grease caught fire on the stove (while you were fetching another Lion Lager from the old fridge out in the garage.) If this happened, you bravely and deftly closed off the top of the tin and the fire would burn out inside.

Of course, if you were not deft about it, you upset the tin, spilled the burning grease all over the stove, the floor and yourself. This would result in a claim from the insurance for the burned-out kitchen / house and a visit to the casualty department at the hospital. It also cost you the love and affection of your wife / mother for a few weeks at least!

The grease-impregnated links of the chain seemed to do the trick and the 'manne' could turn on the throttle and get the rear wheel to spin easily (and the chain to stretch unevenly). Of course, nowadays the power output is twice what those older engines produced and so the chains are bigger and wider, made from better steel with o-rings and already impregnated with grease or other lubricant.

You kids of today have it so easy...

.....thank goodness!

What NOT to do.......!! (Don't open if you are easily offended by graphic pics )

See: http://www.gixxer.com:80/forums/showthread.php?t=242261

Sjoe!!!!

I knew this chain thing would get ugly at some point .

When i bought my first BMW in the early 80s' i was spoilt for never having to worry about a chain, The conditions that road and off road bikes operate under makes normal sticky chain lube not the best, You have given much valid info, thanks, i am going to try the wax and give the finger tip a miss

Looks like I may have to start using chain lube again in the future!

...tell more?

What do you put on your chain...

How about a nice BMW medallion.?