[xBhp Universal Thread]: Lubricating your chain

[ehud]

Step 1
Assuming that you ride without your chain cover (if you do then mores the pity!) you will have noticed that after a matter of time your chain gets positively filthy! To clean it you will need some diesel fuel, a can of WD40, a toothbrush (hard bristles, read cheapest you can buy), old newspapers and some 2T oil.

After putting your bike on the centre stand, liberally douse the chain with diesel and go over every link vigorously with the toothbrush. After getting most of the dirt off, wipe the chain clean with a rag.

Step 2
After the chain is relatively clean spray the chain and the front sprocket (you have to jam your hand sideways to do this) liberally with WD40. After letting the chain sit for 10 -15 mins wipe the chain clean with a rag. You will notice by this time that the chain itself now rolls quite smoothly, as WD40 is a lubricating-cum-cleansing agent.

Step 3
After letting the chain dry for a while, carefully put 2T oil over every link while slowly rolling your rear tire. NEVER try to start your bike and put it in gear and save yourself some labour. Most of us use larger rear tires and if your tire is thick enough your bike will suddenly take off leaving you behind in a cloud of dust! Worse, the bike may suddenly get passionate and leap on you with surprising ferocity, the results are truly undesirable!

Step 4
You will notice the next day that the oil has slipped off the chain and the chain is still very clean. This is due to the effect of the WD40. However, the chain now moves more freely because your links now have oil between them. Of course, your rear rim will be filthy as hell due to the oil getting thrown off your chain!

Now, for the best part - buy yourself a half litre tin of Castrol Bearing Grease (High Melting Point). This is the grease that is black and very thick, not the yellow multipurpose grease. Now scoop out some grease with your finger (any finger!) and jam the grease into the chain, rollers and all! Make sure you grease either side of the chain and also the part that goes under the sprocket, not only over it.

Step 5
Now take your bike out for a spin and feel the difference


[u][u]
The downside</u>
Your chain gets dirty faster.

[u]The upside</u>
A smoother ride.
A much better top end!

[reactor]

the term here of most significance is "viscosity".
the oil provides lubrication but the viscosity of the oil is so thin that it does not match the use it is going to be put to...on the other hand, it works very fine with more gentle areas like engine lubrication. thus, in case of chain, grease scores.
in the case of ball bearings, the viscosity of grease is even higher for the balls to stick back yet be free enough for frictionless movement.
so it entirely depends upon the use you are going to put it in.
the oil used in lubrication of watch components has viscosity thinner than (or equal to) water..!!!

[koolsun216]

how bout sae 90 gear oil, i use it its pretty good!i wud try the wd40 idea though thnx man!

[bhatiaj]

Hey,

what abt bullets, their chains are open & the chains get oiled automatically as the bikes are being ridden..........

[EL LOCO DIABLO]

Nice guide this, i clean my chain every week similarly by following steps 1 and 3, but this guide you've given here should last a bit longer if i'm not mistaken, but by the time you clean the rear wheel clean of all the oil and grit, it'll nearly break you back

[Aryan]

@El Loco: Which grade of oil is recommended for the drive-chain of the P-200? Is it 90 grade oil or something else? Any specific brand of lubricant that I can use like may be, Shell, Motul or perhaps something else??

[EL LOCO DIABLO]

It's SAE90 oil only, i use Pennzoil..........stinks like hell, but does the job well, it's also given in your manual check out pg 20 under "Drive Chain" heading

[mithun]

Chain Cleaning - The Perfect Method

Today, when I had given my Pulsar 150 v2 for service, the service guy asked whether to clean the chain or not(Cost: Rs.75). I asked him to clean it since it was not cleaned for the last 10,000 KMS although I'm always using the chain cover.

When I asked him how they are going to clean it, he replied that they won't completely remove the chain from the sprockets and put it in kerosene but will clean the individual linkages and afterward use the chain cleaning spray. That's it !

Is this the right method for Indian conditions for bikes with chain guards ?

[Sunny]

Topics Merged

[Technocrat]

Wow Sucha lovely & informative thread this was, Thanks for reviving this Sunny

[winzeee]

Thanks dude keep up the good work

Cheers W

[ashvin]

Little Help here. Noob in these matters

Well.I own a Pulasr 220 2008 make. I dont normally clean my chain but i used to oil my chain every week but oil used to screw up my rear tyres. So i bought a Cyclo Silicon Spray. Is it recommended?? Is it worth using and how exactly do i wash the chain with diesiel? Dipping the brush and wiping the chain???

[dcs]

cleaning the chain!

Well, chain being one of the most Vital Component that affects your bike's overall performance needs a bit of extra Care too.
I have removed My Bike's Chain Cover and still manage to keep the chain fit and fine.
a very simple way..... cost effective too.

Step no. 1: Use a Garden Spray to liberally douse/spray Diesel on the chain.
make sure, you allow the diesel to penetrate every link possible.

thoda sa tyre ghumaoo!! thoda Aurr!! haan, bass ab thoda Aurr!! to make sure diesel gets on the entire chain.

now let the bike rest for some time.

Step no. 2: Now use Gear Oil 90 No. wala and use your Finger to apply the Gear oil Not very liberally over the chain, on the surface that meets the sprocket.


my Idea of using Diesel over petrol: Diesel is a wonderful cleaning agent, plus it is a bit less Rough as compared to Petrol or Thinner, so, it somehow provides a better cleaning whereby ensuring that a very thin layer of lubrication gets on the chain.

my Idea of using Gear Oil 90 No.over Grease/Chain Spray etc: Grease is wonderful to lubricate but would get thrown off at higher speeds(if using a yellow multi purpose), plus, it attracts more dirt. Chain Spray on the other hand are good but for a poor guy like me...No good! Other oils: well, they just wont stick to the chain at higher speeds, resulting in soiling of clothes and all.
Gear Oil 90 No. on the other hand is Just sooooo cheap.... aprox 50 per liter( am talking about a Desi Gear oil, not a branded one), is as viscous as Grease in winters. Has better lubricating effect as compared to grease, doesnot get thrown off easily, wont get washed away while spray cleaning the Bike, does get less viscous when your chain is going at higher speeds, but it still manages to be there, doing its job wonderfully.

Best results are obtained when you spray clean the chain with diesel at night time and apply Gear Oil 90 the next Morning.


P.S: the above contents are from Yours Truly, not supported by any technical data.

[Speed matters]

Cleaning the chain of FZ 16

Guys can you recommend what to use for my FZ 16, because it has a nacked chain & recently rust is appearing on it.

[onlinesatish]

***Bump***

This is one wonderful thread. i hope all Pulsar and RTR owners use this thread for chain related queries!