• NEW USERS: If you haven't received your Confirmation Email: There has been an ongoing issue with the forum's send mail function and many new users haven't received the email to confirm their registration. I've done my best to manually process these, so there's a good chance if you've signed up in the past 30 days that you've already been validated and can proceed with posting on the forum (don't forget to introduce yourself!). If you still can't get in, please use the Contact Us link on the bottom of any page to send me a message and I'll process you manually. Thanks for your patience! ~Jerk

chain lube test

Laserman

Laserman

Well travelled
Staff member
Location
Yuba City, CA
I've been a chain wax user for many years. Just spray it on, wait 15 mins, and it's ready. Mine gets resprayed every 200-300 miles or if chain gets wet.

This usually results in my chains lasting so long that when it's time to replace them, I just do the sprockets too, because their teeth look like castle battlements!
 
Lost in the 60's

Lost in the 60's

Well travelled
Location
Mobile, Alabama
I finally got around to lubing my chain. I did it at 2470 miles. I'll probable do it more often from here on out. I decided to go with 80-90W Gear oil based on the Fortnine video. I used an old toothbrush to put it on which seemed to work pretty well. The synthetic gear oil was twice as much as the conventional, so I went with conventional. Going back to the thread about the sidestand/center stand it sure would have been a pain in the ass to lube the chain without the center stand.
 
CiscoGoodDog

CiscoGoodDog

Well travelled
Location
California, USA
I was skeptical, but it's hard to argue with the results. I may have to change my thinking. I'm a fan of WD40 for chain cleaning, but 90W stinks (literally). I'm sure I can get over the smell while thinking of all the money I'm saving :giggle:
 
m1ckDELTA

m1ckDELTA

Well travelled
Location
Someplace better.
Laserman said:
I've been a chain wax user for many years. Just spray it on, wait 15 mins, and it's ready. Mine gets resprayed every 200-300 miles or if chain gets wet.

This usually results in my chains lasting so long that when it's time to replace them, I just do the sprockets too, because their teeth look like castle battlements!
Click to expand...
Chain Wax should only be used on road bikes, not off-road.
 
Laserman

Laserman

Well travelled
Staff member
Location
Yuba City, CA
m1ckDELTA said:
Chain Wax should only be used on road bikes, not off-road.
Click to expand...
Who's opinion is that? I don't agree with it, not one bit! I know over a dozen people that use wax off-road with no problems whatsoever. The Maxima Chain Wax I use specifies it is for on- and off-road applications.

Here's a quote from a company that makes a spray wax and a spray lube as separate products:

If you’re going to be riding in especially wet, dusty, or dirty conditions, or if you prefer a lubricating agent that’s long-lasting, then chain wax is probably the best option for you. For the average road-rider, we recommend chain lube for its expediency. The fast-acting nature of a high-quality chain lube should allow you to ride within a few minutes. It’s important you take the time to consider your needs and pick an option that’s tailored towards your requirements.
Click to expand...
https://www.tru-tension.com/motorcycle-wax-vs-lube-whats-better/

Use what ya want to of course, just don't tell me with a straight face that I'm doing it wrong :p
 
Bluestrom13

Bluestrom13

Well travelled
Location
- - 'Coventry'
GJC said:
Going back to the thread about the sidestand/center stand it sure would have been a pain in the ass to lube the chain without the center stand.
Click to expand...
Loobman chain oiler. Problem solved. 10,000 miles now on original chain. One quarter turn on adjusters.

LoobMan Motorcycle Chain Oiler Loobman chain-oiler - Home page

LoobMan Motorcycle Chain Oiler - manual chain lubrication system suitable for chain-driven motorcycles of all types and sizes including O-Ring and X-Ring
www.loobman.co.uk
Delivers world wide.
 
R

Roy Gavin

Well travelled
Location
Adelaide Australia
I still have a insert which was in the Motor Cycle magasine in 1954 entitled Tips for young riders.
One of the tips was to use gear oil to lube your chain.
That was 66 years ago, nice to see FN catching up!
Might ask why if he thought gear oil was OK why he didn't try ATF , which after all is basically a very high quality gear oil. And looks very like Scottoiler fluid!
One day that guy is going to admit his posts were all comedy spoofs , and there are going to be a few red faces around!
 
T

tom_d

Well travelled
Location
US
Roy Gavin said:
I still have a insert which was in the Motor Cycle magasine in 1954 entitled Tips for young riders.
One of the tips was to use gear oil to lube your chain.
That was 66 years ago, nice to see FN catching up!
Might ask why if he thought gear oil was OK why he didn't try ATF , which after all is basically a very high quality gear oil. And looks very like Scottoiler fluid!
One day that guy is going to admit his posts were all comedy spoofs , and there are going to be a few red faces around!
Click to expand...
FortNine is fun and informative, but he does both really well. I thought that using the platform to highlight our broken USA safety standards for helmets was a service to the community.
I believe he tested solutions that were commonly used or had various claims of superiority as his testing group. He said the chain manufacturers recommended gear oil, that is what I use now as it is the most economical and appears correct for my situation.
I suspect extremely dusty and sandy situations might benefit from a more “dry” protection as a lot of the hard work of lubrication is now sealed in the o/x-ring chains these days so the oil’s job may have shifted a bit towards surface protection.
I do wonder how ATF would perform, but it’s thinner so would likely fling off more easily. I also imagine would open up debate about which particular ATF was used or not used.
One thing that has changed since the 50’s, o-ring chains being commonly used. It is cool to see that gear oil is still a great option after all this time and change.
 
C

Colin

Total noob
Location
Scotland
Roy Gavin said:
I still have a insert which was in the Motor Cycle magasine in 1954 entitled Tips for young riders.
One of the tips was to use gear oil to lube your chain.
That was 66 years ago, nice to see FN catching up!
Might ask why if he thought gear oil was OK why he didn't try ATF , which after all is basically a very high quality gear oil. And looks very like Scottoiler fluid!
One day that guy is going to admit his posts were all comedy spoofs , and there are going to be a few red faces around!
Click to expand...
Well the main difference between gear oil and ATF, is gear oil is heavy and designed to stick to gear teeth and not get “flung” off.
ATF is not even close to gear oil, it much closer to Hydraulic oil, an old style automatic gearboxes are actually hydraulic and work on fluid shear. ATF would get flung of a high speed chain where gear oil would stay attached.
The main reason that “Scott oilers” work is because people are generally lazy and don’t carry out maintenance regularly, so the chain ends up rusty seised and trash the sprockets. A Scottoiler is much simpler as its easily topped up and is a constant feed onto the chain, the fluid Needs to be thinner in viscosity to drip at a better pace and the chain is constantly being lubricated.
 
R

Roy Gavin

Well travelled
Location
Adelaide Australia
Fling off is what works best, the lube is applied to the inside and works to the outside then flings off taking the dirt with it.
What you are lubing is the O or X ring seals which retain the factory lube, nothing gets past them and in to lube the chain internals.
And as long as you maintain the seal a chain will last a long time , with a Scottoiler up high I have had over 100,000 km out of a chain, around six times longer than the PO got with spray grease.
FWIW most types of ATF have more seal conditioners than gear oil, which might be the main advantage, my point was that a enquiring mind doing a proper review would have considered and asked someone who knew ------.
And the helmet thing has been around for over thirty years, and has been covered much better many times.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom