Cleaning Chains?

[jayklink]

I'm going to start some winter bike chores. Never had to worry about cleaning chains before with having shaft drives. Anyone have good products and tips to suggest the best way to clean/lube a bike chain?

[Jerry]

Depends on the chain type. "Traditional" chains used to be cleaned/lubed by soaking them in a pan of hot oil. Let chain soak/sit in hot oil for several hours. A yard-sale pot works fine along with a hot plate to heat it. Must have a well-ventilated area, do not do this in the house! Wipe the chain down before you re-install it.

"O"ring chains may be treated the same way as long as the "O-Ring can take the imersion in oil. However, I've never owned a "modern" chain, so don't take this as gospel. I seem to recall that some chains are 'permanently' lubricated, so wiping down the outside surfaces is all you are supposed to do.

See if you can find a manufacture name on the chain and check their web page for lubing/cleaning instructions.

[sixtysix]

Most manufacturers recommend kerosene for cleaning modern o-ring chains, a lot of guys use WD40 as well.

[Mike Hart]

If it's an o-ring (or x-ring) chain and it is really nasty, a chain brush with kerosene will do the trick. WD40 is mostly kerosene, but costs a lot more per gallon

I got really good life out of my original chain using motor oil to lube it, and keeping it clean and adjusted. I tried all kinds of chain lube, chain wax, etc, but they all made so much clinging gunk that when I got it good and clean and started using oil on it everything stayed much cleaner.

Your FZR600 must have an o-ring chain...