July 27, 2011

Cleaning Motorbike Chain, Sprockets, Lubricating | Motorbike Chian Maintenance

Motorbike Chian Maintenance:
How to Clean a Motorcycle Chain and Lube its ? How to take proper maintenance of your Motorbike Chain?

Your motorbike chain cleaning made easy. Want to clean and lube the drive chain yourself. Here are simple tips for cleaning O-ring chain. These are simple tips to help you clean and libricate your motor bikes chain.


 

Important: Wear safety gloves & eye wear and keep your fingers away from moving sprocket.

Follow these instructions when the engine is cool.

1) Place bike on main stand, fire-up engine, and shift to first gear.

2) Spray WD-40 generously between the link plates and not just on the rollers and pins.
Note: hold a cardboard in a manner that it shields the rear disc from any overspray from both the WD-40 spray can and the lubricant spray can later.


* Best position for spraying is the back of the rear sprocket, one side of the chain, at a time.
* Use the light green colored chain split link lock as an indicator for each loop cycle of the chain.
* Let the wheel rotate with engine running in first gear on main stand for a few minutes.
* This helps WD-40 to penetrate the dirt and grime on the chain.
* Using WD-40 when the chain is cool prevents it from penetrating the O-Rings.

3) Kill engine and shift to neutral.

4) Use a discarded toothbrush to scrub on, below and between the chain link plates to remove all dirt.

5) Fire-up engine again and shift to first gear.

6) Spray WD-40 generously between the link plates, this time, till it starts dripping.

7) Let the chain rotate in first gear on main stand for another few minutes.

8) You can run the engine in high gear on main stand for a few minutes.

* This will forcefully remove excess WD-40, muck, dirt, grime and slime on and in between the chain link plates.

9)Switch off the engine and put the bike in neutral.

10) Wipe clean chain with an absorbent cotton cloth sprayed with WD-40.

* The lettering in bold is for those following instructions 9-12 consecutively.

Important: Keep your fingers away from moving sprocket.


* After the static high-gear run, the engine gets hot and the chain gets warm.

11) Kill engine and shift to neutral.

12) Lubricate with your choice of chain lube, in between each chain link plate while chain is still warm.

* Best position for lubrication is the back of the main sprocket, one side of the chain, at a time.
* Use the light green colored chain split link lock as an indicator for each loop cycle of the chain.
* Let the lube soak-in as it cools overnight, the lube penetrates better.
* If you do not want to lube the chain frequently, use EP140 gear oil.
* Use EP90 gear oil if you can spare some time to lube your chain regularly.

Please note:

* For really dirty chains and those who have used chain sprays and grease, use steps 1-12 just the first time.
* Thereafter, use steps 9-12 at regular odometer intervals.
* For new bikes and clean chains, follow steps 9-12 only at regular odometer intervals.
* Follow these instructions at regular intervals of your odometer reading just as an oil change interval.
* Follow this chain maintenance procedure to always keep your O-Ring chain clean and optimized.

Important tips:

* Using discarded engine oil on your O-Ring chain shows poor disregard for an important component of your bike.

* Apply chain lube after a ride, while the chain is warm, and soaks in as it cools.
* Keep in mind that the lube has to cling-on specifically to the O-Rings and the chain in general.
* The O-Rings should ideally be moist with lube for the chain to perform optimally.
* WD in WD-40 stands for water displacement, same as in moisture removal.
* WD-40 is used as cleaner and not as lubricant; when the chain is cool, to prevent penetration inside the O-Rings.
* After cleaning and thoroughly wiping off WD-40, the chain is sufficiently lubed.
* Keep the lube & cleaner away from the tire rubber, alloys, brake disc & pads.
* Do not use any abrasive solvents, detergents, scrubs or metallic brushes on the chain.
* Diesel is definitely preferable over Kerosene.
* Do not grease an O-Ring chain.
* Most chain lube sprays are, lube based super sticky glues or so they seem (in my opinion).
* Just as engine oil is changed at regular odometer intervals, the chain should be lubed too at similar intervals.
* O-Ring chains are factory lubed internally and sealed.
* Its better to follow the recommendations of an O-Ring chain manufacturer than that of a bike manufacturer.
* Any lube that is not too sticky and gummy is preferable.


One more important point, in my opinion, this is also the safest, fastest and cleanest procedure. (Except for the dripping WD-40, a blackened toothbrush & cloth)

List of the items used:

a) Safety glasses which I already had.
b) Safety gloves for Rs.51/-
c) Lint free cloth for Rs.15/- * Youcould use a large sized sponge too - same price.
d) Small WD-40 can for Rs.55/-
e) HP EP90 Gear Oil for Rs.81/- for 500ml.

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