Chain cleaning question?

[Jeremichi]

Can you use brake cleaner to clean your chain?  If not what is a good solvent to clean the chain with?

[JohNLA]

Do not know about brake fluid but the manual recomends kerasine(sp). I use WD40 and some ppl use just soap and water. Do not use gas if you have a stock o-ring chain. It will destroy the o-rings.

[pantablo]

use brake fluid ONLY to clean brake parts.

Chain maintenance info:
http://pantablo500.tripod.com/pablosgs500page/id9.html

[Adam R]

Good luck finding Kerosene.  I went to about 5 stores before I found a hardware place that carried it.  Hopefully it is more commonly carried in Michigan.  Kerosene works pretty well as a parts cleaner.


Adam

[JasonB]

Hmm tons of gas stations have them in any state I've lived in. Just need a gasoline container.

[glenn9171]

No kerosene here in Louisiana unless it's the dead of winter.  I use WD-40 to get the gunk off.  Then Simple green to get the WD-40 off.  Rinse with water.  Ride for about 5 minutes or so to dry.  Re-apply favorite no-sling chain wax.

[sprint_9]

Where can you get chain wax, who manufactures it, and how much does it cost? It sounds like something I might want to invest in so I dont get that gunk built up in the sprocket cover. Thanks.

[crmeyer]

I have ask the same question, and my friend that is a certified mechanic says that he uses break cleaner when servicing motorcycles.  It wont harm the o-rings in your chain.

[crmeyer]

P.S.  You will need to lubricate your chain after using break cleaner

[miket]

Can you use brake cleaner to clean your chain?  If not what is a good solvent to clean the chain with?

Absolutely not if you an o-ring chain. Ask me how I know...

[Seth]

Can you use brake cleaner to clean your chain?  If not what is a good solvent to clean the chain with?

Absolutely not if you an o-ring chain. Ask me how I know...

I'll play the resisdent smart ass... how do you know?

[gsJack]

I've put 250k miles on motorcycle chains without ever cleaning one.  I get about 20k miles average on DID O-ring chains on the GS.  When the rollers look shinny, I put the bike on the centerstand when I come home with the bike hot and put it in 1st gear and let it spin while I shoot PJ1 Blue Label chain lube on it for about 15-20 seconds.  If the rear wheel gets to looking too bad, I clean it with a spray of WD40 and wipe it off; maybe once or twice a year. Some people waste too much riding time fussing with their bikes.   :lol:  :lol: Make sure you keep your fingers away from the chain if you do it this way.  

[crmeyer]

How do you know?

[miket]

I'll play the resisdent smart ass... how do you know?

Never having had an o-ring chain before, I sprayed brake cleaner on the chain the first time I cleaned it. That's what I used to do to non-o-ring chains to get the gunk off. In two-three weeks time, the o-ring started swelling and eventually some links froze and I had to replace it. BTW, at the same time, I also managed to spray brake cleaner on the rim and get some paint off.

[JohNLA]

I am one of those people who fuss, Jack .
So how do you keep your chain from attracting every peice of dirt on the road? Mine gets pretty black and nasty in about 700 miles of city and canyon driving. In the past I have done it the lazy way and just kept adding wax on top of wax without cleaning and I would go through chains in about 8000 miles. These were on other bikes but I am hoping to get 50k out of this chain by not missing any matenance.
I also use PJ1. Did you notice that the directions do not say anything about warming up the chain like every other wax I have tried.

[Seth]

Never having had an o-ring chain before, I sprayed brake cleaner on the chain the first time I cleaned it. That's what I used to do to non-o-ring chains to get the gunk off. In two-three weeks time, the o-ring started swelling and eventually some links froze and I had to replace it. BTW, at the same time, I also managed to spray brake cleaner on the rim and get some paint off.

Ok, you know

[The Buddha]

Brakekleen apart from o-ring damage is myrder on plastic and glass. Have you seen brake cylinder sight glasses with a frosted look...brake kleen did that, many micro cracks that are visible at just the right angle...again brakekleen. Keep that crap away from anything including brakes.
Cool.
Srinath.

[bbanjo]

I use the 1st gear on the center stand technique that Jack uses, except I use  

I hold a shop rag under the chain and spray the crap out of it litterally. You should see all of the junk come out with the overspray. The chain has been happy for 4500 miles so far, so I'm going to stick with that program until this one gives out.

I get it for abour $4 a can and one will last at least 6 or 7 cleaning/lubes so it's cost effective too. It's so cheap and fast that I don't think twice about taking the 5 minutes to do the work. Frequency should help in the long run too.

[JIMR]

Kerosene is indeed the best chain cleaner.
It is the main ingredient in WD40.
I clean my chain  over the winter when the bike is laid up for a few months. If it really starts to look gritty, I may clean it during the season maybe once or twice

Regards,

Jim Rillie

[crmeyer]

I know people that have used break cleaner on their chain w/out any problems.  Personally, I have never done it and probably never will.  I have always used kerosene because that is what Suzuki recommends.  In the manual it says that kerosene also lubricated the chain, but very minimally.  I also use a wax to grease the chain.