Chain Rusting

[hightower]

Probably a stupid question, so apologies. I ride the bike in all weather, and although the bike is kept overnight in a garage the chain is started to show signs of the poor weather.


So, what's the best way to keep it rust free and moving smoothly? Is it as simple as oiling (how often)? Do spray chain lubes work as well? Is there any other product I can use to mean I don't have to oil it as often.


Appreciate your responses.

[JoeRock]

Alternatively, buy a scottoiler, set it right, and worry about your chain once every couple of thousand miles!

[hightower]

I had a Tutoro oiler - it was such a pain in the backside getting it to sit on the chain properly that I took it off last week.


I thought it would be more hassle sorting the oiler out than using manual methods. Plus, having the non-functioning oiler attached put me in the mindset that I didn't need to attend to the chain.


I've seen those blocks advertised that the chain scratches or scrapes for it's lube - do those work?

[JoeRock]

I had a Tutoro oiler - it was such a pain in the backside getting it to sit on the chain properly that I took it off last week.


I thought it would be more hassle sorting the oiler out than using manual methods. Plus, having the non-functioning oiler attached put me in the mindset that I didn't need to attend to the chain.


I've seen those blocks advertised that the chain scratches or scrapes for it's lube - do those work?

Ish.


But a scottoiler and a tutoro oiler are in a whole different league, they really are fit, set up, and forget. On my old ZX9R I had a scottoiler and i had to adjust the chain and sprockets at basically every tyre change, which was between 4 and 6k. They were always lubed and clean, and whenever I did get a little extra splash on the rear wheel it washed off with warm soapy water. I've tried by hand, but riding through winter is an almost semi daily affair, plus to keep it lubed you have to use thicker stuff, which then attracts dirt which grinds your chain, not an ideal situation. Does help that before the scottoiler I used to get about 10k from a set of chain and sprockets, and the coulpe bikes i've had now have both done about 20k each with no need to change!

[JZS 600]

I just changed my chain today, 27,000 miles, it wasn't worn out but it had a tight spot that was annoying me at low speed.


3 winter on the old one, lubed once a week with Silkolene chain spray, front sprocket was a bit worn, back was fine

[JZS 600]

got a shiny gold one!

[Yamazer-92]

Usually it's just a bit of surface rust, happens to mine to. The way I get rid of it is buy some muck off chain cleaner in halfords for £6 then literally get an old rag, a bucket of cold water, a sheet of cardboard (stops overspray getting on wheel and tyre) and a toothbrush and thoroughly clean it making sure all of the rollers spin freely and as much of the muck is off as possible on the chain, sprockets, front sprocket cover and chain guard. I then before lubing put a small amount of ACF 50 on a rag and wipe it carefully over the side plates of the chain and on the rear sprocket. I then put on the chain lube. Will need re-lubing every 50 miles in awful weather and I usually do it every 100 dry miles. 


I clean the chain like this in winter about every 300 miles and in summer every 5-600. I reset the 2nd trip meter after it's done, so far chain is all good and looks pretty much new after 4-5000 miles. It's a ball ache and can take between 1 and 2 hours to do properly but has to be done unless you have a scottoiler, something I will be buying when I next get a chain.

[hightower]

Thanks chaps, appreciate all your different stories and advice. We're moving house in a few weeks - will wait until then (when I can work on bike in shelter) to take another look at getting Tutoro oiler sorted properly. I have the twin nozzle one, but it just seemed I couldn't quite get it perfect and it would drag with the sprocket etc.


Would appreciate some photos of peoples oilers, their tubing path, and the final nozzle just to make sure I'm not being an idiot with my setup.


Yamazer-92: I will try that tomorrow I think. It is simply surface rust, nothing too serious.

[Fuzzy]

I do something similar to Yamazer. Although I also use muck off to clean the bike, for the chain I use Holts brake cleaner (kind to o-rings & brake seals, and damn sight cheaper than equivalent marketed as motorcycle specific) to clean off dirt. Then I apply a small amount of acf50 with a rag like he does. Finally I lube it (currently using Sdoc white lube). In winter I lube the side plates of the chain too as it's an effective barrier to rust.

This has always been good enough for me, I also ride in all weathers 365 as it is my sole method of personal transport. Scottoilers have never appealed to me, but each to their own.

[redthunder]

Kerosene has been recommended to me a lot for chain cleaning so eventually I bought some.


Yesterday I attacked the chain with kerosene and a grunge brush and I have to say the results were fantastic.


I do have a scottoiler fitted, however due to the fill and forget nature of it, I forgot about it and let it run dry. So I had been riding 2-3 weeks in the crap weather with no lube and the chain told the same story.


Looks like new again after a scrap with the kerosene.


Here's an interesting read from one of the staff who works for Scottoiler - here. In particular "Because the vSystem is gravity operated it means that it depends on the viscosity of the oil to flow. That means in summer it will flow faster, in winter slower and you will have to adjust the flow rate when the climate changes (its not like every day … I adjust it twice a year)."

Something to think of at this time of year

[wezdavo]

I use Wurth chain wax once a week.. never had any chain issues.

Great stuff, minimal fling and it doesn't attract crap..

My chain is on 18500 miles, so is the rear sprocket although I did replace the front sprocket at 16000 miles as is was starting to hook..

[Skippernick]

Where do you buy kerosene from, isn't that plane fuel?

[rustyrider]

Kerosene is heating oil (so I've got about 600 litres of the stuff in a big tank outside), it's also paraffin without the dye but diesel is the easiest to get hold of and is the same stuff but marginally thicker (and with additional lubricant in it).

[raff113]

I use WD 40 chain wax, very good if you are riding in wet.

[Grahamm]

Here's an interesting read from one of the staff who works for Scottoiler - here. In particular "Because the vSystem is gravity operated it means that it depends on the viscosity of the oil to flow. That means in summer it will flow faster, in winter slower and you will have to adjust the flow rate when the climate changes (its not like every day … I adjust it twice a year)."

I have the same system and set it for one drop every 30 seconds before it gets really cold, that way it might slow down to one a minute when the temperature drops (I'll do a check then just to be sure). Then I leave it until the weather warms up substantially.

Seems to work ok.

[Skippernick]

Kerosene is heating oil (so I've got about 600 litres of the stuff in a big tank outside), it's also paraffin without the dye but diesel is the easiest to get hold of and is the same stuff but marginally thicker (and with additional lubricant in it).

But i thought diesel attacks rubber, i.e. the seals in the chain.

[RobG UK]

To those that fit and forget their scottoilers.  They don't work if the bike isn't moving, so if its stood up for a month or so outside you need to oil it manually.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Because the vSystem is gravity operated it means that it depends on the viscosity of the oil to flow. That means in summer it will flow faster, in winter slower and you will have to adjust the flow rate when the climate changes (its not like every day … I adjust it twice a year

Might be handy to remember that Scottoil do 2 grades of oil. The usual (blue label) one, plus they do a summer grade (red label) for ambient temps 20-40 deg C. Summer one has higher viscosity.

[rustyrider]

But i thought diesel attacks rubber, i.e. the seals in the chain.

Diesel will attack plain rubber just the same as any other petroleum based substance will.  But as the O rings in the chain are intended to be lubricated with what may be petroleum based oils, then they are made of something that won't be affected by diesel.

That's why you can buy oil/fuel hose and water hose and the two are made from different materials.  I once accidentally used water hose for petrol and within a couple of weeks it had turned to mush.

[Skippernick]

But i thought diesel attacks rubber, i.e. the seals in the chain.

Diesel will attack plain rubber just the same as any other petroleum based substance will.  But as the O rings in the chain are intended to be lubricated with what may be petroleum based oils, then they are made of something that won't be affected by diesel.

That's why you can buy oil/fuel hose and water hose and the two are made from different materials.  I once accidentally used water hose for petrol and within a couple of weeks it had turned to mush.

Ah yes sounds obvious when you put it like that.


Brilliant, as the swing arm is out i'll give the chain a good clean with diesel then.
Thanks