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Did I waste my money on a new chain???

  • Thread starter Thread starter Splittie
  • Start date Start date
Loose is better than too tight, and as many have said, usually replace the chain and sprockets as a set. Unless the sprockets are really far gone and don't have a flat spot at the top of the tooth, I would just leave it for now and lube it every week religiously. At least for the rest of the season.
 
My chain maintenance routine is to wet a rag with some kerosene, then hold the rag loosely around the chain and rotate the rear wheel until the chain has gone through the rag a few times and looks clean. If it's praticularly dirty nd grungy looking, I'll dip an old toothbrush in the kerosene and scrub away for a few minutes on it to get the dirt out. Then I spray it with some white lithium spray grease to keep it rust free.

This routine gets me 20-30 K miles on each chain, and takes approximately five minutes every 500 miles or so.

Here is an email I received from RK Chain in 2004 when this subject came up once before.

Thanks for buying RK chains. There should have been warranty cards in the boxes with maintenance instructions.

They come from the factory with that thick sticky grease to help them resist rusting on the ocean voyage and in storage. Leave it on and just add a layer of your favorite o-ring chain lube.

To clean the chain while it's on the bike - apply a good coat of WD-40 and let it soak in. Then wipe the chain down with a rag or soft bristle brush. After you get most of the crud off, put on another coat of lube.

To really clean the chain - take it off the bike and let it soak overnight in a pan of kerosene. Wipe most of the crud off. Hang it by one end and spray well with lube. Wipe most of it off and put the chain back on the bike.

When you lube an o-ring chain, you are not trying to get lube past the o-rings. There is already a lifetime supply of lube sealed in behind the o-rings. What you're doing by lubing the chain is keeping the metal from rusting and the rubber o-rings from drying out.

Leslie Sowden
Director of Sales
FTM Enterprises Inc.​
Click to expand...
 
Me, too!

Me, too!

Griffin said:
My chain maintenance routine is to wet a rag with some kerosene, then hold the rag loosely around the chain and rotate the rear wheel until the chain has gone through the rag a few times and looks clean. If it's praticularly dirty nd grungy looking, I'll dip an old toothbrush in the kerosene and scrub away for a few minutes on it to get the dirt out. Then I spray it with some white lithium spray grease to keep it rust free.

This routine gets me 20-30 K miles on each chain, and takes approximately five minutes every 500 miles or so.

Here is an email I received from RK Chain in 2004 when this subject came up once before.
Click to expand...

I'm EXACTLY on the same page as Griff on this one. I've had wonderful luck with chains...but I hate them. The belt I had on my 1988 FXRS was about as perfect as a drive line could be..but, then again, these are old bikes, so you 'roll with the punches'.
 
With my 44,000 mile chain, I started using Tri-flon in the first year and continued throughout it's life. Smells like bananas....
 
Don-lo said:
With my 44,000 mile chain, I started using Tri-flon in the first year and continued throughout it's life. Smells like bananas....
Click to expand...
That's amazing. I ride too hard to make a chain last that long.
 
Sunburn said:
LOL, the kind of mileage some of you guys are getting out of your chains suggests I?m just hammering my chains. Guess that?s why my chain to sprocket ratio is so high. Ignorance is bliss.

Seeing how we are on the subject, what are some good lube recommendations and chain cleaning methods?


Mark
Click to expand...


well at least you have a decent name,

Mark.
 
Pardon my ignorance on chains but my 1980 GS1100ET is the first chain drive bike I've owned since I was a teenager in the 70's. I was still rebuilding this bike when I bought a new 630 EK non O-ring chain and new sprockets.

This chain is stretching close to 1 inch every 500 miles. Is that normal ? I've got about 1200 miles on it now. Seems like a lot to me and at this rate, it's not going to last anywhere near 10K miles. I was hoping for something closer to 15K-20K out of it. I should add that I keep it adjusted at 1.5 inch total movement.

And on that note, how hard is the 530 conversion?

Thanks.
 
Is that freeplay with someone sitting on the bike? If not, STOP TIGHTENING IT UP! :eek:
A new chain will not wear that much that fast if it is an oring chain and it is not too tight. After you install a new chain and have the freeplay properly adjusted with someone sitting on the bike the chain will "wear in" and find its happy length. After this if you lube it regularly, you really shouldn't have to touch the adjusters except at oil changes and sometimes not even then.
Check the freeplay it has worn to with someone sitting on the bike. It will probably be in the 1-1.5" range, leave it at that play. Because once you put it up on the centre stand it will show more play. Don't tighten it. Clean and lube it and don't adjust it till your next oil change.
 
don_gibb6512 said:
Pardon my ignorance on chains but my 1980 GS1100ET is the first chain drive bike I've owned since I was a teenager in the 70's. I was still rebuilding this bike when I bought a new 630 EK non O-ring chain and new sprockets.

This chain is stretching close to 1 inch every 500 miles. Is that normal ? I've got about 1200 miles on it now. Seems like a lot to me and at this rate, it's not going to last anywhere near 10K miles. I was hoping for something closer to 15K-20K out of it. I should add that I keep it adjusted at 1.5 inch total movement.

And on that note, how hard is the 530 conversion?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Non-ring chains don't last as long.
 
Clone said:
Is that freeplay with someone sitting on the bike? If not, STOP TIGHTENING IT UP! :eek:
A new chain will not wear that much that fast if it is an oring chain and it is not too tight. After you install a new chain and have the freeplay properly adjusted with someone sitting on the bike the chain will "wear in" and find its happy length. After this if you lube it regularly, you really shouldn't have to touch the adjusters except at oil changes and sometimes not even then.
Check the freeplay it has worn to with someone sitting on the bike. It will probably be in the 1-1.5" range, leave it at that play. Because once you put it up on the centre stand it will show more play. Don't tighten it. Clean and lube it and don't adjust it till your next oil change.
Click to expand...

Uhhh, nope. Didn't know someone was supposed to be sitting on it when I checked the free play. I'll do that today. Had the wife sit on the passenger seat to elevate the front wheel for steering stem adjustment just last week. I don't have a garage so I'm sure the neighbors will start to wonder what the heck we're up to. :lol:

Thanks for the tip.
 
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