New 530 chain--to degrease or not to degrease?

[wkmpt]

I just got a new chain and sprockets. The Chain is an RK "X-ring"-type chain, and it is covered in a really thick layer of the factory grease/wax/whatever it is.

Does this stuff need to come off completely before I install, or do I leave it on? Do I just wipe off the excess?

I understand the importance of protecting the outside as well as the inside of the chain, I just want to make sure I'm going get this chain started out right.

 

[Agemax]

leave it as it is, a quick wipe over to remove any excess is ok but you should just fit it as it comes out the wrapper.

 

[bwringer]

That grease is messy as hell, it will fling everywhere, and dirt will stick to it.

I usually wipe it off as best I can and apply a dose of my usual chain wax.

 

[koolaid_kid]

The grease is a preservative, designed to keep the product from oxidizing (rusting) while it sits on the shelf waiting to be sold/installed. It is not designed as a lubricant.
I do exactly what bwringer does; remove as much as possible and use a proper lubricant on it.

 

[Guest]

The RK-XW ring chain is a mighty fine chain.
Goe with bwringers suggestion.

 

[wkmpt]

Okay, going to clean it up first. I have a bunch of simple green, think I'll go that route.

Does anyone think that dipping it in my ultrasonic cleaner might be a bit overkill and/or force the degreaser past the o-rings? I'm most likely to do it by hand, but that ultrasonic is just so damn efficient...

 

[Guest]

The RK-XW ring chain is a mighty fine chain.
Goe with bwringers suggestion.

I've reconsidered, Go with Agemax's suggestion. That grease won't hurt it and having put one on my GS1100E I don't remember it flinging off. Should you start applying degreasing agents to it, you risk the chance of getting the grease out from the seals and trash the chain, or diluting or weakening the protection. It needs to break in, give it the chance to do that.

 

[Agemax]

Okay, going to clean it up first. I have a bunch of simple green, think I'll go that route.

Does anyone think that dipping it in my ultrasonic cleaner might be a bit overkill and/or force the degreaser past the o-rings? I'm most likely to do it by hand, but that ultrasonic is just so damn efficient...

that will completely destroy a new chain in a few hundred miles, invalidate any kind of warranty that came with the chain, and cost you the price of another new one.

but hey, thats just my opinion, you do what you think is best

 

[wkmpt]

that will completely destroy a new chain in a few hundred miles, invalidate any kind of warranty that came with the chain, and cost you the price of another new one.

but hey, thats just my opinion, you do what you think is best

Yeah, that's kinda what I was thinking and why I asked...

 

[koolaid_kid]

To clean a chain, any chain, do the following:
Dip a cloth in kerosene. Rotating the wheel backward (by hand), clean all the gunk off the chain with the cloth. You rotate the wheel backward so you don't run the risk of getting the cloth or your digits caught between the rear sprocket and the chain.
Be it the preservative or just road dirt, clean it off and let it dry. Then, using a good chain lubricant (the Teflon sprays and waxes are the current favorites) lube the links and the rollers. Most of the current crop of lubes do not need to be wiped down afterward to remove any excess, they set up right on the chain.
Do not use a general degreaser such as Simple Green, and for gosh sakes, DO NOT use Water-Displacement formula 40, also known as WD-40. It is neither a degreaser nor a lubricant, no matter what folk say.

 

[Guest]

Do not use a general degreaser such as Simple Green, and for gosh sakes, DO NOT use Water-Displacement formula 40, also known as WD-40. It is neither a degreaser nor a lubricant, no matter what folk say.

RK America endorses WD-40 on their chains.
http://www.rkexcelamerica.com/faq.html#oring

 

[daturat100r]

Chuck it on and use it, your over thinking it, its a chain and save the degreaser for cleaning up any throw off

 

[Agemax]

DO NOT use Water-Displacement formula 40, also known as WD-40. It is neither a degreaser nor a lubricant, no matter what folk say.

Wikipedia says otherwise, and so does the official WD40 website.......


The long-term active ingredient is a non-volatile, viscous oil which remains on the surface, providing lubrication and protection from moisture.[4] This is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to give a low viscosity fluid which can be sprayed and thus penetrate crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving the oil behind. A propellant (originally a low-molecular weight hydrocarbon, now carbon dioxide) provides gas pressure in the can to force the liquid through the spray nozzle, then evaporates away.
These properties make the product useful in both home and commercial fields; lubricating and loosening joints and hinges, removing dirt and residue, and extricating stuck screws and bolts are common usages. The product also may be useful in displacing moisture, as this is its original purpose and design intent.


NOTE. this is a clip from the website. NOT my opinion or my made up statement. if you choose not to believe it, do not attack me for posting it. i am merely posting it for people to see for themselves and make their own mind up.

 

[koolaid_kid]

Wikipedia says otherwise, and so does the official WD40 website.......


The long-term active ingredient is a non-volatile, viscous oil which remains on the surface, providing lubrication and protection from moisture.[4] This is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to give a low viscosity fluid which can be sprayed and thus penetrate crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving the oil behind. A propellant (originally a low-molecular weight hydrocarbon, now carbon dioxide) provides gas pressure in the can to force the liquid through the spray nozzle, then evaporates away.
These properties make the product useful in both home and commercial fields; lubricating and loosening joints and hinges, removing dirt and residue, and extricating stuck screws and bolts are common usages. The product also may be useful in displacing moisture, as this is its original purpose and design intent.


NOTE. this is a clip from the website. NOT my opinion or my made up statement. if you choose not to believe it, do not attack me for posting it. i am merely posting it for people to see for themselves and make their own mind up.

No attack required. Marketing folk will say all sorts of things.
Note the highlighted parts.
I personally only use a product designed from the start to lubricate. Make up your own mind.

 

[Agemax]

No attack required. Marketing folk will say all sorts of things.
Note the highlighted parts.
I personally only use a product designed from the start to lubricate. Make up your own mind.

These properties make the product useful in both home and commercial fields; lubricating and loosening joints and hinges, removing dirt and residue, and extricating stuck screws and bolts are common usages.

also note highlighted section.........not a lubricant or degreaser?

 

[1_v8_merc]

Just throw it on, and grease it up, done.

 

[koolaid_kid]

Think of it this way:
It claims to remove rust, lubricate, penetrate, and displace water. What a fantastic do-everything product. Tongue in cheek, of course.
Want all that, or a lubricant? I know what I prefer. My chain lubricant is a lubricant.
My motor oil is just that, motor oil.
My transmission fluid is just that, transmission fluid.
My penetrant is the best on the market., Kroil, and it never goes near my chain, which has the potential to wash the inner grease out from below the x-rings.
My water displacement product is the best on the market, WD-40. Used it one rainy night on the distributor cap of a 65 Olds Delta 88. Started right up, great water displacement product.
I'll get off my soap box now, use what you want. It's not my bike, please do what you wish.

 

[bluewool]

I'm in the throw it on and go, camp..
WD does work very well for displacing water. Good to carry little can during the rainy season..

 

[wkmpt]

I was going to use kerosene, but after many of the arguments regarding other degreasers getting past the o-ring, I'm not so sure about kerosene either.

So at this point, I'm just going to use a rag and Q-tips and clean off the excess wax manually. No degreasers, no penetrants, the wax just doesn't seem like enough to worry about. I just want to make sure that any excess wax is not going to attract dust and grime.

Now that that's cleared up, what's everybody's favorite chain lube? <leaps to hide behind sofa>

I've read some good things about the Honda chain lube and the Bel Ray stuff, opinions?

 

[Guest]

I was going to use kerosene, but after many of the arguments regarding other degreasers getting past the o-ring, I'm not so sure about kerosene either.

So at this point, I'm just going to use a rag and Q-tips and clean off the excess wax manually. No degreasers, no penetrants, the wax just doesn't seem like enough to worry about. I just want to make sure that any excess wax is not going to attract dust and grime.

Now that that's cleared up, what's everybody's favorite chain lube? <leaps to hide behind sofa>

I've read some good things about the Honda chain lube and the Bel Ray stuff, opinions?

You can go with the motorcycle manufacturer's recommendation.
http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/GS750E_1978_Owners_Manual.pdf
Page 36 in the owners manual states, "Heavyweight Motor Oil"
make sure you read the caution which states, "Do not use any oil sold
commercially as "drive chain oil" Such an oil could spoil the "O" rings.

Now aren't you glad you asked?
What's that, what do I use?
I use heavyweight motor oil, I usually only lubricate the inside teeth of my sprocket, very liberally (I hate that crap getting slung all over the place)
also I have a can of PJ1 that I use to spray occaisionally. No oil equals rusty chain.
I washed my bike this week and I had a RK XW ring 630GSV chain put on it when I got the bike 3 years ago, it still had that grease on it that you're talking about cleaning off of yours, it must be good stuff to stick and still be there after all that time.