Chain Life

[Guest]

Gang,
I put the new tire on today and noticed the Chain Adjuster is already maxed out. this chain might have 6k on it. I keep it lose all the time 1.5 in of slack. Why would it have such a short life on it?

Pat

[UncleMike]

Because you need to lose weight, old man.

[tkent02]

Did you put the new chain on old sprockets?
6k would be typical if you did.

[Gravity Tester]

Nope new chain new sprockets.

[Griffin]

tkent is barking up the right tree. Another question: how often did you clean the chain and then oil it? I mean really clean it with kerosene-soaked rag (and a toothbrush if really grungy after riding in the rain). If you don't keep a drive chain clean, the sand and grunge will wear in the little spaces between the links, acting as lapping compound. It will also dmage the o-rings, and may cause them to fail, releasing the captured grease and drastically shortening chain life.

I typically get anywhere from 15-22K from a quality O or X ring chain.

[Gravity Tester]

Now that hurt's, Besides you have not seen me in my Michael Phelps Spedo I have been swimming 2 to 3 nights a week since Oct. I have realized one thing there are some fat people that can swim very fast. I am just not one of them but I am trying. Just remember Round is a shape.

Pat

Because you need to lose weight, old man.

[Gravity Tester]

I have never cleaned the chain but I lube it about twice a month I do not remember what the lube is off the top of my head but I dont think I neglect it.

tkent is barking up the right tree. Another question: how often did you clean the chain and then oil it? I mean really clean it with kerosene-soaked rag (and a toothbrush if really grungy after riding in the rain). If you don't keep a drive chain clean, the sand and grunge will wear in the little spaces between the links, acting as lapping compound. It will also dmage the o-rings, and may cause them to fail, releasing the captured grease and drastically shortening chain life.

I typically get anywhere from 15-22K from a quality O or X ring chain.

[UncleMike]

I can attest to Pat's extremely rigorous and methodical maintenance schedule.

[Griffin]

I have never cleaned the chain but I lube it about twice a month I do not remember what the lube is off the top of my head but I dont think I neglect it.

If you've never cleaned it, then 6,000 miles is about all I'd expect to get out of it. Here's an email I got years ago from RK Chain about caring for their X-Ring chain:

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.

[Don-lo]

Do you have the stock chain and sprocket sizes? If not, then the beginning location for the chain could be anywhere in the range. Was it an o-ring chain? Non o-ring chains wear wayyyy too fast. Riding in the rain a lot will also shorten chain life. Can you pull the links on the back sprocket and see daylight beneath them?

[chef1366]

I seem to eat a chain a year. I ride alot and all year around. DID and RK
I'm going to be really diligent this year to keep it clean and lubed.

[Gravity Tester]

This is an X-Ring Chain with stock sprockets. Yes it did get ridden in the rain a couple times at the WNY rally last June when it was new. As far as the rear sprocket I have not checked that in particular. What am I looking for & what does it mean.

Thanks Guy's
Pat

Do you have the stock chain and sprocket sizes? If not, then the beginning location for the chain could be anywhere in the range. Was it an o-ring chain? Non o-ring chains wear wayyyy too fast. Riding in the rain a lot will also shorten chain life. Can you pull the links on the back sprocket and see daylight beneath them?

[Ola]

Looking at the sprocket from the side, pull at the link that's at 3 o'clock. If you can see daylight between the teeth under the link it's worn.

It could also be that the chain was a link too long or something, if it passes the sprocket test and has no particular binds or kinks I would consider getting a new master link, taking a few links off with the chain tool and putting some more miles on it.

[Nessism]

Chain elongation can be measured and quantified; measure the length between a set number of links and calculate how much it's elongated. This link will give you some guildelines for max allowable elongation, but I suggest you do some further research since there is some difference of opinion of how much elongation is too much. http://www.reginachain.it/eng/use_an..._to04.shtml#02

[twistedwankel]

Gang,
I put the new tire on today and noticed the Chain Adjuster is already maxed out. this chain might have 6k on it. I keep it lose all the time 1.5 in of slack. Why would it have such a short life on it?

Pat

My '81 spec sheet calls for .8"-1.2" max slack (pull down/push up) 1/2 way between sprockets.
O-ring chain lasts alot longer than without.
My chain is warranteed for 20k with new sprockets but they insist that it be cleaned and oiled every 400miles to get that....hahahhaha...sure right...like anyone is going to do that.

I got about 20k miles just using WD-40 wash and chain lube/wax every now and again (monthly) before chain started binding and making noise