While there may more appropriate groups to anwer this question, I
trust the wisdom of this group ..... and it is metal related.

There seem to be a couple of theories regarding lubrication of a
motorcycle chain, in this case, a dirt bike. My concern with a "well
oiled" chain is that the dirt and grit sticks to the oil and acts as
grinding paste. A dry chain doesn't seem like a good idea either.
Any advice appreciated.

FWIW, it's my son's bike (250 4-Stroke) and
is used for trail riding, not competition. He wants to get the maximum
life out of the chain & sprockets.
Thanks.

"Derek" wrote in message
...
While there may more appropriate groups to anwer this question, I
trust the wisdom of this group ..... and it is metal related.

There seem to be a couple of theories regarding lubrication of a
motorcycle chain, in this case, a dirt bike. My concern with a "well
oiled" chain is that the dirt and grit sticks to the oil and acts as
grinding paste. A dry chain doesn't seem like a good idea either.
Any advice appreciated.

FWIW, it's my son's bike (250 4-Stroke) and
is used for trail riding, not competition. He wants to get the maximum
life out of the chain & sprockets.


FWIW, consider a chain saw. It runs in the absolutely dirtiest of
conditions all the time. Even in clean wood, there are silica inclusions,
bug nests, etc. The way they keep the chain health is to lubricate much and
often. But, then, a chainsaw chain is sliding in a guide, not merely around
sprockets.

LLoyd

Derek wrote:
While there may more appropriate groups to anwer this question, I
trust the wisdom of this group ..... and it is metal related.

There seem to be a couple of theories regarding lubrication of a
motorcycle chain, in this case, a dirt bike. My concern with a "well
oiled" chain is that the dirt and grit sticks to the oil and acts as
grinding paste. A dry chain doesn't seem like a good idea either.
Any advice appreciated.

FWIW, it's my son's bike (250 4-Stroke) and
is used for trail riding, not competition. He wants to get the maximum
life out of the chain & sprockets.
Thanks.

The spray-on chain lube seems to work pretty well. It seems not to
attract as much grit as regular oil. Wash the chain after each ride and
re-apply. Chain and sprocket wear is just a fact of life for dirt bikes.

--
Gary Brady
Austin, TX
www.powdercoatoven.4t.com

Derek wrote:
While there may more appropriate groups to anwer this question, I
trust the wisdom of this group ..... and it is metal related.

There seem to be a couple of theories regarding lubrication of a
motorcycle chain, in this case, a dirt bike. My concern with a "well
oiled" chain is that the dirt and grit sticks to the oil and acts as
grinding paste. A dry chain doesn't seem like a good idea either.
Any advice appreciated.

FWIW, it's my son's bike (250 4-Stroke) and
is used for trail riding, not competition. He wants to get the maximum
life out of the chain & sprockets.
Thanks.

When my son was wearing out chains, I had a piece of heavy clear rigid
tube about 3 ft long, I glued a piece of something on the bottom and
smoothed the top of the tube so another plate would fit good, screwed
a 1/4" flare fitting into it & filled the tube with the heaviest gear
oil I could find.--drop in the chain, with a stiff wire attached that
reaches nearly to top. (for ease of removal.).
Thoroughly clean chain before dunking in tube..
Apply vacuum pump (borrowed from from friendly auto A.C. mechanic, or
refrigeration serviceman.)
when bubbles quit coming out of chain, remove vacuum, allow atmosphere
to push oil INTO chain bearings ,leave in oil 5-10 minutes,remove, ,
drip dry, & wipe dry. Jerry

jerry wass wrote:


Derek wrote:

While there may more appropriate groups to anwer this question, I
trust the wisdom of this group ..... and it is metal related.

There seem to be a couple of theories regarding lubrication of a
motorcycle chain, in this case, a dirt bike. My concern with a "well
oiled" chain is that the dirt and grit sticks to the oil and acts as
grinding paste. A dry chain doesn't seem like a good idea either.
Any advice appreciated.

FWIW, it's my son's bike (250 4-Stroke) and
is used for trail riding, not competition. He wants to get the maximum
life out of the chain & sprockets.
Thanks.


When my son was wearing out chains, I had a piece of heavy clear rigid
tube about 3 ft long, I glued a piece of something on the bottom and
smoothed the top of the tube so another plate would fit good, screwed
a 1/4" flare fitting into it & filled the tube with the heaviest gear
oil I could find.--drop in the chain, with a stiff wire attached that
reaches nearly to top. (for ease of removal.).
Thoroughly clean chain before dunking in tube..
Apply vacuum pump (borrowed from from friendly auto A.C. mechanic, or
refrigeration serviceman.)
when bubbles quit coming out of chain, remove vacuum, allow atmosphere
to push oil INTO chain bearings ,leave in oil 5-10 minutes,remove, ,
drip dry, & wipe dry. Jerry

Wow, that's pretty ingenious.

Another classic way is to heat grease in a pan until it melts, then
emerse clean, dry chain. Keep it hot for a few hours, until the liquid
grease has had time to work into the bearing surfaces. Remove chain,
wipe off surface grease, let cool. Congealed grease remains in the
interior bearing surfaces.

Most chain lubes are grease dissolved in a light carrier. Makes it thin
enough to get into the small spaces, then the carrier evaporates and
leaves the grease.
--
- -
Rex Burkheimer
WM Automotive
Fort Worth TX

| Most chain lubes are grease dissolved in a light carrier. Makes it thin
| enough to get into the small spaces, then the carrier evaporates and
| leaves the grease.

PJ1 motorcycle chain lube is available at just about any motorcycle
shop. Comes out like WD-40 and evaporates into a tacky grease after soaking
into the chain where it's needed. I got talked into buying the Bombardier
brand one time, and it sucked.
I also use it as corrosion inhibiting compound for bodywork, batteries,
greasing difficult to lube mechanisms, and so on and so forth. Very good
stuff, and everyone should have a can.

"carl mciver" wrote in message
ink.net...
| Most chain lubes are grease dissolved in a light carrier. Makes it thin
| enough to get into the small spaces, then the carrier evaporates and
| leaves the grease.

PJ1 motorcycle chain lube is available at just about any motorcycle
shop. Comes out like WD-40 and evaporates into a tacky grease after
soaking
into the chain where it's needed. I got talked into buying the Bombardier
brand one time, and it sucked.
I also use it as corrosion inhibiting compound for bodywork,
batteries,
greasing difficult to lube mechanisms, and so on and so forth. Very good
stuff, and everyone should have a can.

Our golf-cart guy told me that, in a pinch, he uses aluminum-based
anti-seize as a battery corrosion inhibitor. I tried it on my personal
cart. It's messy if you touch it, but BOY does it work well.

Apparently the aluminum is sacrificial, and the grease seals in the leaks,
leaving our twelve terminal posts and clamps looking factory-fresh after two
years on a new set of batteries.

LLoyd

carl mciver wrote:
PJ1 motorcycle chain lube is available at just about any motorcycle
shop. Comes out like WD-40 and evaporates into a tacky grease after soaking
into the chain where it's needed.

That's the name I was trying to remember. Good stuff. I leaves a waxy
material behind that won't pick up grit after the carrier evaporates. I
used it for years of trail riding (Yam 500cc 4-stroke).

Ted

In article , Derek says...

FWIW, it's my son's bike (250 4-Stroke) and
is used for trail riding, not competition. He wants to get the maximum
life out of the chain & sprockets.

Aftermarket O-ring chain, and SP1 protective wax is what I use.

Chains and sprockets are consumable wear items. They only
last so long. Replace chains when replacing sprockets,
I tend to get about two chains per sprocket set.

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

You'd be amazed at how elliptical sprockets can become, before the chain
starts falling off w/ any regularity--at least on a haha rd350.
----------------------------
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
"jim rozen" wrote in message
...
In article , Derek says...

FWIW, it's my son's bike (250 4-Stroke) and
is used for trail riding, not competition. He wants to get the maximum
life out of the chain & sprockets.

Aftermarket O-ring chain, and SP1 protective wax is what I use.

Chains and sprockets are consumable wear items. They only
last so long. Replace chains when replacing sprockets,
I tend to get about two chains per sprocket set.

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

My last dirt bike I removed the chain and cleaned it in solvent after every
day of long riding. I would skip the days that I went on just a short run or
two. Remove the chain, clean it in solvent, blow it out good with compressed
air. Then I would soak the chain over night in 80-90 weight gear lube, then
hang it up so the excess would run off.

It was allot of messing around, but I could get many years on a chain!

If you could get your kid to do it once a month, or/and everytime he road in
wet conditions, I bet you will get good chain life.
Greg

In some ways, what is worse than the elliptical nature of the wear is
how it wears the teeth out changing the effective pitch of the gear.
This then causes premature chain wear of the new one making it try
to fit the different spacing of the teeth (effectively). See the same
thing in bicycles. I have seen people do strange things for bicycle
chains -- clean the chain with a real good degreaser, then boil in
paraffin for 10 minutes. The advantage is no oil to pick up dirt, but
you also have no protection from moisture, so after each ride you
then have to spray it with some sort of protector. (some bicyclists
are a bit "off" -- I have seen long discussions on the amount of weight
you could save if you used hollow pins in the chain links instead of
solid pins ...)

mikey

"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote in message
...
You'd be amazed at how elliptical sprockets can become, before the chain
starts falling off w/ any regularity--at least on a haha rd350.
----------------------------
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
"jim rozen" wrote in message
...
In article , Derek says...

FWIW, it's my son's bike (250 4-Stroke) and
is used for trail riding, not competition. He wants to get the maximum
life out of the chain & sprockets.

Aftermarket O-ring chain, and SP1 protective wax is what I use.

Chains and sprockets are consumable wear items. They only
last so long. Replace chains when replacing sprockets,
I tend to get about two chains per sprocket set.

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

Soak the chain in Kero to get all the crud out. Then blow it clean and
use some chain wax on it. It sprays on and soaks in then stiffens up.
Lubes the chain and doesn't attract dirt/dust either. Used it a LOT on
my race bikes.

--
Steve Williams

"Derek" wrote in message
...
While there may more appropriate groups to anwer this question, I
trust the wisdom of this group ..... and it is metal related.

There seem to be a couple of theories regarding lubrication of a
motorcycle chain, in this case, a dirt bike. My concern with a "well
oiled" chain is that the dirt and grit sticks to the oil and acts as
grinding paste. A dry chain doesn't seem like a good idea either.
Any advice appreciated.

FWIW, it's my son's bike (250 4-Stroke) and
is used for trail riding, not competition. He wants to get the maximum
life out of the chain & sprockets.
Thanks.



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Fit a Scotoiler, and never lube the chain again. Great things
Geoff

Wow.....
Thanks to all that responded. There are some neat tips here.
It certainly seems that a well lubed chain is the way to go.
Thanks.

"Derek" wrote in message
...
While there may more appropriate groups to anwer this question, I
trust the wisdom of this group ..... and it is metal related.

There seem to be a couple of theories regarding lubrication of a
motorcycle chain, in this case, a dirt bike. My concern with a "well
oiled" chain is that the dirt and grit sticks to the oil and acts as
grinding paste. A dry chain doesn't seem like a good idea either.
Any advice appreciated.


All cycles (pedal or motor) with a single front and rear sprocket should
have a chaincase.

In article ,
"Mike Fields" wrote:

I have seen people do strange things for bicycle
chains -- clean the chain with a real good degreaser, then boil in
paraffin for 10 minutes. The advantage is no oil to pick up dirt, but
you also have no protection from moisture, so after each ride you
then have to spray it with some sort of protector. (some bicyclists
are a bit "off" -- I have seen long discussions on the amount of weight
you could save if you used hollow pins in the chain links instead of
solid pins ...)

mikey

Hehe. I give my bicycle chain the hot wax bath every so often.
Simmer about a half an hour. My wax (from many candle remnants) is
mixed with some chain saw bar oil. Pull it out, let it cool, go for a
short ride to flake off the excess, and my chain is good for about 200
miles of use, rain or shine, no oil on my pants leg either.
Leaves a good lubricant in the links around the pins, and keeps out
water and dirt. This chain is up to about 1500 miles all together and
shows no signs of elongation yet.
I don't clean the chain before dipping--I just pull it off the bike
and toss it in. Once it was caked in mud, so I shook off the bulk
first. The crud all falls off the the wax, the heat removes all the
moisture, and I get the same result as a clean chain.
Dunno if it'd hold out on a motorbike, though.

--
B.B. --I am not a goat! thegoat4 at airmail dot net
http://web2.airmail.net/thegoat4/