Cleaning the chain

[Quick281]

Originally Posted by ceo012384

Sure dude. I put rags behind it and just spray lightly as I turn the wheel. You need a lot less than you think. Get the chain warmed up first if you can. Pat the excess off with a rag after you've sprayed it all on, making it dripping wet is only going to make a mess and make more shit stick to it.

I agree with the method.

How'd the kero work?

Was able to do this over the week and absolutely love the result I got. Chain is nice and clean and I think that a can of Motorex might suffice from now on. I am pretty sure that this is the first time in 4k miles that this chain had ever been cleaned. Took the rear wheel off and everything, just as in your example.

Ill put my pics up tomorrow.

[Mudpuppy]

Originally Posted by ceo012384

Sure dude. I put rags behind it and just spray lightly as I turn the wheel. You need a lot less than you think. Get the chain warmed up first if you can. Pat the excess off with a rag after you've sprayed it all on, making it dripping wet is only going to make a mess and make more shit stick to it.

I agree with the method.

How'd the kero work?

I got the kero going to do it tonight or tomorrow night.

[ceo012384]

Originally Posted by Quick281

Was able to do this over the week and absolutely love the result I got. Chain is nice and clean and I think that a can of Motorex might suffice from now on. I am pretty sure that this is the first time in 4k miles that this chain had ever been cleaned. Took the rear wheel off and everything, just as in your example.

Ill put my pics up tomorrow.

Nice dude. The reason I'm sticking with the kerosene is precisely what you said.... a CAN of motorex is almost what it takes to do a good job.... 6 bucks a can... that shit adds up quick. Kerosene you really dont need much and it does a fantastic job.

Originally Posted by Mudpuppy

I got the kero going to do it tonight or tomorrow night.

use a paint tray and rubber gloves... dunk other things that need to be cleaned in there as well, while you're at it.

[Mudpuppy]

well instead of cleaning the chain tonight i went riding.. i see you took the chain and sprockets off.. i am just going to clean the chain and sprocket on the bike.. i was almost thinking a spray bottle or paint brush to apply the kerosene.. then the grunge brush to clean off the bullshit.. have you used kero with the chain and sprocket on the bike? how did you put it on the chain? the paint tray and rubber gloves are a good idea.. thanks for the tip.. i have chemical gloves that i used to use to acid wash the pool..

[Mr Lefty]

will Kero hurt your powdercoated swing arm?

[Gas Man]

I would use a spray bottle.

[Quick281]

Some pics of my experience. 4000 miles on a 06 Gixxer, with the chain having never been cleaned before I owned it.

Before


First try, using 1 can of Motorex. It did a good job, but was just short of what I needed to get everything done. Plus, the sprockets were so dirty that I couldn't keep the chain clean while turning the wheel.


CEO's suggested method, very labor intensive but my bike needed the good cleaning. Now that its been done, I can continue to do it on the bike. The sprocket could have been cleaner but I didn't want to wait longer to put all of it back together.


My Results


Kerosene from now on for me.

Actually I think the last picture is from the Motorex stuff. Because the little amounts of crap on the sprocket were long gone after the kerosene. I will take a picture of the bike today for comparison sake. Bottom line, it works.

[Mudpuppy]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

I would use a spray bottle.

that was what I was thinking - spray on, grunge brush, rinse off, ride, lube.

spray bottles are cheap at like CVS or something.

[ceo012384]

Originally Posted by Mudpuppy

well instead of cleaning the chain tonight i went riding.. i see you took the chain and sprockets off.. i am just going to clean the chain and sprocket on the bike.. i was almost thinking a spray bottle or paint brush to apply the kerosene.. then the grunge brush to clean off the bullshit.. have you used kero with the chain and sprocket on the bike? how did you put it on the chain? the paint tray and rubber gloves are a good idea.. thanks for the tip.. i have chemical gloves that i used to use to acid wash the pool..

Yeah the only reason I did the whole dealie was because I already had the wheels off and everything.

I haven't cleaned the chain again since that time, which was the first time I used kero, but I was planning to use a spray bottle when I did. Make sure the spray bottle is rated to hold a solvent like kerosene without degrading if you plan to store the kero in that specific bottle between uses. Griot's Garage (great garage supply place for OCD people like me) sells some very excellent spray bottles and nozzles, you'd have to check whether or not they were compatible. You may want an opaque bottle or a carefully chosen storage location just in case since kero is flammable.

The paint tray is great if you've got your wheels off and you don't have a clip-type master or a chain breaker and spare master link. Once in a long while it would probably be good to just take the whole chain off and soak it for a bit though. My owners manual says to not submerge for more than 10 minutes for o-ring health, when you do that though. With wheels on, spray bottle and brushes is your best bet. Even then still wear the gloves.

Originally Posted by Ebbs15

will Kero hurt your powdercoated swing arm?

I used it to lightly clean the chain lube flings off of my swingarm, so I would say no.

Originally Posted by Quick281

CEO's suggested method, very labor intensive but my bike needed the good cleaning. Now that its been done, I can continue to do it on the bike.

Looks great man, good work. Glad it worked out for you. Amazing all of the SHIT that comes off of there, huh?

Yeah, for a really thorough clean this is the way to do it. Between that, the spray and clean should be fine.

I figure every time I get new tires I will do it the way I described in this thread / my garage thread.

[Mudpuppy]

thanks for the tips - you the man.. i will try it out tonight or tomorrow..

i am just using an old spray bottle or a dollar store bottle - i like living on the edge..