After a fascinating set of replies to my post asking whether Paraffin is the right way to clean my chain, it was suggest a poll would settle things. Post: https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/paraffin-cleaning-chain.66756/add-reply
WD40 specialist motorbike chain cleaner, then lube with Castrol Chain Lube Racing (low fling and dries clear so it looks good).
Clean with GT 85 normally... may use Brake and Clutch Cleaner on odd occasion if very dirty - or changing from one lube type to another... but then GT85 to remove any traces of the brake and clutch cleaner after. Then dry with tissue and air... Then Lube Wurth Dry Lube
I'm not a great one for chain maintenance and lubing . When the chain has looked really rotten after a weeks roadtrip I have used parrafin to clean it . Seems fine to me and you get a couple of litres for a few quid .
I allow my minions to do the menial tasks for next to no pay. Occasionally I also allow eye contact whilst they are in the kneeling position, if you get my drift.
There is a video on you tude testing different cleaners. A good watch. But petrol or parafin are a no no.
I use the Wurth dry lube and clean it with a rag as/after I lube it, the lube carrier fluid is very effective at loosening what little muck builds up. The rag with the lube carrier soaked in cleans all the shit off the rear sprocket as well.
The video on you tube soaks the O rings in different cleaners, parafin and petrol are the only 2 the swell the O rings and make them soft.
Seems to be in line with what my mate told me. It then allows the oil, that is sealed, to get flushed out. It’s impossivle to get oil back into the chain cylinders (am sure they’ve got an official name). Does seem to me the evidence for not using anything that is thinner than oil is mounting :-/ (checking on a liquid density scale (very geeky I know, but crucial if I am to find the answer to the question if Paraffin is a no no) it rings true that paraffin is thinner than oil allowing the Paraffin to pass through the o-ring seal and flush the sealed-in oil out. Hadn’t considered that the Paraffin expands the o-ring seal like this. So use over time may be the way in which a chains life is shortened. Bugger!
Well we live and learn, however flying in the face of science the Luddite in me says I’ll probably continue to use it!
To be honest its not on long enough to have an effect if u ask me. But people say dont use wd40 but again not on long enough to me. He did soak em for over a year
But they don’t contain oil, they contain grease, so going by that logic we’d have to clean our chains with something thicker than grease, how about putty?
Agree, I use paraffin on towelling and run the chain through it, then dry towelling, then chain lube, never had a problem, soaking something for a year tells us nothing , I mean barrier cream on your hands is a good idea when working with oils , sticking your hand in a tub of barrier cream for a year would probably not have a beneficial effect.
