View Full Version : Chain Help.
Bought the bike back in November and the chain to me looked perfect and the bike had never saw winter use. Since then I have used the bike every day and cleaned with Wurth Chain Cleaner and is kept it lubed with Wurth Dry Lube (which seemed to come highly recommended but since found out not the best for winter riding!). Recently I posted a thread that the the chain facings/sides had become rusty but now back to normal with Paraffin and an old toothbrush. My dilemma now is I've found 2 or 3 tight links on the chain. I realise this is not a good situation to have so was wondering apart from replacing the chain can these links be loosened off? The chain itself has only done 4500 miles and only does a round trip of 7 miles a day. What causes this to happen?
I am told that by rubbing in paraffin with a cloth and brush they can work loose but i had no such luck with mine and ended up replacing it :(.
Was impressed with the Paraffin for cleaning so will pay more attention to to the tight links with it. Was wondering as I only do short journeys would a long run put more heat into the chain to loosen it off?
May be worth a try, but tight links are meant to come with a risk of snapping too so play it safe.
May be worth a try, but tight links are meant to come with a risk of snapping too so play it safe.
Noted mate. Cheers. ;)
Anyone else know the cause of the tight links?
Anyone else know the cause of the tight links?
Aye, they're not as well lubricated as the rest of them.
Sorry, not very helpful, but if your chain has tight links that aren't coming out, just replace it.
Better safe than locked up under a truck.
ThEGr33k
25-02-09, 11:32 PM
Scottoiler turned right up for a few miles will do a lot! :D
yorkie_chris
25-02-09, 11:59 PM
Or just set it properly, a well oiled back tyre does get annoying...
ThEGr33k
26-02-09, 12:13 AM
Or just set it properly, a well oiled back tyre does get annoying...
I mean for initial getting rid of tight bits... :rolleyes:
I swear you have been put on this forum to try and trip me up! :p
no, you do that all by yourself with no Help from us lot...
ThEGr33k
26-02-09, 12:31 AM
no, you do that all by yourself with no Help from us lot...
:smt036
So plenty of lube and a long ride to heat the chain could do the trick? Failing that new chain.
Went to the Dealers today to pick up some service parts and ask about the chain links. I was told that the dry lube doesn't penetrate the O Rings properly and that could be why the links have tightened. To loosen them off I was advised to clean the chain then liberally cover the chain with wax as this is how it leaves the factory and what they would use when servicing your bike, then go for a decent ride to put a good amount of heat into the chain so that the wax could fully penetrate. Failing that a chain bath then if still no joy a new chain. Also as we all know a Scottoiler is the way forward for every day use. I bought Castrol Wax as recommend, so will keep you all posted.
chakraist
26-02-09, 08:34 PM
Castrol wax helped a little with my sticky links, I gave it a good old coating tonight while the chain was still warm and should be fine for tomorrow as long as I'm smooth on the throttle, then bike's getting serviced!
kwak zzr
26-02-09, 08:47 PM
someone in here posted that they had done 35,000 miles on one chain with wurth dry lube?
Biker Biggles
26-02-09, 08:50 PM
Id go for engine oil,little and often for a few hundred miles and see if that cured it.If so Id keep using oil to lube it as it works so well.
kwak zzr
26-02-09, 08:55 PM
ev now and again i use car engine oil on my chain, give it a right old soaking! does wonders! but flings for ever and makes a right mess.
Biker Biggles
26-02-09, 08:59 PM
I use nothing but old engine oil.little and often so the mess isnt too bad and its free and it gets rid of my crap oil.Chain on the SV has done over 20000 miles so far.
thebluelion
26-02-09, 09:10 PM
Ahh what? i just oil and ride. Am i doing the wrong thing?
kwak zzr
26-02-09, 09:12 PM
why what u doin?
thebluelion
26-02-09, 10:04 PM
Nout as far as i know my chain has done in excess of 20,000 and i dont know how far before i bought the bike.Its a bog standard chain too lol. So am i playing with fire and i need to change ??????????????
MattCollins
27-02-09, 03:38 AM
Nout as far as i know my chain has done in excess of 20,000 and i dont know how far before i bought the bike.Its a bog standard chain too lol. So am i playing with fire and i need to change ??????????????
With that sort of mileage it might be time to start measuring wear. With the chain under as much tension as you can muster and measuring across 20 links (21 pins) with verniers, the maximum wear limit is 319.4mm/12.57" or 15.97mm per link, but measure a bunch of them together it doesn't have to be 20. If it exceeds that number then replacement is due. If you don't replace it then you are playing with fire.
If it measures okay and does not have damaged plates, pins or rollers, pitting (surface rust that can be cleaned off is okay), loose pins, or binding links then it should be good to go a little longer.
Cheers
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