View Full Version : Autosol alternative.... gunk??
Al_Sweetman
17-09-07, 01:45 PM
Righty....
Seeing all this OCD cleaning malarkey that's been going on, I thought I'd share my 2p's worth....
I was remembering back to the last time I cleaned my bike (don't ask how long ago it was - the fact I had to remember back is a hint!) and a revelation I experienced... Gunk.
Fantastic name, very cheap, and easy to apply (smells great too :smt025). It's basically strong engine degreasant, but works wonders on grimey chains that have a winters worth of oil-and-mud-very-nasty-sticky-**** that's stuck to the 'non-fling' lube (big mistake there...)
A bit leaked on to my wheels as I was painting the chain, and all of a sudden I had a silver streak on my black wheels! So I persevered, and within 15 seconds or so of painting the wheels with this stuff, all the chain oil and **** and vanished and I had a gleaming silver wheel again!
Found this easier than using Autosol which seemed to take a lot lot longer.
Anyone else found / used Gunk for such purposes?
Cheers,
Al.
Wow! Another holy grail!!!!!
chazzyb
17-09-07, 02:44 PM
Gunk? Oh gawd yes, powerfull stuff. However, apart from anything else, it will *destroy* tarmac. I'd also be wary of using it on a chain - the petroleum-based solvents in it might not be too kind to the chain O-rings. Paraffin will work on a chain too (and the rear wheel) and is what the chain manufacturer most likely recommends for cleaning it.
I find for cleaning non-fling lube on a chain all I need is an old toothbrush, some wd-40 and an old t-shirt....works a treat.
Gunk I use to clean oil and petrol spillages off the driveway...
DarrenSV650S
17-09-07, 04:32 PM
I find for cleaning non-fling lube on a chain all I need is an old toothbrush, some wd-40 and an old t-shirt....works a treat.
Gunk I use to clean oil and petrol spillages off the driveway...
WD40 on a chain?:eek: big no-no. It'll eat up the O rings
I use Soc to clean my chain using a Ketten Max Chain Cleaner, which works wonders. You could spend hours cleaning a chain with a toothbrush, whereas this thing takes minutes.
Get it here: http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/ProductDetail.asp?cls=MCYCLE&pcode=MTXKET2
Oh but I do use WD40 (the cheap stuff from lidl's) to clean my wheels which works perfect. Just don't get it on your tyres :lol:
WD40 on a chain?:eek: big no-no. It'll eat up the O rings
I'm sure this is an urban myth
wyrdness
17-09-07, 08:10 PM
I'm sure this is an urban myth
It's certainly a very hotly debated issue. I've heard that it's probably safe to use, but paraffin is both cheaper and definitely safe.
-Ralph-
18-09-07, 07:53 PM
On a well maintained chain a paint brush soaked in parrafin is all you need to make all the crap run straight off. Dry with a rag then re-lube. Parrafin is also a great degreaser for all the other greasy bits. A tooth brush will bring up sprockets, rear shock, etc. About a fiver for a five litre tub from B&Q, Homebase or Focus, usually in the garden centre section, sometimes branded as "Parasene".
Don't waste your money on all these expensive products, they are not as good
northwind
18-09-07, 11:04 PM
Yup, WD40 might not eat o-rings, but it does needlessly eat money ;) Big bottle of paraffin should last you for years.
Gunk's superb at what it does, but it's a bit too aggressive for indiscriminate use I reckon.
Al_Sweetman
19-09-07, 08:15 AM
Yup, WD40 might not eat o-rings, but it does needlessly eat money ;) Big bottle of paraffin should last you for years.
Gunk's superb at what it does, but it's a bit too aggressive for indiscriminate use I reckon.
Agreed - I was merely mentioning it for wheel cleaning due to the amount of oil and crap that had collected on the spokes and hub... And it was 10x worse on the chain - Gunk was the only think that I found that could shift and deal with the crap.
The point was made slightly earlier about Gunk and o-rings.... If paraffin is OK to use, I'd have thought given that they're both a hydrocarbon base and their similar structures, there shouldn't be too much risk involved?
Cheers,
Al.
Dave The Rave
19-09-07, 09:53 AM
Hmm call me stupid but I use Wurth "chain and break cleaner" to clean my chain. Get old T-shirt, 30 minutes of elbow grease and guess what? It works!
Even so I can immagine that discovering that baking poweder/honey/tooth paste, shoe polish etc. does the same job must be excited. Keep it coming. Always ready for a laugh. :-)
Pledge/Mr Sheen etc works wonders when cleaning wheels/ fairings. Works just as well as WD40, its cheaper and not as harsh on the paintwork. A lot of Kwak riders used to use WD40 on their wheels until the paint started to flake off......
northwind
19-09-07, 08:24 PM
A lot of Kwak riders used to use WD40 on their wheels until the paint started to flake off......
But then, that was because the paint was useless... Most automotive paints won't be touched by WD40 or similiar solvents.
Remember that Gunk is a water miscible degreaser, it's the type that you hose off with water once it's done it's job on the oily stuff.
As such not only will it remove all traces of oil/grease but it will also leave a surface ready to accept water straight onto the bare metal, so you really do have to do something to protect bare metal after cleaning with Gunk (or Jizer etc).
I'd recommend caution using it as a general bike cleaner, especially as winter approaches.
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