Lubricating Non O Ring Chains

Lubricating Non O Ring Chains

Author
Discussion

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,314 posts

239 months

Thursday 25th July
quotequote all
I seem to recall a thing where roller chains were "cooked" in a pan of oil to lubriate them.... is this still a thing?
The chain on the RS is a non O ring type as they are not a stiff as O ring chains which is beneficial for low power bikes....
If so, normal engine oil or just simply lather in chain lube and enjoy??
Any feedback from the classic brigade would be great

RGG

367 posts

23 months

Thursday 25th July
quotequote all


LinkLife I do believe

It was great.

RGG

367 posts

23 months

Thursday 25th July
quotequote all
Still available from all good auction sites

But look at the price

eek

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394571927812?chn=ps&amp...

RGG

367 posts

23 months

Thursday 25th July
quotequote all

It was great because you knew it had soaked right through every pin and link.

No noise from the chain.

And as smooth a drive delivery as anything.

There must be a way of replicating it now - haven't looked that up.

I would guess it's just wax in some form.


RGG

367 posts

23 months

Thursday 25th July
quotequote all
Sorry for the multiple posts.

Well worth trying.

The contemporary version is Putoline


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124153489018?_trkparms=...

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,314 posts

239 months

Thursday 25th July
quotequote all
RGG said:
Sorry for the multiple posts.

Well worth trying.

The contemporary version is Putoline


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124153489018?_trkparms=...
Brilliant, many thanks

fly by wire

3,398 posts

131 months

Thursday 25th July
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Didn't half stink the kitchen out though, SWMBO was less than impressed.

NS400R

473 posts

165 months

Thursday 25th July
quotequote all
I used linklife back in the ‘80s. I don’t bother now. Gear oil applied regularly is all you need. Which is what the manufacturer recommended back then

KTMsm

27,421 posts

269 months

Friday 26th July
quotequote all
I used to heat my old bikes chains in oil, it revived rusty old chains for a hard up 13yr old

I nearly burnt the barn down when it caught fire and I threw water on it - I'd only been told not to do so on a chip pan fire and there were no chips involved !

Just boiled up some chainsaw chains after they got gummed up with pine sap worked a treat

Not needed if you take care of your chain, I use a tooth brush and gear oil

nismocat

684 posts

14 months

Friday 26th July
quotequote all
I went to a bike meet recently and the subject got onto chain lube. Jeez, pretty much everyone was an expert and it got heated more than once.
Someone asked me, as I had said nothing, what chain lube I used, I don't said I. And told them they are all being conned as modern chains only need a clean to stop rust, and maybe a squirt of WD40.

I told them I use gear oil and have done for 30 years even on modern bikes, unless the dealer ruins it and sticks the stuff on, and charges me an arm and a leg for the privilege.

There has been multiple tests over the years by various bike bloggers, magazines and influencers and the conclusion is, not really necessary and if you must just use gear oil, but learn how to apply it.

black-k1

12,133 posts

235 months

Friday 26th July
quotequote all
Oh the days of "cooking" chains in tins of black wax on the cooker when Mum wasn't there! biggrin I used to have 2 chains per one set of sprockets. One chain on the bike, the other sealed in the tin of wax on the shed, waiting to be heated up and swapped.

I am glad those days are now past an that chain maintenance happens on the bike.

As mentioned, we all have our own ways of looking after chains. As for which is "more right" than another is not that easy to judge. Either you'd need to dyno a bike a regular intervals throughout a bikes life to try and estimate power losses associated with chain wear - very difficult because of the cost, practicality and multiple other uncontrollable variables - or you need to look at how long a chain lasts. The chain on my H2 SX lasted over 30k miles and was still (just) within tolerance when it was replaced. For a 256kg, 200+bhp, 110lbft bike, used for brisk road riding, long distance touring (with luggage and, at times, with pillion) I saw that as a reasonable endorsement of the maintenance approach used, centering around an eScottOiler.


Biker's Nemesis

39,579 posts

214 months

Friday 26th July
quotequote all
nismocat said:
I went to a bike meet recently and the subject got onto chain lube. Jeez, pretty much everyone was an expert and it got heated more than once.
Someone asked me, as I had said nothing, what chain lube I used, I don't said I. And told them they are all being conned as modern chains only need a clean to stop rust, and maybe a squirt of WD40.

I told them I use gear oil and have done for 30 years even on modern bikes, unless the dealer ruins it and sticks the stuff on, and charges me an arm and a leg for the privilege.

There has been multiple tests over the years by various bike bloggers, magazines and influencers and the conclusion is, not really necessary and if you must just use gear oil, but learn how to apply it.
At last, I am not alone. (O Ring Chains though)

mikey_b

2,057 posts

51 months

Friday 26th July
quotequote all
I get 25k miles out of a modern x-ring chain quite easily, using a Scottoiler. Before fitting it, mileage was notably less, so the oil must be doing something as the care taken of it otherwise is the same - very little. The chain that's on there now (with 74k on the clock) has been on there since almost exactly 50k and is still going strong. I'll be measuring it again tomorrow actually, as part of doing it's annual service, but based on the absence of shark-toothing on either sprocket I'm not expecting it to be near the limits.

Krikkit

26,917 posts

187 months

Friday 26th July
quotequote all
nismocat said:
I went to a bike meet recently and the subject got onto chain lube. Jeez, pretty much everyone was an expert and it got heated more than once.
Someone asked me, as I had said nothing, what chain lube I used, I don't said I. And told them they are all being conned as modern chains only need a clean to stop rust, and maybe a squirt of WD40.

I told them I use gear oil and have done for 30 years even on modern bikes, unless the dealer ruins it and sticks the stuff on, and charges me an arm and a leg for the privilege.

There has been multiple tests over the years by various bike bloggers, magazines and influencers and the conclusion is, not really necessary and if you must just use gear oil, but learn how to apply it.
I use a very light coat of gear oil just for a bit of protection, otherwise agree.