Lets talk about drive chains

[FluteTears]

The one from the engine to the back
As I am waiting for parts I am cleaning and fixing small stuff that I have noted during taking the engine out on the bike. My chain looks good for sitting for years and moves well. Now I am thinking about cleaning it and do some kind of lube job on it. I was thinking about soaking it in degreaser and then runnig water over it then soaking it in some kind of chain lube.
Any ideas on the mater?
Brad

[deaddog]

Try soaking it in ATF (auto trans. fluid)

Any ideas on the mater?
Brad

[e3steve]

Whatever happened to using LinkLyfe? You know, the heavy graphite & molybdenum grease in a 'biscuit tin'? First, boil the chain, with a wire handling-loop on one end, in water to clean it; if it's a good chain with little sideways curve, water-boil it more than once to get rid of gritty impurities, then take it out whilst still at about 95ºC (DO wear gloves) and hang for 10 mins in the garage - or wherever - out of any breeze. The residual heat will flash-off most of the water. Coil the chain on the top of the solid Linklyfe greasecake in the tin, sit it on the stove, melt it & leave it for a half hour whilst occsionally irritating the sh** out of the chain with a screwdriver and, hey presto! New chain - well...sort of. The Linklyfe will displace any water. Take it out while the tin is still hot-but-handleable-with-gloves, hang the chain over the tin to drain & cool; once it is, wipe it down several times with a cloth. Job done.

It flicks off around the wheelrim for a few miles, but the chain lasts & lasts & lasts & lasts & lasts......bored now!

http://www.staniforths.com/stan_contact.htm

Or there's always Silkolene Chain Lube

http://ca.shop.com/0-~silkolene+chain+l ... g1-s.shtml

and Castrol or Motul Chain Cleaner

[e3steve]

I forgot to mention: to find LinkLyfe in Staniforth's catalogue, click on the link on my last post, then click CATALOGUE>PAINTS & LUBRICANTS & ctrl+f (Find) for linklyfe & hit ENTER/return

[leonvjames]

just remember, if you have one of the early Linklyfe tins, to secure the handle with a bit of wire or similar, otherwise when you pick up the tin, the out of balance weight of the chain will spill the lot
Leon.

[deaddog]

The one from the engine to the back
As I am waiting for parts I am cleaning and fixing small stuff that I have noted during taking the engine out on the bike. My chain looks good for sitting for years and moves well. Now I am thinking about cleaning it and do some kind of lube job on it. I was thinking about soaking it in degreaser and then runnig water over it then soaking it in some kind of chain lube.
Any ideas on the mater?
Brad

I thought my chain did not look too bad, so I soaked it in mineral sprits and ATF and installed on the bike. I had more pressing issues to get the bike going. Once I got the bike going and I started driving it around I was feeling a surging at cruise speeds. I thought maybe it was in the carbs., or tires, or that this is just an old bike and I would have to live with it. After reading this link, I decided to re-examine my chain. I found some stiffer links but not that bad. I decided to buy a chain, and found them to be readily available at the local bike shop (530 – 94L) for a 1961 CB77.

Long story short: It was the best improvement I did to the bike. It absolutely drives like a dream now (even though it is a Super Hawk). I believe it has even improved my power range. It really is like a new bike with the new chain on.

If your chain has a significant amount of rust on it just buy a new one. Mine cost $40.00 and I am sure you could find a better deal. I did not shop around.