Chain maintenance

[openwheeler37]

How offten do you clean / lube your drive chain? What products do you like?

Thanks,
Grant

[Northwind]

You'll find that you need to lube your chain at a minimum of every other session. To much lube makes a mess. I like to apply a little every session.

[carnut169]

"Chain wax" works great and does not make a huge mess.

[Wren]

Never. Replace every 4-6 weekends. Preferably 4.

[glenn cooper]

the lube is sealed inside and kept there by the O, X, or whatever rings.
You basically want to keep the chain protected from corrosion, and have a tiny bit of cushion at the sprocket/chain roller interface.
Lube sparingly, only a warm chain, and wipe of excess with WD40 on a rag, engine OFF.

Inspect the chain rollers after every on track session, find problems early and prevent big ones from happening.

If your chain is 'overheating", or requires adjusting every session, or snapping a chain:
you are possibly and most likely doing something WRONG:
using a chain only rated for a 100cc minibike,
adjusting the chain super tight/way loose.
putting a new chain on junk sprockets, etc...

Replace chain after 4 or 5 weekends - it's very inexpensive insurance.
A broken chain can wipe out a brand new engine in the time it takes to blink.

When installing the press fit masterlink, lube the masterlink pins generously with some moly lube. The chain does not come with enough in the little plastic packet containing the O rings and m/l - get your own and pack it full of lube before pressing on the top plate.

Measure w/ calipers the thickness/width of the last link on the end of the chain. This measurement is exactly how tight the pressed and riveted link should be.
If when done installing a m/l and it's too tight//significantly under the measurement - cut it off and start again.

Chain can be purchased by the 25' roll - find out how much you need to do a chain and do the math. Perhaps buying individual 100 or 110 link chains would be less expensive.

ON EDIT - Yeah, just realised you possibly didn't want Chain101, rather an answer to a sigle question.
Answer - Once per weekend. Sparingly. As in not doused. Just a scosh. A wee tad.

[Christopher Crowe]

-- getting the whole buisiness is great. Anyone coming into the catagory w/o DSR or F-600 experience is probably lost when it comes to chains in this very high-stress application. The poor dudes were never intended for this kind of abuse. So...

Thanks!

[Bob Wheless]

Glen, the chain miester ,when it comes to chains' its great to get a primer ever so often, I made the mistake of new chain with old sprockets , check the steel engine sprockets too , not just the ovious aluminum rear,,,, don't ask me how I know ,,,, thank you again,,,,,,bob

[Nicholas Belling]

We replace every single race weekend ( test day, double practice, 2 2ualify and race )


they are weekend consumables as well as sprockets..
Dont put old used grooved sprockets on new chains !!

we had not had one single failure when adopting the regular maintenance schedule per weekend with chains, sprockets (front/rear)

[openwheeler37]

So for those of you changing chain after every race weekend, what chain are you using? A few of the guys I run with go all season (about 8 - 10 race weekends) on the same chain, just lube in between sessions.

[lancer360]

Everything Coop said is good info. I spoke with a rep from DID awhile back and he said you need to lube the chain. While the chain is lubed for life internally, you need to lube the exterior of the chain to help reduce heat and wear generated between the chain and the sprockets. I wrap a rag loosely around the chain and have someone rotate the rear wheel by hand to wipe any debris off the chain. I wipe it down dry, but soaking the rag in WD-40 might pick up a bit more debris. Do not use any type of solvent on the chain. You risk damaging the seals and can have a premature chain failure. I then hold a rag behind my chain and spray the chain while someone else turns the rear wheel by hand to rotate the chain. After spraying it I keep turning the chain around for several more revolutions using the now lube soaked rag to wipe down the chain again. I also try to wipe down the sprockets if I see any build up of debris.

[openwheeler37]

I wrap a rag loosely around the chain and have someone rotate the rear wheel by hand to wipe any debris off the chain. I wipe it down dry, but soaking the rag in WD-40 might pick up a bit more debris. Do not use any type of solvent on the chain. You risk damaging the seals and can have a premature chain failure. I then hold a rag behind my chain and spray the chain while someone else turns the rear wheel by hand to rotate the chain. After spraying it I keep turning the chain around for several more revolutions using the now lube soaked rag to wipe down the chain again. I also try to wipe down the sprockets if I see any build up of debris.

This is my current routine, just wanted to see what others are doing.

[Richard Dziak]

I have used this chain on my Phoenix F1000 in the past with great success.

Tsubaki 530 Sigma Hi-Performance o-Ring Motorcycle chain.

http://www.bikebandit.com/tsubaki-53...torcycle-chain

Average tensile strength of 10,600 lbs. Recommended for up to 1200cc max Up to 100% greater fatigue strength and wear resistance than most conventional motorcycle drive chains. High viscosity grease is vacuum injected and sealed by Tsubaki’s super seal O-ring.

Also highly suggest CHAIN WAX, applied to a warm or hot chain.

http://compare.ebay.com/like/3006217...Types&var=sbar

As GC stated chain maintainence is quite important.


Be sure to order the proper length chain, as the chain comes in one long piece, it is not linked together. You can always take the new chain to any motorcycle shop and have the master link professional installed. If you plan to DIY, then you will need a chain link kit to cut and replace the master link with a link press tool. Cost is about $100 to $115.00 for the tool kit.

http://www.amazon.com/RK-Chain-Rivet.../dp/B000GZOI48


Hope this info helps somewhat.

[openwheeler37]

Thanks everyone for all the info!

[lancer360]

One trick I use when making a new chain is to use a Dremel to grind the head off the pin that I am about to press out. Only takes a few seconds and puts a lot less stress on the tool pressing the pin out. I shattered the drive pin on my RK chain tool before I started grinding the head off even though it says it is rated for pressing out 530 chain. I use DID 530VX chain and it is rated for 1K engines.

[glenn cooper]

this chain had 4 races on it: R/O's, ARRC, Rd Atl 2xNat in March.
The links @ the green hash marks are blued from the heat caused by grease loss via missing O rings.
I am not sure what caused this, but it proves the point to inspect the chain and sprockets after every on track session.

Notice in the close up the etching on the rollers. Bad.

I believe this is an RK XSO, recommended for upto 1000cc bikes.
I have been using this brand/model chain for quite awhile, as I had a few 25' rolls that ran out last time I put on a freshie.

I am changing to an EK 530 dragbike chain, made for upto 1400cc bikes and will report back

[DonArm]

Is the etching from the chain not having adequate lubrication? Also would it help to have some way of directing more air flow to the chain for cooling?

Thanks

[glenn cooper]

1 - Don't know.
2 - I seriously doubt it.

Bottom Line: The chain and sprockets are a MAJOR wear item, kind of like running Mk9 gears in an agressively driven FM - they will shatter if not replaced when they should be.

GC

[JRMarchand]

I followed the link to the RK tool on ebay and there are many more choices of tools for sale, DID even makes one, which one of those would be the easiest to use at the track. Looks like the one made by CTA covers all types of chains too, I'm in the market for one. Any recommendations welcome.

[JakeL]

Coop -

I ran a couple of EK models for a while on my DSR in 2010 and 2011, and concluded that they are junk. They had bad issues with stretch, and were much more inconsistent in terms of loose spots/tight spots. The only one I did not try was the big badass ZZZ model.

Used RK on the Radical and never had an issue. Have been using DID's now since I threw the EK's in the garbage, and have found them to be best in terms of not stretching, and in terms of being very even all the way around - no loose and tight spots.

My advice, on my sample size of 1 would be to stay far away from the EK chains.

$0.02,

-Jake

[JakeL]

As for chain tools, I have the RK one and like it a lot. Folks I've spoken to have always liked the DID tool. Run far away from the Motion pro tools (both of them), they are awful.

I put this together a while back when I was pretty new to chain stuff, to help folks get a sense of how to deal with chains and such. Feedback/additions welcome, and hopefully it will help folks on this thread too:

http://www.jakelatham.com/radical/info/chaininfo.shtml

-Jake

[Jnovak]

Been using DID chains for about 15 years with never a problem.

Thanks ... Jay Novak

[Richard Dziak]

Suggest the following...never had any problems.......

Tsubaki 530 Sigma Hi-Performance o-Ring Motorcycle chain.

http://www.bikebandit.com/tsubaki-53...torcycle-chain

Average tensile strength of 10,600 lbs. Recommended for up to 1200cc max Up to 100% greater fatigue strength and wear resistance than most conventional motorcycle drive chains. High viscosity grease is vacuum injected and sealed by Tsubaki’s super seal O-ring.

Also highly suggest CHAIN WAX, applied to a warm or hot chain.

http://compare.ebay.com/like/3006217...Types&var=sbar

[Ananth K]

As for chain tools, I have the RK one and like it a lot. Folks I've spoken to have always liked the DID tool. Run far away from the Motion pro tools (both of them), they are awful.

I put this together a while back when I was pretty new to chain stuff, to help folks get a sense of how to deal with chains and such. Feedback/additions welcome, and hopefully it will help folks on this thread too:

http://www.jakelatham.com/radical/info/chaininfo.shtml

-Jake

Not sure why you don't like the motion pro tools. I've been using the cheap one several times on motorcycles without any issues. Of course I grind the head of the pin off before attempting to break the chain. I just bought their jumbo tool with the quad-stake rivet kit and this tool although expensive is definitely one of the best available. If you use a solid-nose master link this is the only tool I could find that can rivet the masterlink on, and the masterlink then looks just like the rest of the pins on the chain.

[JakeL]

Ananth -

Haven't seen the one you linked before - perhaps it's new or I overlooked it before. That looks very much like the RK and DID tools.

Motion Pro has two smaller tools, both of which are junk - they regularly strip threads, crack, whatever. I also grind the head off of the master when breaking a chain - my understanding is that it's almost required on a 530 chain to break it successfully.

-J

[lancer360]

I also use the RK tool. I have shattered the pin taking a chain apart. I now grind the head off with a dremel first. It makes it so much easier. If/when this tool wears out I will probably give the DID tool a shot.

[Alex Pate]

So for those of you changing chain after every race weekend, what chain are you using? A few of the guys I run with go all season (about 8 - 10 race weekends) on the same chain, just lube in between sessions.

Our chains were replaced every weekend because one time a chain let go and it was a very costly mistake not to change it. It left a nice hole in the lower case, while it is not necessary to change it every weekend it's like paying 100$ insurance per weekend on your motor

[glenn cooper]

Phunny... I have the Motion Pro tool in the blue plastic case, not sure of the model #.
There are a bunch of accesory pin driver tools and whatnot, but those are for small stuff like cam chains and minibike chains.

The thing that is important to us is the 530 sized bits, and they have worked flawlessly.

Reading some of the above almost makes me think folks are breaking their chain tools through improper use - kinda like me with the whole trailer hitch thing.

GC

[glenn cooper]

I got the EK 150 link dragbike chain (woulda made 2 chains), and it was Non O Ring - so much for that...

Flashy DID 530 VX going on tonight...

[Blair Robertshaw]

So has anyone tried DID VX chain? Prior to the post above just installing it...

[lancer360]

DID uses a "X" type seal in most of their chains instead of an o-ring. I use the VX chain on my F600. The ZVM-X seems more appropriate for a F1K car.

According to their website they have

530VX MAX. 1000 C.C. Pro-Street X-Ring VX Chain
50(530)ZVM-X MAX. 1400 C.C. Super Street X-Ring VX Chain

[Blair Robertshaw]

Thank you!