7point62
Husqvarna
AA Class
I see there's a couple of posts here theorising that WD40 and similar gets under the chain's o-ring seals. My feeling is that if o-rings were so permeable then we would all be knee-deep in gak from leaky seals in our bikes, cars, washing machines and other mechanical whatnot.
Sure, o-rings come in many different materials and some resist certain chemicals better than others, but chain makers aren't that stupid. If I was less lazy then I'd chuck a length of chain offcut in a jar of WD for a month and then press it apart to see if if the wee bit of white grease that the manufacturers apply during assembly had been displaced. But I probably won't.
IMO the real enemy to the seal is the buildup of dirt or corrosion that can deform it allowing the ingress of crud.
Chains on dirtbikes have a hard life. No cush drives in the transmission, lightweight construction, on / off power and imersion in all kinds of goo while on the trail. Oh, and owners with jetwashers. Horrible things (jetwashers, not owners!)
I have a couple of different chain care schedules. In summertime on dusty trails I keep the chain clean and run it dry. No accumulation of grinding paste. If I am doing high speed roadwork then it gets oiled, likewise if it's wet. But I religiously clean it (with diesel, then dry it with shop towel) to stop crud accumulating. It's been raining relentlessly here this summer so it's been getting oiled (with EP90) and the excess gets wiped off before I go out. Takes no time and works OK.
Chain lubrication is a tricky compromise. Sticky oil is great from a non-fling point of view, but it attracts crud. I had a Scottoiler on a roadbike once (an automatic chain oiling device). It used a tiny amount of ordinary non-sticky oil. The chain stayed clean and so did the rear tyre and the drivelines lasted maybe twice as long as usual. Brilliant device (especially in a typically horrible British winter). Buying the best chain you can afford helps too.
Sure, o-rings come in many different materials and some resist certain chemicals better than others, but chain makers aren't that stupid. If I was less lazy then I'd chuck a length of chain offcut in a jar of WD for a month and then press it apart to see if if the wee bit of white grease that the manufacturers apply during assembly had been displaced. But I probably won't.
IMO the real enemy to the seal is the buildup of dirt or corrosion that can deform it allowing the ingress of crud.
Chains on dirtbikes have a hard life. No cush drives in the transmission, lightweight construction, on / off power and imersion in all kinds of goo while on the trail. Oh, and owners with jetwashers. Horrible things (jetwashers, not owners!)
I have a couple of different chain care schedules. In summertime on dusty trails I keep the chain clean and run it dry. No accumulation of grinding paste. If I am doing high speed roadwork then it gets oiled, likewise if it's wet. But I religiously clean it (with diesel, then dry it with shop towel) to stop crud accumulating. It's been raining relentlessly here this summer so it's been getting oiled (with EP90) and the excess gets wiped off before I go out. Takes no time and works OK.
Chain lubrication is a tricky compromise. Sticky oil is great from a non-fling point of view, but it attracts crud. I had a Scottoiler on a roadbike once (an automatic chain oiling device). It used a tiny amount of ordinary non-sticky oil. The chain stayed clean and so did the rear tyre and the drivelines lasted maybe twice as long as usual. Brilliant device (especially in a typically horrible British winter). Buying the best chain you can afford helps too.
