| Genghis9021 |
10 Jun 2013 09:25 |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nath
My my, what an impressive collection of bikes you keep! But how on earth do you find enough time to ride all of them enough to build up any experience of chain wear on them? Or do they just sit in the garage whilst you live out your riding experiences and chain data accumulations via adventure rider forum? :whistling:
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True, I know longer due Iron Butt type rides anymore unless absolutely necessary . . . like it may be this summer . . . 1600kms in 24 hours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nath
I like to keep moving parts oiled, and seeing as how the o-rings on a drive chain are situated between two moving plates, I find it ideal to keep them oiled. Friction between the o-ring and the plates can only serve to damage the o-ring, reducing it's efficiency in keeping grease in, and dirt out.
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They are, from inside. But perhaps you use some magical form of lubrication that sticks to o-rings . . . but flings off chain bushings and links. Do tell . . .
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nath
Chain maintenance in off-road conditions is a tricky subject. As mentioned previously by somebody above, to some extent a light oil will fling off the chain taking the dirt with it, effectively cleaning the chain. Personally I would oil a chain unless I was planning on riding in a significant amount of sand, or possibly very heavily dry/dusty conditions on gravel or hardpac dirt roads. But probably only the sand (to run a dry chain).
Since you've asserted that lubricating an o-ring chain serves no purpose or advantage at all, could you tell me how you would look after the chain on a bike used predominantly on sealed roads, because it sounds like you're trying to back yourself out of a corner by reiterating your comments but by clarifying them with a 'when off-road' disclaimer. Note the majority of HuBB posters, and 'adventure riders' in general seem to ride in the vast majority on-road, so if you're going prescribe advice suited to riding exclusively off-road and particularly in proper sand, it would be handy to say that.
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You mean like this ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by genghis9021
I've never lubed an O-ring on a dirt bike or on a bike doing considerable off-road. NEVER.
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Not sure what corner you're imagining . . . lubrication off-road - Nope. Nada. On-road . . . perhaps some dry lube. On-road the chain will almost certainly move faster and over longer periods of time . . . it's not IMPOSSIBLE that some lube between the bushings and sprockets could be beneficial. But I've never done it and have noticed no difference in wear over . . . 20 years and several hundred thousand KMs . . . chain life has improved with chain quality, for me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nath
My theory is that when a chain is looked after, the front sprocket will wear quicker than the chain, and once it deteriorates to a certain level it accelerates the wear on on the chain. The next time I'm looking to get high mileage out of a chain I'm going to replace the front sprocket roughly half way through the predicted life of the chain. Front sprockets are cheap. Food for thought? . . .
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Bit off topic here but . . . I'd no idea this was news. Carrying an extra C/S sprocket ? Replacing it at half the interval of the rear sprocket or taking it off and reversing it when possible ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nath
Personally I quite like getting 40,000+ miles out of a chain and sprockets, so I think I'll keep oiling my chains with engine oil for now. Like o-rings on a drive chain I also require periodic (okay, frequent) lubrication, so I'd better pop off to the offy for some more beeer before they close.
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Personally I like not turning my countershaft sprockets into paper cutters . . . breaking a chain at speed is terrifying. And even at slow speed could easily destroy the engine cases. Can't imagine the noise your C/S and chain were making . . . but not everyone has a keen sense of the obvious. :) |
