Can You Clean and Adjust Your Chain?

Drive Chain Maintenance.
A bit of a back to basics story here. I thought I had this covered sometime back, but I actually don't, my bad. A couple of weeks ago, a geezer asked if I thought the chain on his Ninja 300 was worn out. Wish I'd taken some pics of it now to give you a better idea.

The chain was hanging down in a large arc because it needed adjusting so badly. On closer inspection, it was also really greasy/dirty where chain lube had been sprayed on constantly during its life, but had never been cleaned. It was also heavy and slow to move because of the grease.
Now you can give all the advice you want in person, but words are meaningless unless you're doing the job with them, there and then. And if the person isn't confident in adjusting it correctly, it's a tough call. Everything is easy when you know how.

Regarding the wear factor? It was half-and-half. Yes, you could pull the chain links away from the rear sprocket slightly (a good test for a worn chain), but then I've seen far worse. If it was mine, I'd give it a damn good clean up first, spray it with chain lube again, adjust it and take it for a ride. And then monitor it for a while.

So, a good time for a tutorial. Take from it what you will, ignore it completely, or find out how I get years from chains and sprockets. 

Here's a Can-Am 175 that is just beyond a simple clean and adjust. I'll admit defeat with this one. 

HELP! Chain sizes... 520? 525? 530?

Need to know the difference?
Sometimes confusing, I had to check this up myself when a mate mentioned the chain on his R6 was a 532.  I looked it up and thought it should be a 525 but a conversion is also available to make it a 520!  So which one and why?


A quick look through Google found me a small article on EK's brilliant website which I've shamelessly copied and pasted.  After all, don't fix what ain't broke.

What’s the difference between 520, 525 and 530 chains? The numbers indicate a chain’s dimensions, tolerances, minimum tensile strength and other specifications, using a system instituted by the Japanese Industrial Standards Committee. The JIS standard is very similar to chain standards developed by ISO, ANSI, DIN and others. The first digit (4, 5 or 6) denotes a chain’s pitch – the center-to-center distance between chain pins. Originally these numbers specified pitch in eighths of an inch (i.e. a 400-series chain had a pitch of 4/8, or 1/2 inch), but now metric dimensions are used. A 400-series chain has a pitch of 12.7mm. A 500-series chain has a pitch of 15.875mm. A 600-series chain has a pitch of 19.05mm. The second and third digits indicate the chain’s width, measured between the inboard surfaces of the inner sideplates. An EK chain ending in ‘20’ measures 6.35mm between the plates. If the number ends in ‘25’ or ‘28’, the dimension is 7.94mm. If the number ends in ‘30’ or ‘32’, the width is 9.53mm. Because wider chains are typically stronger as well, the second and third digits also indicate a chain’s strength, relative to other chains with the same pitch. Higher numbers correspond to greater strength, i.e. a 525 chain is stronger than a 520. This additional strength is achieved through increased roller diameter, pin diameter, pin length and plate thickness. Spot on!

WD 40 - as important as the brew!

What do I reach for when I need to clean the bike?  

WD-40 


A friend of mine used to refer to it as "magic spray". It seems to be good at everything. From resurrecting remote key fobs on cars to stopping squeaking hinges in the house.
Yes, I use it for all sorts of things.


Back wheel covered in chain grease, brake dust and general dirt?  
A spray with the old WD and a wipe with a rag leaves it shiny and clean (just keep it off the brake discs).


Chain covered in road filth?  
I use WD 40 and a toothbrush (no not the one I use in my mouth - I use the wife's instead) and give it a good scrub, wipe dry with a rag before spraying with chain lube.  This keeps the chain looking shiny and new.  I've heard claims that it can ruin the O-rings on chains but I've never had a  problem. When I sold my Hayabusa, it was seven years old, had twenty-odd thousand miles on it and still with original chain and sprockets (which never seemed to need adjusting)  - so I must have been doing something right.


Plastics faded?
Yes, WD 40 breathes new life into old, grey, lustreless plastic panels, mirrors, mudguards (fenders), switchgear etc. A spray and wipe down with a rag soon has them shining in their original black gloss.


Tar spots on bodywork?
It'll dissolve those too.




And not only that, it lubricates cables, pivot points 
(footpegs, kickstarts), locks - the list goes on.


Make sure your garage has a can at the ready!