Does WD40 hurt o-rings? A test....

[080]

If it gets past the orings they are worn out anyway.

It can happen with a new chain. Its only $80 and it an't my money, so go for it. I've already learned my lesson.

[Gilkerson]

I've also been using WD-40 on my chains for years and I've seen no negative affects. I'll spray it on the chain before I wash the bike and after, then when it's completely dry I'll use chain lube. I just had my chain off today and the o-rings on the master link were in great shape.

[rydnseek]

i'll echo what camp said.. o rings are not made of rubber.. they will not break down with automotive lubricants. I think they used to be made of neoprene.. i didn't know they're now made of nitrile. even better.

Here in az we have a lot of gritty dust. It gets into the chain & sprockets. The less sticky compounds in there, the less grit & sand there is to wear the metal out. I wash my chain & sprockets gently with a pressure washer, then spray it down with wd-40 while rotating the tire (up on a stand). It's then ready for the next ride. don't need grease, wax, oil, or anything else that will cause the sand & dirt to stick to the chain. I've got over 5k miles on my original chain, & it's still got lots of miles left on it.

I commend you on your scientific approach, though. Why listen to fear mongers when you can do a test. I would have predicted your results, based on the makeup of the materials used. You could soak them for several months with the same result... or use oil, kerosene, or even gas.

simplicity is often the best approach when you do something. Why make cleaning a chain into a major operation? ..and why lube a sealed lubed part? If the chain & gears were not subject to dirt & sand, i'd cover them with wax or grease to extend their lives. But they are, so cleaner & drier is better.

scotty:cool:

[MotoGoalie]

You too can have this kind of fun by devising your own o-ring tests and posting the results online. Now that I think of it, I find myself very curious about the effects of a propane torch flame on o-ring rubber. Would it last a month?

What an excellent and simple test of an uban legend. You are our new mythbusters.

I took your wonderful experiment to heart and tried using some WD40 for contact lens cleaner.

IT BURNS< OH GOD IT BURNS.

[mikie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrile_rubber

Acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) is what you are refering to when you say nitrile. I think plain Nitrile is something else, more of an organic compound. NBR is a synth rubber used in many things.

[scott_01_xr400]

dirt and grit and rust are the main opponents to good long chain life.

I have a buddy that used WD40 on his 95 CR250 and when his chain was 10 YEARS OLD he bought a CRF450X. I always gave him a hard time about using WD40 only on the chain until I started doing it myself.

I used to replace my chain and sprockets every year. Now I have 3 years on them and they still are in great shape.

I LIBERALLY COAT the chain before a ride. And then when I get done, I LIBERALLY COAT it again while it is hot. Enough to dislodge any water or dirt that is on the chain. After the chain cools down, I spray it down again. WD-40 is pretty cheap.

[CamP]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrile_rubber

Acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) is what you are refering to when you say nitrile. I think plain Nitrile is something else, more of an organic compound. NBR is a synth rubber used in many things.

Same thing.

[Jackary]

+1 for WD40 only. Chainwax is expensive and messy. There's not need. I find that the Chainwaz actually makes the chain much dirtier and harder to clean then a simple reapated soaking with WD40. I'm not going back.

Anybody wanna buy a few cans of chainwax that are rotting in my garage?

[black z400]

The point behind not using WD-40 is that it is a penetrant. It seeps into behind the o-rings into the pin which is pre-lubed from the manufacturer, and interferes with the lube. This defeats the purpose of the o-ring chain. I used WD-40 before I read it, after using normal chain lube for 6 months, and after 2 rides, I adjusted my chain for the first time. It may have been coincidence, and I'm not even sure if my chain is o-ring, but it did stretch.

[mikie]

Ive used the following technique on my last 11 bikes and my current 12th bike, with great success.

Clean chain using WD-40. Go for a short ride to fling off excess WD-40 and also to warm up the chain. Lube the chain using Maxima Chain Wax (contains Parafin Wax). It looks dry.

I have NEVER replaced a chain that I bought and installed. I have replaced worn out chains that previous owners installed, or junk OEM chains on new bikes. I dont care if GOD himself told me that Joe Blows Snake Oil Chain Silk was best, I would still use my method.

[harjp1959]

I was searching the internet to see if I could find the exact composition of a typical o-ring when a link to this thread on sportbike.net titled "Giant debate about WD40 and chains to be settled here!" came up: http://www.sportbikes.net/forums/general-sportbikes/353520-giant-debate-about-wd40-chains-settled-here.html. The thread started in May 2007, is 16 pages and 226 posts long at last count. Apparently lots of people have something to say on this subject.

[harjp1959]

OK, this is strangely interesting. Especially if you're looking for giant o-rings, the kind they use in space shuttle engines and petrochemical refineries.

http://tss.trelleborg.com/com/www/media/downloads/catalogs/o_ring_gb.pdf

Starting on page 5, there is a list of 18 synthetic rubbers plus natural rubber that this company uses to make o-rings. The general properties of these compounds are discussed starting on page 8. A rating system is defined on page 9, and a 15-page chemical compatibility chart begins on page 10.

__________________________________________________

But what's in WD-40?

According to the company's MSDS, WD-40 contains:

Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, 45-50%

Petroleum Base Oil, 30-35%

LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, 12-18%

Non-Hazardous Ingredients Mixture <10%.

Aliphatic hydrocarbons are hydrocarbons having an open chain of carbon atoms -- a very large class of compounds. Gentle and harmless mineral oil, a laxative and ingredient in baby oil, is an aliphatic hydrocarbon.

But the Australian version of the WD-40 MSDS, instead of the generic "aliphatic hydrocarbon", more specifically lists the main ingredient as "solvent naphtha petroleum, medium aliphatic", also known as Stoddard Solvent. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (which is part of the US Centers for Disease Control) says that Stoddard Solvent is "a colorless, flammable liquid that smells and tastes like kerosene.... a petroleum mixture that is also known as dry cleaning safety solvent, petroleum solvent, and varnoline; its registered trade names are Texsolve S® and Varsol 1®. It is a chemical mixture that is similar to white spirits....Stoddard solvent is used as a paint thinner; in some types of photocopier toners, printing inks, and adhesives; as a dry cleaning solvent; and as a general cleaner and degreaser." http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts79.html. Probably a little harsh for use as a laxative.

Stoddard Solvent is included on the o-ring chemical compatibility chart linked to above on page 22.

[NavyNuke]

got too much time on your hands getting over no more smoking harrry?

[Devondan]

My twopenneth worth! The chain is pre greased and sealed it doesnt need lubing internall,y what we need to do is keep it clean and where possible put lubrication between the rollers and the sprockets, thats what sticky chain lube does, thin oils spin off, WD 40 will do half the job, it will keep the chain clean and will stop dirt/sand acting as an abrasive paste. It will not provide a lubricant between chain and sprocket, its too thin and spins off. I expect most of us expect our sprockets and chains to get a hard life and they arent too expensive to replace every few thou miles but if you are doing long road mileage, or not sandy off road stuff an automatic oiler will extend life significantly, the constant application also keeps it clean. Ive got a scottoiler on my Bandit and the chain and sprockets have done 15K and are still in good nick. Will I put one on my DRZ? not sure!! but I will clean and lube the chain.

dan

[bennn1976]

Applying a controlled scientific method to a common application. Now that's discovery channel stuff right there!

I have also wondered if the WD40 would be sufficient lubricant for the chain or is it just a good top-coat/cleaner but the chain still requires additional lubrication. Heck I use the stuff to lubricate just about everything mechanical thing I own... but never really depended on it for my chains. Hmmmm

No its not a good chain lube, great cleaner but not lube. Not for dirt anyway. A guy I ride with uses it and after one ride the chain is dry. You can see the scar marks on his sprockets. He gets a new sprocket and chain set about once a month. When we point out to the dumbass that its tearing his stuff up he says its not the wd-40 its the fact that he rides harder than us.

Good chain lube is sticky, I think you can tell a good chain lube by how long it takes before the chain and sprocket starts looking dry during a day at the track.

[CaptDan]

I have been using Joe Blow's Snake Oil Chain Silk ("Recommended by God Himself!") and have rarely been afflicted with scientific method.

[N7SLC]

I have always prefered to use kerosene to clean my chains but used WD40 many times last year as it was easier to use at the time.

This really isn't a chain lube, but its what I've been using lately and I like it even better than maxima chain wax-

http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-lube/dupont-teflon-chain-lube.htm

Thanks for the review, I wish more people in the motorcycling world would see it. There is a guy on another forum that only cleaned his chain with WD40 on his street bike, and it lasted him over 30,000 miles (OEM chain).

My brother got 25K out of his OEM chain on a 2003 Yamaha FZ1 using only

WD-40. His method is to spray the chain and then wipe of with a rag. That is

the same method that I use on my 02 FZ1 and all of my other bikes.

I put about 12,000 on the DRZ before it needed a chain and sprockets.

[sonobob]

Even if it were a good lube, WD40 evaporates too quickly to serve as a good chain lube. I will saturate a rag with it and use it to clean my chain, but I will then lube the chain with this:

It works great on chains (roller and o/x-ring) and leaves a dry film lubricant that doesn't sling off and doesn't collect dirt. And it's only $3-4 at the auto parts store.

[sbk8]

QUOTE:I have been using Joe Blow's Snake Oil Chain Silk ("Recommended by God Himself!") and have rarely been afflicted with scientific method.:QUOTE

Thats the funniest thing Ive read all day!

[klxd]

Even if it were a good lube, WD40 evaporates too quickly to serve as a good chain lube. I will saturate a rag with it and use it to clean my chain, but I will then lube the chain with this:

It works great on chains (roller and o/x-ring) and leaves a dry film lubricant that doesn't sling off and doesn't collect dirt. And it's only $3-4 at the auto parts store.

What's in it? MoS2? Graphite? Baby powder?

I have some graphite "paint", laquer with maybe 95% graphite. Meant to be applied to a surface before assembly. I use it on the bars under the throttle tube. No intended to be used as a penetrating lube.

Sounds like your stuff is graphite or MoS2 in a solvent carrier?