chain waxing

[2manyoranges]

Last week, a friend emphasised how much he had got into chain waxing. He took me through what he did, using an approach like this:

https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/wax-instructions/

I knew I had to give my chain a refresh, since it has done 4 years in the grind paste which is Thetford. So I ordered a new chain (genuine not fake Shimano - two silver bars on the front logo, stick on barcode on rear) - and got everything ready for a chain replacement and wax. Only the following happened.

Click ping with the KMC quick link. Chain has not been cleaned for maybe 4 months. Rather than simply discard it, I decided to fully clean it and measure it.

1 into a big glass jar
2 spray with Muc Off pink
3 add about 100ml of meths
4 shake baby shake
5 then very hot water into the jar
6 shake baby shake
7 pour out and rinse with copious amounts of hot water
9 dry with hair drier
10 give it a good shake when dry to remove any final grit

Then I decided to measure it. That's weird, it's well within tolerance. In fact barely worn.
I measure it against a new chain. Indeed barely worn.
I measure it with a chain gauge. Barely worn.

Remember that Thetford is wall-to-wall sand. Incredibly hard on drive trains.

So I decide againts waxing on this occasion since I am on a deadline. I decide to do what I always do...

1 the above
2 clean chainring and cassette carefully with GT85 and cassette brush
3 remount chain
4 spray carefully with Muc Motorcycle wet chain wax - incredibly thin carrier which takes the lubricant into the insides of the rollers, then the volatile carrier evaporates, leaving incredibly resilient clear wax in place

And that, dear readers, has enabled my transmission to last AGES

 

[minor_LEGEND]

I've been hot waxing for almost 2 years. I love how it is so clean compared with oiling, but it is flawed for use in the UK climate. It just can't cope with cold & wet conditions. And the idea it can last 1000's of kms between applications is just laughable.
To be honest, I would say don't bother.

 

[2manyoranges]

Interesting. And important to note that the approach which I have been using through the crud, cold, sand, heat, rain and bleh of Thetford has been that latter approach - not hot waxing - really strip chain of grease and use MucOff Wet chain lube for motorcycles. I think brilliant stuff and the longevity of the transmission makes it's own case....it works.

 

[highlandsflyer]

I have used motorcycle chain wax since the seventies.

 

[2manyoranges]

....the 70s!

That means - 'heat in a flat tin' by Putoline? or Linklyfe? Castrol...!!?

 

[highlandsflyer]

Whatever was on the shelf! Duckams. I succumbed to sprays once the bike shop fellow convinced me I ought to use LPS whatever for 'speed'. Nowadays I use Castrol spray on. Same I use as frame saver, and for squeaky hinges.

 

[2manyoranges]

Whatever was on the shelf! Duckams. I succumbed to sprays once the bike shop fellow convinced me I ought to use LPS whatever for 'speed'. Nowadays I use Castrol spray on. Same I use as frame saver, and for squeaky hinges.

Ah Duckhams

And interesting re motorcycle chain spray

Indeed hinges - vital on car hinges.

Why? I has high pressure resistance - hinges like chains are slowing moving, high load. The pressure pushes out lighter oils, that’s why light oil winds up all over the outside of the chain rather than inside the rollers.

MucOff is excellent in that the wax film is highly pressure resist.