WD-40

Ok folks ....

From my understanding WD-40 attacks certain rubber components. However, if
you look at their website, www.wd40.com they say it is safe to use on all
rubber components except, and I quote ... "Polycarbonate and clear
polystyrene plastic are among the few surfaces on which to avoid using a
petroleum-based product like WD-40." This also seems like an open ended
statement "among the few" indicating there are more surfaces or types of
components that aren't the best to use WD-40 on but they won't tell us.

I e-mailed them and asked if it was safe to use WD-40 on my rubber bushings
for car/motorcycle suspension bushings, so I'll see how they reply.

Most people don't use WD-40 for a chain lube as we think it attacks rubber,
and I've seen it do it before. Is there any scientific studies or tests done
out there so we can conclusively put this to rest?

Personally I don't use it on rubber components, and definitely not my chain.

Anyhoo, let's see what we can dig up.

Cam
'03 954

 

X-No-archive: yes
FuTAnT wrote in message

I don't think you're supposed to use it on condoms either.
Helpful-Clem

 

Yeah, but I tried Wet Stuff on my chain, and after rubbing in in a bit
that chain didn't want to bend to go round the sprockets... It was OK
after I sprayed it with cold water though

(Oh, and I guess only getting 40,000 odd km out of my chains means I
should stop cleaning them with WD40, eh?)

big

 

NOW you tell me......

Moike

 

I use KY to put one of my foam outers on my grips on the viffer, it took a
day to stop siding and hasnt moved since!

mh

 

hi futant

Futant writes--

i've used WD-40 and CRC as a preserver/cleaner/lubricator
for years. it's safe with all rubbers i've
come across, ..but it always pays to check

they won't be able to answer that as they
don't know what the rubber is composed of.
my guess would be that they would be fine.

however, if WD-40 is going to become in
contact with your supension fuild, then
that is another matter.

you might as well use nothing than WD-40
on a chain. it's virtually ineffective.
might as well rub sand into it.

WD-40 is perfect for push bike chains.

the o-ring's in the chain ?. i don't know what
they are made of.. but it's definately not
rubber. it varies with manufacturer.

the rule i use with chains is either proper
chain lub or nothing.

-f

 

As usual on usenet, "for every opinion there is and equal and opposite
opinion" ;-)

WD40 to clean and chain wax to lube:
http://web.archive.org/web/20030103141111/http://www.mushr00m.com/~jason/
bikes/chain/
(the original site seems to be down, but archive.org has a copy...)

"heavy gear oil brushed on":
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcnuts/chain.html

From a chain manufacturer - clean with kero or paraffin:
http://www.regina.it/oldregin/products/assist8.htm
and lube with mineral oil:
http://www.regina.it/oldregin/products/assist9.htm

from another chain manufacturer - clean with kero, lube with "DID
special chain lube" (surprise surprise)
http://www.didchain.com/question.html

Personally, I use wd40 to clean the chain (and the swingarm and the back
wheel...) then Maxima Chain Wax to lube it.

What do you consider to be the important difference between bycycle and
motorcycle chains that make wd40 "perfect" for pushies, but "might as
well rub sand into it" on motorcycles?

big

 

Oooh Oooh Mr Kotter !

Cos motorcyle chains have O rings and X rings and other rubbery bits in
their chains, and my old treadly didn't when I was kid (I assume they
still don't although since they started fitting shocks and disc brakes
to 'em I'm not assuming)

JL

 

OK, so we're back to the "WD40 will eat your rubber bits"...

I'm pretty unconvinced by that... In the 10 or 12 months it takes me to
wear a chain out I'm reasonably sure the dozen or less soakings in WD40
I give them to clean them is not _nearly_ enough to damage the o-rings -
I'm not even sure that soaking the o-rings continuously in WD40 for
those 12 months would damage them...

big

 

Hey you just asked what the difference between the two was you didn't
ask for a qualification of whether it actually made a difference !

Where's that mad-arsed chemist when you need him ?

FWIW, I've ancedotal but non-scientific "wd40 bad for rubber" experiences...

JL

 

Recently a bike mechanic noticed I was using Chain Wax and gave me a
good dressing down! He said that chain-wax was great at keeping your
back wheel clean, but poor at lubing it. He said the "fling-off" was a
necessary part of heavy gunk being removed from the chain, where
chainwax just keeeps it on the chain, eventually finding itself between
moving parts.

For the first 10000k of my chain, I used a lube. For the next 10,000, I
used chain-wax (and cleaned it every ~1000k). Over this second 10,000 I
noticed a few tight-spots starting to appear. For the last 3000k I have
been back on normal lube, and the chain has not yet deteriorated any
further.

So, as much as having a dirty back-wheel sucks (but kero moves it well),
I'm sticking with the lube.

(On the other hand, when my chain does go I will change the size of the
sprockets - so maybe I should stick with wax until then - I'm pretty
keen on getting the new gearing!)

Anecdotally yrs,

Mark

 

Dirty wheel gives you a good excuse to not wash the rest of the bike

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

Get test samples of varying types of rubber, PC, PE, MF/UF, PU etc,
Determine what tests you wish to undertake. Expose samples (ensure you have
alrge sample size, positive and negative controls, test, leave for x amount
of time, test, then xx amt of time, retest. Write paper.

Happy to help

Hammo

 

Maybe megadobber got him again!

Leaving aside the almost compulsory purile joke...

Yeah, bad for actual _rubber_ rubber, as in the stuff that comes out the
side of a tree, that wouldn't surprise me too much, but do you _really_
think the stuff they make o-rings out of has all that much in common
with tree sap?

(and, I'm also guesing you're gonna tell me that some Jaguar part failed
after 35 years of being sprayed with WD40 twice a week, I still don't
think that bears too much relevance to my "replaced every 9-12 months"
chains...)

big

 

Bugger ! He's seen through my cunning plan !

Jokes aside the stuff does seem to cause "rubber" or whatever plastic
compound that pretends to be rubber in automotive use to deteriorate
quicker than i'd expect, but as i said anecdotal and non-scientific (no
control*). Your point that you change it every year or so seems
reasonable and probably negates the issue, <shrug> I dunno.

JL
* story of my life

 

Speaking of dirty bikes, how's this for service.

Heading home Tuesday night I stopped off in my local for a couple of
beers ("Never - he wouldn't do that!", cries Jase), was about to head
home and a couple of cute girlies convinced me to head to Joe's Garage
for bike night. So I thought I'd head down there for one more and then
take the bike home, hadn't been in there for a while. Anyway, I had
one more then another and then thought "hmmm, bike ain't going
anywhere now" so talked to the owner and arranged to leave the bike
there. If you don't know the place, there are bikes inside the small
bar area and all sorts of bike and motorsport memorabilia all over the
place.

Turn up after work the next day to pick up the bike and Matt (the
owner) is just finishing washing and polishing it! Anytime I want to
leave it there he's happy to wash it ...

Ye gods ...

Only the 4th time it's been washed in a year

Cheers

 

He was preparing it for a sale? :-/