Track Tac

Chain maintenance

SilntMercy

SilntMercy

Member
Is there anything that should be done? How often?

Do I remove the chain between races or just spray it down with a WD40?

Thanks!
 
On the forum not long ago somebody said something about putting the chain in a crock pot. I have seen some stuff on the internet about it and I guess it is called waxing the chain. I dont know much but that is just what I have heard and seen.
 
Take it off and put it in a crock pot for the week in between races. Clean the dirt off and put it in the pot with some oil. Some prefer heavier oils some dont care and just put any oil in it. It helps get oil into everywhere it can get and helps the chain last longer. Wd40 is worthless as it will just fling out first time the chain starts moving. I used to crock pot and put chain wax on before reassembly but thats just me.
 
WD-40 is over rated as a lubricant .
Crock pot , ulta sonic cleaner even a coffee can full of hot oil is better .
If your stuck on a spray lube , go too a motorcycle shop and get a chain specific lubricant .
 
WD40 is a decent at-the-track quick lube.

For me, and this is just the way I do it not trying to say you have to do it like this, I take it off of the clutch and sprocket so it has no tension on it. I then wipe it off thoroughly and blow it out to get anything my towel cant. I then soak it with Chain Lube or WD40 and leave it hanging until race day. Every 3 races I put on a new chain, no matter what. New chain every 3 races. Its my mental insurance about the chain going bad/breaking, and at $25 a box its just part of my routine.
 
I clean mine in solvent then wipe clean and then put it in a ziploc with Marvel Mystery oil. Then before race day I take it out and wipe it clean.
 
I remove our axles after each race to clean the bearings, axle, etc. While the axles are out, I remove the chain and put it in a metal tray full of automatic transmission fluid. I heat the transmission fluid until it starts bubbling and let the chains soak for a few days then hang on a nail and let drip dry. Wipe the excess off and use a good chain lube. I find it easier to pull the chains off while the axle is out rather than keep using chain break and wear out the pins. Hope this helps a little.
 
I leave mine on the rear sprocket not attached to front sprocket.

Little pan of gas spin it in the gas, amazing what comes out it !

Pull axle soak in a heavy oil until a couple days before race day, hang and let drip out before racing.

At the track I use lube spinning it backwards and spray lube on lower front of rear sprocket. To work it from inside to out.
 
jaymancds said:
WD40 is a decent at-the-track quick lube.

For me, and this is just the way I do it not trying to say you have to do it like this, I take it off of the clutch and sprocket so it has no tension on it. I then wipe it off thoroughly and blow it out to get anything my towel cant. I then soak it with Chain Lube or WD40 and leave it hanging until race day. Every 3 races I put on a new chain, no matter what. New chain every 3 races. Its my mental insurance about the chain going bad/breaking, and at $25 a box its just part of my routine.
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WD40 is one of the worst at the track lubes and unless you are running something with high horsepower, you are changing your chain way too often. WD40 loves to attract dirt and isn't very good at lubrication. It's great for cleaning dirt and mild grease/oil though.

I've been looking for a good chain wax but everything I have used seems too heavy and sticky. Triflow is good after the chain is clean but need to be real careful about excess as it will ruin clutch discs. A pot of warm oil works great as it seems to push out all the dirt.
 
banned from using the household crock pot so I got a sonic cleaner, which really cleans well. Then i put the chain in a Baggie containing clean light oil until its time to wipe it down and use it.
 
I put mine in a can of mineral spirits and let it soak, then hang to drip dry the blow dry.
Put back in can to soak with motor oil, then drip dry, put it back on kart and spray with Tri-Flow.

Now remember to do this- put a tie wrap thru a link towards outside of kart so that when you put it
back on the kart it`s going in the same direction that you took it off.
 
StaggerDog said:
I put mine in a can of mineral spirits and let it soak, then hang to drip dry the blow dry.
Put back in can to soak with motor oil, then drip dry, put it back on kart and spray with Tri-Flow.

Now remember to do this- put a tie wrap thru a link towards outside of kart so that when you put it
back on the kart it`s going in the same direction that you took it off.
Click to expand...
Curious as to why that would make a difference in what direction it goes?
Noob question
 
SilntMercy said:
Curious as to why that would make a difference in what direction it goes?
Noob question
Click to expand...
Anything I take apart goes back the way it was. One of my idiosyncrasies.
Chains and sprockets wear together since they are metal and they would
fit better if they are put back together as they were. If you turn that chain around
it will feel kinky until it wears together thus you might be shortening the chains life.
We don`t install new sprockets or drivers when installing a new chain so that new chain is
under a lot of stress and wear and will feel kinky until it all meshes together. So since
your just cleaning your chain it only makes sense to put it back the way it was. Just my opinion.
 
FotiRacing said:
WD40 is one of the worst at the track lubes and unless you are running something with high horsepower, you are changing your chain way too often. WD40 loves to attract dirt and isn't very good at lubrication. It's great for cleaning dirt and mild grease/oil though.

I've been looking for a good chain wax but everything I have used seems too heavy and sticky. Triflow is good after the chain is clean but need to be real careful about excess as it will ruin clutch discs. A pot of warm oil works great as it seems to push out all the dirt.
Click to expand...
Again, what works for me may not work for you, and I don't mind changing chains.
 
We race asphalt so I do is small spray lube before we put it away. I would caution against putting oil in a crock pot if you leave it in a garage that is attached to your house. A silly chain can't be worth the risk of burning down your house.find another way to clean and lube it or don't leave it unattended.
 
Every week I take the chain off and soak it in gas or solvent. I wipe it off and let it drip dry. I have a small crock pot that holds a few cups of oil, I let it sit in the hot oil for an hour or two then hang it to drip. When I change oil in the kart, I use the old oil for the chain. I carry an old dish soap squeeze bottle of used engine oil to lube the chain at the track if it needs it between races. I don’t like too much oil on the chain, it collects too much dust. When I oil it at the track I dribble oil on it, spin it a few times and wipe the excess off with a rag. There are chain lives on the market that work good. They usually have an additive that helps the oil stick to the chain but my opinion the oil is just as good. My method is probably not the best but I have been using the same chain for 4 years.
 
i dont claim to be a chain guru but i like the ultrasonic, put water in and then get a small tuperware that will fit the chain fill it with enough gas to cover chain, repeat two cycles with clean gas each time to get all the crap out. I dont do it every race, maybe every other or every 3rd, depends how dusty the track was
 
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