[ironguy]

I searched and got conflicting answers.
Some say WD40 is of kerosene base so safe on o-ring chain when used for cleaning. Others say it might damage the o-ring.

So should I use WD40 on my SV's chain or not?
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[raab02]

I've been using it for 6k miles with no trouble.

Clean with Wet D*ck, then lube with Dupont.

 

[silversx80]

If you use what the manual calls for there will be no doubt in the safety and effectiveness. BTW, lamp oil is essentially a purified kerosene.

 

[Zach]

DUDE!

use the freaking search! I completely understand that you're a newb and have lots of questions, but do you really think you're the first one to ask them?

really?

 

[RandyO]

What does WD-40 contain?
While the ingredients in WD-40 are secret, we can tell you what WD-40 does NOT contain. WD-40 does not contain silicone, kerosene, water, wax, graphite, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), or any known cancer-causing agents.


What surfaces or materials are OK to use WD-40 on?
WD-40 can be used on just about everything. It is safe for metal, rubber, wood and plastic. WD-40 can be applied to painted metal surfaces without harming the paint. Polycarbonate and clear polystyrene plastic are among the few surfaces on which to avoid using a petroleum-based product like WD-40.


http://www.wd40.com/faqs/#q2

wd40 is safe for rubber o-rings and does not contain kerosene

 

[ironguy]

Thanks RandyO & Raab02...you guys now give me confidence to go ahead and use it.

Zach I know what you mean...I did try the search...some threads show up with 20 or more pages...I really dont have the time to read through all of that to get a simple answer - yes or no...which some other members are willing to provide. If dont want to please ignore the thread. Thanks!

 

[swiest152]

I clean my bikes with wd40.....

 

[Nexus242]

ACE Hardware

One of these should last you 1 to 2 years if you use a spray bottle to apply it to your chain.

 

[SDRider]

ACE Hardware

One of these should last you 1 to 2 years if you use a spray bottle to apply it to your chain.

I like to soak rags in this and leave them in a pile next to my water heater and furnace.

 

[Nexus242]

I like to soak rags in this and leave them in a pile next to my water heater and furnace.

Does that help them dry out faster?? ???

 

[snatfinder]

Yes. You should try it.

 

[herbn]

i guess reading posts is your job, you have to do it, and repeative newby questions are a hassle and cut into your busy day of....... there is a preview to the thread ,if it looks repeatitive move on. Back to WD 40, i'm not a big fan,when someone says "use wd 40 on the chain" do they mean to dissolve caked on gunk and then lube it, afterwards with real lube? WD 40 doesn't have that much real lube in it it's for Water Displacement W.D., it soaks in, brings water out, and maybe prevents rust long enough for the water to evaporate. That doesn't sound like a cleaner for gunk,i think the kerosene is better for that.If you got stuck in a rain storm you might put the bike up in the stand and spray down the chain with WD and lube it a bit later when you're both dry. So far, for general chain lube i think i like a teflon lube,not an aerosol ,dripping it into the o rings while the bike is on the stand and letting it dry,and then a quick wipe down with leftover engine oil(not used) and not a lot,as little as possible.Perhaps there should be a page,encyclosvdica, for this common type of question.wheelies, extra hp,gixxer forks, tires, fender elimination,lowering ,police encounters,knee dragging,frame sliders, wishing i had an r6, ect ect...

 

[Northwind]

Kerosene makes more sense, just because it's dirt cheap. WD40 does the job of cleaning very well, but it's stupidly expensive when used for that. Obviously it sucks as a lube. WD40 are quite closed mouthed on this though because it's hard to say "safe for rubber" when there are so many different products under that name, some of them very dissimiliar. They refused to confirm a few years ago that the product was safe for o-ring chains, which The Internet took as meaning that it's not safe, but of course it means no such thing.

(The WD40 fluff about the ingredients being secret is nonsense, nothing's secret any more, there's mandatory material safety sheets for the stuff which detail its ingredients- the US ones are even on the website. The "top secret" stuff is just marketing.)

If you must use a product like WD40 as a lube- which is a bad idea- then at least use GT85, it contains PTFE and is a much better lube. It still sucks though, compared to a proper chain lube.

 

[Hancock]

Zach needs to chill out and realize people are always gonna ask these kinda questions here, this is the best place to ask, don't attack people for trying to find out what other people think.

Anyways, I used wd to clean my chain but i don't spray it directly onto the chain, I spray a rag then use that to wipe down the chain, seems to work well enough and to re-lube it I use this teflon lube I have... I forgot the name though.

 

[RandyO]

Kerosene makes more sense, just because it's dirt cheap. WD40 does the job of cleaning very well, but it's stupidly expensive when used for that. Obviously it sucks as a lube. WD40 are quite closed mouthed on this though because it's hard to say "safe for rubber" when there are so many different products under that name, some of them very dissimiliar. They refused to confirm a few years ago that the product was safe for o-ring chains, which The Internet took as meaning that it's not safe, but of course it means no such thing.

(The WD40 fluff about the ingredients being secret is nonsense, nothing's secret any more, there's mandatory material safety sheets for the stuff which detail its ingredients- the US ones are even on the website. The "top secret" stuff is just marketing.)

If you must use a product like WD40 as a lube- which is a bad idea- then at least use GT85, it contains PTFE and is a much better lube. It still sucks though, compared to a proper chain lube.

Oh yes, great detail on the ingredients

Aliphatic Hydrocarbon
Petroleum Base Oil
LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon
Carbon Dioxide
Non-Hazardous Ingredients


MSDS for Aerosol WD40

MSDS for bulk WD40

 

[Northwind]

There's more information than that freely available, the UK hazmat sheet is more detailed and shows that it's essentially white spirit and mineral oil, plus CO2 for the propellant, and naphtha.

 

[ZeroSpawn]

I use WD-40 to clean, then apply lube.

 

[eclark53520]

The big problem with cleaning a chain with WD40 is the fact that it is a penetrant. It is made to get into places where other stuff cannot get.

Study the mechanics of an Oring chain and realize that the O-ring holds in the factory lube inside the rollers....thats the only lube taht will ever be inside those rollers unless you take the chain apart. Once that WD40 gets inside that Oring(which it is designed to do) what does it do to the factory applied lube? If it does nothing to it, then fine, WD is perfectly safe to use on Oring chains, however if it changes to the properties of the lube inside the rollers that may cause some issues.

I dont know what WD40 will do to the lube inside the chain....i perseonaly do not use WD40 on my chain as Kersine is way cheaper....

 

[RandyO]

personally I use neither wd40 or kerosene. but it's my opinion that if wd40 can penetrate the o-rings, then so can kerosene.

if the sealed area is full of grease, there will be no void for the wd to penetrate, if there are, then your chain is toast already, and it's better to get wd past your o-rings and fill any voids than it would be to get water past


per volume of measurment, kerosene is a lot cheaper even when your paying 2-3 times the current market, K-1 in my area is available for $2.99/gal



but there's nothing like the convenience of wd40 in an aerosol can

 

[dubtecv2]

Kerosene in a spray bottle with a Grunge brush.

/thread

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