Use of WD40

I've read, more than once, comments regarding the suitability of (the original) WD40 for use on motorcycle chains.

Comments have included the idea that it is not a lubricant, it would corrode the chain and it would destroy the rubber O rings.

Now, I realise that the WD40 company make a WD40 motorcycle chain lube and a chain wax which are undoubtedly better for use on motorcycle chains than the original WD40, but I'm fairly confident that the original WD40 is a lubricant, it will clean and help preserve steel and it will not attack the O rings any more than any other oil (only natural rubber would be affected but there's very little natural rubber anywhere on a motorcycle these days).

So, WD40 chain cleaner is better for cleaning chains and WD40 chain lube or chain wax is better for lubricating chains, but the original, multi-purpose WD40 will do both much better than nothing.

All in my humble opinion, and :

Then why did they make a WD 40 chain lube , if multipurpose WD40 was good enough...

Then why did they make a WD 40 chain lube , if multipurpose WD40 was good enough...

Is that a rhetorical question ?

You could email them and ask them if it damages o rings or not

Wont use it for lube on a chain, end of!! I'll use it for cleaning and thats about it really

It is very good on lawnmower & hedgetrimmer blades as it stops the sap sticking and building up

You could email them and ask them if it damages o rings or not

Cant we just ask you? surely you should know

WD40 is not a lubricant. It was designed to be a dispersant ( which is what the D is meant to stand for.)

It will free things up because it penetrates but it drives out more lubricant than it provides. I've used it on clock mechanisms to get into gummed up bearings, but if you leave a clock running afterwards it will seize up solid with a very short time. You need to add oil to provide lubrication.

WD40 has many uses, lubrication is not one of them.

Oh FFS, WD40 is NOT a lubricant, it is a water displacement and the 40 stands for their 40th attempt at the formula

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&ei=o2niXsaDGYO3gwfUk76ICw&q=the+history+of+wd-40&oq=the+history+of+wd&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQARgAMgIIADIGCAAQFhAeOg4IABDqAhC0AhCaARDlAjoFCAAQgwE6BQgAELEDUIAMWNRBYMRSaABwAHgAgAGuBIgByRiSAQs5LjUuMS4xLjAuMpgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXqwAQY&sclient=psy-ab

You could email them and ask them if it damages o rings or not

 

Cant we just ask you? surely you should know

haha Maybe I should have called myself 80-90W Gear Oil because that's what I use

Is all oil not a water dispersent since oil and water don't mix?

[mention]WD-40[/mention] Same here!!! I just use a paint brush to put it on. I was told that chainsaw oil works well as it is more resistant to fling. Haven't tried it so dont know for certain.

Is all oil not a water dispersent since oil and water don't mix?

Oil floats on water

The only time I use dubya is when I'm bluing. I don't think it's much use for anything else.

I use it mostly for cleaning oil and tar, especially for the wheel rims as it just seems to dissolve it and make the job of cleaning this muck much easier.

for chains. Paraffin (kerosene) for cleaning and then cheap gear oil for lubricating.. though there is very little, just the tiniest part of a chain link that could be said to need lubrication. its mostly about preventing corrosion. which will cause problems like stiff links and so on.

If you buy a D.I.D chain.. this is what they tell you to do on the back of the box. its not complicated.

I use it mostly for cleaning oil and tar, especially for the wheel rims as it just seems to dissolve it and make the job of cleaning this muck much easier.

for chains. Paraffin (kerosene) for cleaning and then cheap gear oil for lubricating.. though there is very little, just the tiniest part of a chain link that could be said to need lubrication. its mostly about preventing corrosion. which will cause problems like stiff links and so on.

If you buy a D.I.D chain.. this is what they tell you to do on the back of the box. its not complicated.

D.I.D. Box.png

Stuff.JPG

That's a nice setup

WD40 is great, it will lubricate short term it loosens up dry grease, displaces water and leaves "dry surfaces", with slight water resistant/ oily residue left.

This also means it's designed to penetrate O rings, X seals.

Then in my mind once inside it helps dissolve loosen and oil/grease that's in there. Assisting it out from behind the seals... Leaving a chain dry in places you want it wet.

I can tell you a great use for WD40.

Our gas hob ignition button was sticking so it clicked all the time. I found that spraying WD40 into it dissolved the crud that was causing it to stick.

In joy I then turned on the gas and pressed the igniter button - Forgetting of course that amongst its other amazing properties WD40 is highly inflammable.

Which in the context of a confined space within a gas hob also means highly explosive.

That gas hob never ever clicked again. We're still looking for some bits of it.

Vaginal Dryness apparently!

yea and it is supposed to get spuggy off your jeans too

Then why did they make a WD 40 chain lube , if multipurpose WD40 was good enough...

 

Is that a rhetorical question ?

yes it was intended to create a dramatic effect and to make a point rather than to get an answer

I can tell you a great use for WD40.

Our gas hob ignition button was sticking so it clicked all the time. I found that spraying WD40 into it dissolved the crud that was causing it to stick.

In joy I then turned on the gas and pressed the igniter button - Forgetting of course that amongst its other amazing properties WD40 is highly inflammable.

Which in the context of a confined space within a gas hob also means highly explosive.

That gas hob never ever clicked again. We're still looking for some bits of it.

Cured the annoying click though didn`t it !

Cheers

Ian

Anything with loosely attached molecules, in effect anything not a solid, will act as a lubricant. Water can be a lubricant. But it would last zero seconds on a chain. Butter, spunk and a pencil can also be used to lubricate a chain, but with varying results.

My rule of thumb is if you ride in the wet, you want something sticky and if you ride more in the dry would want something, well dry so the dust does not stick to the lubricant. WD40 do both types.

Briefly useful in ignition switches and around spark plugs/HT leads, but fixes nothing because it disappears.

In industry it's really good on cutting discs that would otherwise get covered in stickiness, but we definitely wouldn't use it because it's not food grade. Definitely wouldn't use it all.

Why do I clean and lube motorcycle chain. It looks nice,clean and lubed, looks good in real life and on pics.

As well it is really good excuse when wife thinks that I’m bored and need something to do in and around the house.

To clean the chain, first it need to get warm, so it need a ride. Than cleaning, prior to lube it it must be warmed up, than greasing. After greasing slow ride, than cleaning of excess grease and parts around the chain. Wheel cleaning of course.

This is why every married man must clean and lube motorcycle chain.