Rusty chains

[Patrike]

Hi

Whats best for cleaning old chains with a little rust.

Thanks
Patrick

[n9viw]

If it's just surface rust, I soak them in a degreaser - kerosene is cheap, or biodegradable citrus degreaser - and give each link a scrub with an old toothbrush. Sometimes if they're really grimy I let them sit overnight, and spray each link out with brake parts cleaner the next day. I either let them air dry, or I use a blow gun regulated down to 20-30psi to drive off and evaporate the degreaser.

To clean off surface rust, I have a gallon jug of lemon juice. Yep, good old fashioned citric acid. You can also use vinegar, but that takes a little longer. You can just chuck chains in there and close it up, maybe agitate it every so often, but you can leave em in there for WEEKS without doing damage.

When you pull the chain out, be ready to lube. I rinse them with rubbing alcohol, as water will stay in the joints whereas alcohol will not, and alcohol will pull the water components of the previous stuff out. I blow them dry, wipe em down with a dry rag, QUICKLY followed by a rag soaked in a light oil. Machine oil is good, it coats the metal to keep it from flash-rusting.

I then lube each and every joint with Tri-Flow. I also like silicone spray lube, but that's often not sturdy enough to leave enough lubricant on the joint when the propellant evaporates. Tri-Flow is a good, strong, light lube, and it doesn't attract much dirt the way 3-in-1 or motor oil will.


I'd like to try that paraffin wax lube they sell for chains, I've never tried it and nobody I know ever has either. Seems like a cool idea, though it would be difficult to find that sweet spot between pulling it out soon enough so the chain isn't one waxy congealed mass, and late enough so that the lube doesn't just run out the rollers onto the ground.

[Patrike]

Thanks Nick

[savarin]

in the old days we used to boil our chains in the grease so it got into every link then hang up to drip dry over the can.
A stiff wipe down after to remove any excess that may have lingered.
Cant remember the name of the grease though.

[n9viw]

I suppose it really doesn't matter what grease it was, so long as it re-congeals the same as it was before. If it separates not to recombine after boiling, it won't work so well.

[Patrike]

in the old days we used to boil our chains in the grease so it got into every link then hang up to drip dry over the can.
A stiff wipe down after to remove any excess that may have lingered.
Cant remember the name of the grease though.

I can just see this -- i put on the pot of boiling grease, go away for a little bit and come back finding my wife cooking french fries -- "honey, I think we have to get new grease, this stuff smells funny!"

Someone on my other forum mentioned a mix of tranny oil and penetrating oil. I think the bottle of coke is a cheap way to go!

Patrick