Back to basics - make your own chain lube

[Dark Knight]

Back in the 1970’s we used to use Duckhams Chainguard, you took off the chain, cleaned it with some paraffin, heated up the chain lube and put in the chain after maybe 30 minutes and no more bubbles you took it out to dry and put it back on the bike.
It forms a fairly hard coating over the whole chain, lubricates the bearing surfaces and stops any dirt and water getting in.
It lasted all year, shorter if you are going through streams and muddy fields.
But if you tried this with an O/X ring chain it would wreck it, as the O/X rings trap the dirt in the chain.
Also the O/X ring rubbers create friction reducing the efficiency of the chain.
So this is a win, win.
Now the bad news, Duckhams Chainguard is no longer available.
So what, we will make our own.

File attached.

[johnnyboxer]

Are you serious?

What a palaver

I'm not going back to boiling chain wax on the stove

Nor am I going back to a non O ring chain

[jayson]

Erm, shaft drive solves all that hard work.......

[Big Yellow Tractor]

I just use EP 80 gear oil out of an old fashioned red squirty oil can. Most bike manuals recommend engine oil as chain lube. Yes, it throws off but off-road, you don't get all the sh1t stuck to it like waxes. There is lots of evidence that an o-ring chain just needs to be kept rust free rather than lubed. I always clean off the really sticky wax that new chains come with and give them a good load of oil.

[fatowl]

I remember doing this chain boiling well (still got the old tin of Chainguard somewhere). It was a right PITA - having to take the chain off (spring links in those days) clean it in paraffin, boil it up, put it back on. I think i'll stick to modern sprays...
Don't forget this was the days before O ring chains. Back then you were lubricating the chain rollers etc, now, with O rings, you're not lubing the chain as such - just the O rings.

[V_King]

putoline sells the wax in the tin lube for the age stuck riders :whistle:

and using grease with molybdenium for that diy grease will not do any good for the chain :pinch:

[Mickdb1]

I agree with the gearbox oil posting and the lube will/should not get past the O rings into the sealed chainlinks anyway. Engine oil has detergent in it and should only be used it yer daft. The lube keeps the chain rust free and lubes the surface of the sprockets to help reduce any friction around those 2 areas
I have had 24 thousand mile chains on me old africas and at 11 thou me sertao is just showing a slight ware on rear sprocket- So should be Ok maybe for 20k at a guess.
Just my thoughts of course.

[peterekins]

Basic scott oiler with chainsaw lube, so far the chain on the XJR13 has done 28,000 belive it or not, and still looking good. mostly dry miles I'll admit but still not bad going. Only prob is now the oiler is just dripping when its in the garage. Only about 5 drips a week by the look.
+1 for gearbox oil. use that on the C90.

[Crossrutted]

Er no!

In my experience, the effect did not last for a year on the surfaces that mattered!

O ring chains do not trap dirt inside, only once they are worn out or lost a seal.

standard non sealed chains are only more efficient when new and/or in perfect conditions. ie for about 5 minutes.

In the real world, O ring chains perform better.

Not back to basics - more like back to the stoneage!

[wwdph02]

Yep, boil in the tin, done it, kept old chain just to attach, pulled off the chain and re-thread oiled chain back in to place but do not miss this one bit. How my family put up with the smell of boiling oil in kitchen was another issue.
First reason, Loobeman fitted to chain bikes with 90 weight oil, think it was £20 for the set. Keeps the chain clean, lubed and saves many adjustment to tension. Kwak ZRX1100/1200 both chains looked like new after 16,000 miles.
Second reason, now have BMW shaft drive, 40,000 miles and just change the oil.
Just like adjusting points or magnetos, feeble drum brakes etc. consign it to history, admit some new things are just better now.