Good chain lube needed?

[53 willys]

Hey guys and gals I'm looking to get Jaxons bike all tuned up for nats this next week...
I'm thinking I should clean and relube the chain??
Are those park chain cleaners worth the hassle and price?
What is the best chain lube to use?
Thanks
Mark

[Allen's]

I don't know what the die hard bmxers use to clean chains I just use auto brake cleaner. I use finish line lubricant or Dumonde tech lube. How old or dirty is the chain? It might be best just to buy a new one?

[Diesel]

I have never been a fan of spray on lubes because it makes such a mess. I use either chain wax or White Lightening lube in a squirt bottle. There really is no wrong way to do it but here's what I do with good success:

I take a stainless steel tooth brush sized wire brush and spin the chain on it top and bottom and both sides to knock the excess dirt and residue off to a resonable degree without getting to anal about it. Then I start at the masterlink or make a mark with a magic marker on a continuous chain for a starting point back on the rear cog, and start putting a drop of lube on each link barrell as I rotate the chain all the way around back to the starting point and that's it. Spin it around to distribute the lube in the links some and I'm done. Knock on wood, we have never had a chain related failure that I can remember in over 12 years. Chains don't get worked to bad in a normal bmx environment. To me, running them almost dry is better than having a bunch of dirt and crap stuck to them from over lubrication with petroleum based lube. Not to mention getting crap on your pants when rubbed against the chain.

For the what it's worth column

Diesel

[Diesel]

One thing that really bothers me is seeing people chewing up their rear dropouts with serrated washers. I've never seen the need for them on an aluminum frame in any case! Using an Answer wheelset as an example which has serrations on the inside of the axel where it meets the side of the dropout. I have these .015" thick stainless steel washers I've come across that I put on the axel tips before installing the wheel on the inside. These washers also add bearing surface clamp area, which aides in keeping things from slipping without the serrations in play. These 3/8" washers will work on any axel setup and keep the axel flange from digging into the dropouts. So when you go to sell your frame or whatever, you don't hand someone a frame with tore up dropouts!

I also have found these really hard and thick steel washers that work really well on the outside of the dropout on the axel. It's the ungiving bearing surface clamp area that keeps things from slipping once again. I only use a chain tensioner on the drive side. There's really no need for one on the left side at all.

Here's how I tighten a chain when I put on a wheel. If I haven't changed gearing or something, I don't even mess the setting of the chain tensioner, it just goes back on in the same spot.

With the axel loose enough to hold the tensioner off to side of the drop out, I slide the wheel in all the way forward. Then I put the chain on front and rear and slide the wheel back and snick the tensioner in place against the dropout. Then I go over to the left side and straighten the wheel out in the frame and lightly tighten the left side axel to line things up. Then I go back to the drive side and lightly tighten it up enough to where the tensioner is solid against the dropout, but still loose enough to slip. Then I squeese the chain top and bottom to put a preload on the tensioner and then tighten up the axel and check the chain. Should always come back the same. Then back to the left side and check the wheel alignment, then tighten the axel up ready to run. Double check both sides and off you go! Not having the left side tensioner on there saves time and fuss. The left side is only along for the ride. Very little load over there!

If you would like some of these washers I've talked about, see me at the track!

Diesel

[53 willys]

right on diesel!! thanks for the great post's and info...