My .02$ on chains

[panfreak]

Because I just can't leave well enough alone, like most of you I am always looking for ways to improve my bike. I recently recommended upgrading to one of Cotten's foam floats (no longer available I understand) what a difference! Well my newest upgrade was a rear chain. I cheaped out in the final stages of my assembly and bought a piece of junk industrial crap for 20 bucks. Last night was my first ride on a new Diamond O-ring, WOW! Quiet, smooth, and no stretch (seemed I was tightening almost every ride before).
If anyone else is considering treating themselves to a nice new chain, and throwing away their cheap one, the upgrade is WELL worth the price IMHO. By the way, I went into an industrial bearing shop in town, and they got it for me for HALF the price if I'd gone to the bike shop.
PS this post is not about BRANDS, but rather the upgrade itself.

[caschnd1]

Gotta agree with what you said. I'm running an o-ring chain and have also had great service from it. Coming up on 10K miles and I've only had to tighten it one time. Granted, I'm not thrashing it hard. 74" motor and I'm running mechanical drums at both ends. I don't hotrod this one too much.
Only additional info I have is that I had to install the master link with the clip on the inside. The o-ring chain is wider and the master link would "click" on the inner primary tin as it went around the transmission sprocket.

[Cotten]

My floats shall soon be back in production, but anyway...
I have been having disappointing life-expectancies with Diamond chains on customers' machines over the last couple of years. I have come to blame it upon their pre-lube.
It would seem that we should be washing chains out, and re-lubing before installation.
The range of opinions for a proper lube, even at that point, shall be as diverse as the evil "oil thread" itself.
I am torn between a super heavy grease or a very light oil!

[Jack_Hester]

I had the good fortune, a couple of decades ago, to get a large quantity of Diamond o-ring chains at a dirt cheap price. Last Summer, I put my last one on my 76 FLH, just in time to total the whole bike. But, my point is, I have based my chain experience on Diamonds, only. They were all I needed, with plenty on hand. However, my thinking that you could only get 10 to 15K max out of a chain (well maintained and lubed often) was changed by the FHP forum. Seems, the Diamonds that I had been using were not a good example to use, compared to modern chains of other brands. I don't know about modern Diamonds, but think that when the time comes to put another machine back on the road, I will try one of the super high mileage types, recommended by the FHP thread on chains. I don't remember the names recommended, but will do a search there, when the time comes to purchase.

Jack

[sleeper]

Jack-
"Tsubaki" chains, heat treated, shot-peened & pre-stressed...Excellent chains..

Cotten-
We used to use 'grease gun grease' not Hi-Temp Disc B.
add a lump into a pan & Heat to liquify, turn off heat & add clean chain. When grease thickens remove chain & wipe all excess. It's now 'in the rollers'.......

[DuoDave]

I know you were talking about conventional chains, Billy, but probably worth pointing out that O ring chains should not be dunked in a hot grease bath, as the O rings will be screwed up by the heat.
As for using heavy grease or light oil, whichever way you go, the one thing you can guarantee is that more of it will end up on the back end of the bike than stays on the chain. :

[Cotten]

O-rings are out for me, only because of their size.
And I cannot switch brands,....until my inventory is exhausted!
Lately it has become quite hard to find a grease that melts: common auto stores only offer disc-brake compatible lubes.

[sleeper]

DuoDave-

Good idea to point that out!!(specifically) don't want anyone to ruin a $$ 0-ring chain..
& agree w/your 2nd point of more on back of machine than on the chain.. (can't win) ;D

[keys55]

I was looking at an old chopper cookbook[not food] and he had a section on fabricating a chain tensioner for a pan. He also stated that there was one on the drawing board for bolt on. I have naver seen anything about it since. As much as I look forward to going through the chain ritual HAHA I would look seriously at a choice.

[DuoDave]

Silkolene still have a hot grease bath in their range. Comes in a round tin. You just coil your chain down on top of the solid grease and put the tin on a camping stove. As the grease heats up, the chain sinks into the melting grease and the lube gets right into the rollers. Still the best way to grease a conventional chain. I asked at my local motorcycle store if they had one of these grease baths in stock and the kid behind the counter just laughed at me. I guess he thought I was something out of the ark. Oh well. what does he know? I got it mail order instead.

[RJ]

That type of grease won't fly all over the rear of bike ?
Sounds good if it won't.

[DuoDave]

The grease still ends up on the back of the bike, but it lubes the chain well. The only stuff I have come across that stays put was some kind of white goop that I saw on Mike Hailwoods TZ750 Yamaha. This was at the 1978 Isle Of Man TT. Mike's bike seized right opposite where I was standing during one of the practice sessions. I helped Mike push the bike off the circuit and then kept an eye on it while he went off to tell the marshalls he was okay. The chain grease was still on the chain, just a few white spots on the side of the tyre. I was impressed, but I have never found out what it was.
( Mike Hailwood, Yamaha, Isle Of Man? What's that got to do with Harleys? Not much, but it's a hell of a story! )

[Sidecar]

Solid Tsubaki all the way !!!!! No muss, no fuss just the best damn chain I have ever owned in 36 years of motorcycle chains !!!
I couldn't get the Diamond to stop stretching. It got on my nerves bad.