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Question about what tipped me off on chain cleaning
I used to degrease my chains every single time I cleaned my bike. Soaking em in solvent, scrubbing with a brush, the whole deal. After 3 months, I noticed my chain was wearing out way faster than normal, like 2000 miles instead of 4000. A guy at the local shop in Austin pointed out I was stripping all the factory grease and replacing it with crap. He said just wipe the chain down and lube it, deep clean only when it gets gritty. Has anyone else wrecked parts by overcleaning?
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linda_reed4d ago
Wait, are you saying the solvent he used was something that actually could've dried out the seals too? @thomas_price, that story about your buddy's hub is exactly what I'm worried about now. I used a citrus degreaser once and let it sit too long, and later I found the rubber seals on my chain were all cracked and crusty. I bet that same stuff could wreck hub seals if it soaked in.
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davis.olivia4d ago
Oh yeah, citrus degreasers are harsh on rubber. I switched to using a simple dish soap and water mix for my chain and seals, just scrub it gently and rinse quick. Then I dry it with a rag and relube right after, never had cracking issues since.
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thomas_price5d ago
...and that reminds me of a buddy who used to pressure wash his bike after every ride. He did it for about six months until the bearings in his rear hub started making this grinding sound, like metal on metal. Turns out he was blasting the grease right out of the seals, and the shop said it basically ruined the hub from the inside out. What kind of drying stuff did you use after the solvent?
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