Chain rubber O rings Had a nice shiny gold DID chain fitted a year or so ago and I've just been out to clean the bike and chain with chain cleaner and lubed it back up, but I notice that a couple of the O rings have split and are popping out from the links. It's only about 3 or 4 bits of rubber appearing along the chain at various stages. Is this acceptable or is the chain faulty?
No it ain't acceptable! One split O ring can ruin your chain. Either replace the damaged area with new links and two rivet links or buy a new chain?
Just looked at the invoice and it was fitted in June 2011 so no chance of a replacement from Bikespeed. Bit disappointed though as I've only done about 4000miles with it on. I'll leave it until the spring and get a new one as the bike won't be doing much until then.
Cleaned about every 400 miles with chain/brake cleaner, then lots of silkolene chain lube anti-fling stuff that seems to get flung everywhere lol.
If you were to put an O ring in a puddle of Brake Cleaner it would most often 1.Expand 2.Disapear 3.Go brittle 4 Nothing as its a neaoprean O ring.I,m sure some would disagre but I use O rings all the time and often come accross seals attacted by Brake cleaner.Depends I suppose what material the O ring is made from...........I just NEVER use brake cleaner near my chain.
I'm surprised that it's so aggresive. I've used it to strip and clean brake parts that have rubber end caps and clean up piston seals on calipers which I guess are made of the same material? I'll be more careful with it from now on then and stick to cleaning the chain with good old WD40 and chain cleaner.
Can't say that I've had any problems with brake cleaner either mate. I use Comma brake cleaner and buy 12 tins at a time. I clean crud off my chain with paraffin and give it a final wipe with brake cleaner on a terry towel until chain is dry and clean. Then I spray it with MucOff dry ptfe lube. Managed over 25,000 miles outta my last DID X ring Gold chain ? Is there anything else that you have used that may have damaged the O rings?
is it the older muc-off chain and brake cleaner...now called degreaser that you were using because thats what I always use with no ill effects.
Actually thnking about it I did use some of this stuff, It was given to me by an engineer at work and I used this until it ran out, it was about half full. 6130002500 - AMBERSIL - AMBERSIL, AMBERKLENE, FE10, 400ML | Farnell United Kingdom
Anyway, the old chain sounds knackered, so buy a top quality DID X ring Gold, be very careful when rivetting the new link on and look after it with the correct cleaner and lube. I lube every 200 miles and clean about every 1000miles or every month. Main thing is don't use a stiff brush to apply the cleaner, use a soft, paint brush if you have to. 4000 miles is terrible for an O ring or X ring chain and the most important parts are the rings!!!
DID GOLD Chain & Sprocket Kit FIREBLADE 2004-2005 This was the one i bought. I've emailed Bikespeeduk to see what they say, they might offer me a discounted replacement.
Good luck mate, make sure that rivet link goes on properly with the correct grease between the X rings.
