cleaning O ring chain

[thebuggyman1]

I just picked up a 2004 MaxII. Now I'm tearing it down to check the condition of everything. On regular chain, I'd throw it in the parts washer before soaking it in oil to relube it. Solvent just seems like a bad idea with the O rings. My only other thought is soap and water...OK, hot water and a power washer. lol And what's the best way to get the lube back into the chain?

[Noel Woods]

I'm with you Jim. My Max2 with o-ring chain gets hot water pressure washed down and soaked with prestone super clean. Then I use a wax based chain lubricant to re-lubricate things. Its worked well so far.

[thebuggyman1]

Prestone super clean sounds like radiator flush???
I also figured out that set screws suck! Especially when they put 2 of the d@#% things in the same hole AND used loctite.
If I remember right other members have commented on a switch to snap rings. How does that work?
My other thought was to use split collars.
What do you think?

[Noel Woods]

The super clean is an all purpose cleaner, it takes grease off anything, just spray the thing down, let sit 5 minutes then hose down, its a super concentrated cleaner and will even get grease stains out of clothing.
You no doubt have splined axels, and I haven't had any problems with set screws, of course you could drill out any that don't come out, then retap the hole and put a slightly larger one in. Its no big deal. Your idea of a split collar would also work. I would just put a tack weld where the sprocket meets the axel, you would just have to grind it off to service the axel at some point though.
I'm not really sure why Recreatives uses the o-ring chain. For 2/3 the cost you can buy high strength non-o ring with a higher tensile strength. Its also easier to relink.

[LarryW]

What about drilling the setscrew hole out and tapping it bigger and put a normal type bolt in it with a jam nut. I havent seen the setscrew style but Im assuming the set screw is smaller diameter. If its big enough just throw a bolt and jam nut in it maybe?

[ttyR2]

Personally I'd use standard stoddard solvent in a parts washer before I'd use Castrol Super Clean on a chain, just for the sake of the o-rings. Stoddard solvent is pretty mild as far as hurting rubber.

[Bazooo guy]

Try kerosene or diesel fuel to clean the o ring chain.
Soaking it in Transmission fluid and a stiff brush works too.