Topic: Red Dust --Chain the Cause?

[Sigop]

Riding a 750 K3.  Replaced rear chain April of 2017 with a cheap standard non-o-ring chain off Ebay. (Yeah, I know.) Running standard sprockets and a 100 link chain.  Have 2900 miles on the chain and have faithfully, about every 300 miles, waxed the chain. Also have adjusted for stretch, which I think has been significant.  In that time adjusters at rear wheel have gone from all the way in, or the zero mark, out to the second.

Most of my searches, here and elsewhere "chalk" this red dust up to chain rust. First time I noticed this was about a month ago after riding a dirt road. Cleaned chain and front sprocket well.  Finished 700 miles just recently over 4 days and had 2 days of rain and noticed the red dust again when I got back.

Can you confirm (cheap) chain rust and nothing else going on? (When I had the chain oiler opened up she was throwing way too much so closed it down entirely.)  I have no problem buying a quality chain, just want to be sure that is the cause.  Pics attached.

Thanks.

[05c50]

If you look closely at the first picture, you can see the rust dust working its way out from the pins. It looks like the lube that you've been using isn't fluid enough to work its way into the pins. When you replace the chain, you may want to check the sprockets for wear also.

......Paul

[robvangulik]

When the rollers are shiny, you lube too little, and your chain looks bonedry!

[TwoTired]

I always thought chain wax was for oring chains, just to keep the outside from rusting.  They are internally lubed.

Non-oring chains need a lube to penetrate where the pins go.  I use PJ1 black for this.  It will fly off unless applied the night before and allow for the penetrating solvents to dry out (leaving the thick lube in place).  I call it an "after ride lube".

They sure don't rust with this stuff.

Cheers,

[754]

And apply lube to inside of chain, then it works through  the pins.
So top of lower run of chain...

[BobbyR]

TT and 754 are correct. You can see the rust or rust powder on the side plates. Get some quality chain lube and was mentioned get it into the pins. Chains do not really stretch much, the pins wear.

[przjohn]

You have a cheap garbage chain and you are not lubing it enough. You need to lube that chain before every ride, (and even after would’nt hurt). I did the same thing and finally bought a good chain, it ain’t worth the effort. Never mind how it is speeding up wear on your sprockets.

[spotty]

dear god i love the shaft drive on the vmax............

[PeWe]

Motorex chain lube is really good. 
My X-ring chain get this  https://www.motorex.com/en-us/moto-line/chain-care/chainlube-road-strong/

I have tried other chain lubes that are too sticky. Chain look lubed but is not where it need to be.

[evanphi]

That is one dryyyyyy chain. Use better lube.

I use this, personally: https://www.napacanada.com/en/p/CAS0016799

[spotty]

i used to use a lube on my old honda that smelt like rotting pineapple, can't remember what brand it was but it did work well

[pjlogue]

Soak your chain in Kerosene  and rinse to get the rust dust out.  Oil it well off the bike with heavy weight oil and reinstall.  Use a good chain lube that goes on as a liquid and then "dries" out to a sticky grease.  PJ1 is what I use.

Rust dust is very abrasive.  It is used to polish glass which is harder that most steels.  Hence the fast chain wear.  The chain lube should be stiff enough to hang onto the chain but thin enough to get worked into the rollers when warm and running.

-P.

[spotty]

this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PUTOLINE-CHAIN-WAX-1KG-BOILING-TIN-FOR-NON-O-RING-CHAINS-MOTORCYCLE-MX-ENDURO-/121884077581

you 'boil' the chain in the tin of lube which thins the lube to oil like consistency and it expels all the air pockets inside the links and the thinned oil seeps into the gaps, after you take it out and hang it to dry and cool you then wipe it clean and hey presto a very lubed chain

[Sigop]

Wow,  Thank you all for the thoughts.  So on a lark I did an Amazon search for "rotten pineapple chain lubricant" and got a hit on Boeshield T-9.  Ha! Was that it? And the Putoline costs as much as my chain did, but does look interesting.  Will also research the PJ1, which sounds familiar to me.

The chain wax I used said it was for all chain types, but I think that was their marketing hype.  I did apply after riding when hot, but obviously still no good.  Will obviously get some better lube.

By the way, will also get a better chain.  Will search here for some threads since I seem to recall some chain wars on here.  I will stay with the stock size however.

Sorry about the slow response but I have been diverted by the storm.  Have property at the coast in pretty much ground zero. 

Thanks again for the answers and your time.

[spotty]

the putoline thing costs a bit but gets used many times before its empty, it'd probably last for a few chains and you'd get longer life from those chains

should also have said when you drain the chain after immersion you drain the excess by hanging the chain over the tin so it drips back into the tin

[RAFster122s]

dear god i love the shaft drive on the vmax............

 CX500 Plastic Maggot shaft drive is also nice...just have to compound my own Moly paste  grease since Honda quit making the 50% paste.  Nice thing is you can blend your own with synthetic grease like Mobil 1 and Moly powder.
Far less work than chain maintenance.

[Sigop]

Spotty, got it.  Thanks.

[pjlogue]

What ever type/method you use to lube your chain it's important to first get the dirt and rust powder out of the rollers.  Soaking and agitating in a solvent allows the dirt to fall out.  air dry and then lube well.  It makes a big difference for chain and sprocket life.

-P.

[Sigop]

pj,

Thanks.

 I did use the kerosene bath earlier on this chain, then hung it up like a snake to drip dry.  That really did clean it up.

[BomberMann650]

Had the same experience with wps chain.

Shop guy set me up with Torco chain lube.  Put some on the barn bike over winter and no rust come spring!