Cleaning chain

[Over_Easy]

1. Warm chain with a quick ride or run it in place using a rear stand or the 5/8" steel dowel rod/jackstands support.

2. Clean with kerosene (you can get a 5 gallon drum from Lowe's that will last you a lifetime) and use grunge brush or any other combo of tooth brush or plastic brushes and rags - tooth brush gets the sand out of smaller areas missed by the thick bristles of the grunge brush. Don't forget to clean the rear sprocket teeth as well. Also, kerosene evaporates where WD-40 leaves a film and is a degreaser so then trying to add chain lube is IMO counterproductive to an extent.

3. After kerosene evaporates run chain again to warm and loosen and then add chain lube.

 

[UncleSteve]

From dirt rider magazine

Thus, we asked Chase to demonstrate just how he and the pros at Pro Circuit perform routine chain maintenance on the fleet of race bikes that flood their shop. It doesn't take much in the way of time or product, so anyone can do it. Just follow these easy steps.

(wire brush)After a race or ride, chances are your bike's chain is going to be dirty. Just how dirty depends on the conditions, of course. A sloppy mud race will foul the chain with significantly more debris than a supercross main event with its perfectly groomed surface. So the first step is to clean the bike, taking care not to direct jets of water from a pressure washer at the chain as that could force water into the chain's internals, displacing lubricant. Instead, after washing the bike, use a wire brush to remove caked-on dirt, grease or rust. If you're running an O-ring chain, skip this step as you'll damage the O-rings, which will degrade their protective capability. If you feel you must clean your O-ring chain, simply wipe it off with a rag and know that you're merely cleaning it for aesthetic reasons.

 

[Skywalker]

Wow, guess I'm washing mine to death! Thanks for the info....