Originally Posted by
jimh12345
I've been cleaning my bike chains for about 40 years and you'd think I'd have it down by now. But I'm still looking for a faster, neater way.
The 'chain scrubbers' I see are all designed to work with the chain on the bike. I see no purpose in that; I have master links in my chains and no problem taking them on and off. Using a 'scrubber' on the bike is just a hassle; an awkward position, solvent and water dripping on the floor... and then, how do I get the water and cleaner out of the chain? Spray WD-40 and get that all over the place? Not making sense.
I remove the chain, clean it in a laundry tub with a hand brush, rinse it, then take it outside and spray with WD-40 to displace the water; wipe, let dry, replace and lubricate.
What I want is a mechanical, crank-driven 'scrubber' NOT designed to work on the bike. I'm picturing something that feeds in the chain, scrubs it as it winds around some sprockets, then has a port for flushing without splashing. Yes, I realize the on-bike scrubbers can be used off the bike, but it seems awkward. Why isn't there a neat, contained, crank powered off-bike scrubber?
Dump the chain in a pickle jar with a generous amount of kerosene. Let it soak for a few minutes, maybe agitate it a bit. Then shake the jar vigorously for 30 sec. Take out the chain and it is now cleaned. Dry it with an old towel. Its that easy.
Let the kerosene sit in the jar and the gunk separates out and falls to the bottom. You can then pour it back and rinse the jar with paper. I know its not what you asked for but its just too easy to ask for a mechanical device.