Cleaning Motor Chain

D

Dave Barker

Freshman
Jan 15, 2011
45
0
6
Charlotte, NC
www.dbsoundcharlotte.com
So I have a pair of 1/2 tons that were recently serviced so that is not of concern to me. We just did an outdoor gig and flew the rig, the chain got drug through the dirt and sand. I would like to get the sand off the chain and get things cleaned up. Is there a recommended solution/oil/etc to clean the chain off with or a method to do this.

Thanks
 
Re: Cleaning Motor Chain

I recently cleaned some chain that was pretty nasty. I first put the chain in a parts washer to get the grit off of it. The chain was rusty, so I tumbled it in a cement mixer with walnut shells, then back to the parts washer. To dry it off, I used both sawdust and oil dry. The oil dry left clay residue which needed to be wiped off, but did a better job of getting the cleaner off.

After that was done, I soaked the chain in oil and let it drip dry, wiping off the excess.

It was a bunch of work, but it got the job done.
 
Re: Cleaning Motor Chain

The easiest approach would be to drop the chain into a parts washer and then relubricate.

If that's not an option, you'll need to do this manually. As the chain oil will capture the grit, you'll need to remove both. Fill a bucket with your favorite degreaser, add the chain, and agitate to dislodge the oil and grit. You'll probably need to repeat this a few times to get all the grit off, as the degreaser becomes less effective as it gets loaded. If you used a solvent, air drying is probably sufficient, and don't forget to relubricate the chain when you're done.

For degreasers, I've had good luck with Simple Green (leaves a residue, but is water-based and reasonbly nontoxic), mineral spirits, and some of the stronger cirtus-based degreasers.
 
Re: Cleaning Motor Chain

90 weight gear lube... the kind that goes in the differential of a 1987 F150. Soak the chain over night, then hang over a bucket to drip "dry for at least 24 hours. Wipe the chain with a rag as you run the chain back through the hoist.
 
Top Bottom