Using WD-40

bradf · Post by **bradf** » 04:40 pm Jan 20 2005

Does anyone spray WD-40 on the metal parts before a ride? Anyone spray it all over after a washing to dispalce water?

cicone · Post by **cicone** » 04:47 pm Jan 20 2005

Never have, but I've seen a number of the local TTR guys spray their bikes down before a ride--especially under the fenders--claiming it makes them easier to wash off later. Don't know about that??

Post by **Indawoods** » 04:50 pm Jan 20 2005

Oil coated parts hold heat. Not really a good idea, but I love WD.

cicone · Post by **cicone** » 04:59 pm Jan 20 2005

Hijack!! Nothing like whipping out the WD, PB Blaster and a torch!! Where's my sledge hammer.

Post by **KDXGarage** » 06:21 pm Jan 20 2005

I have put on a few coats of Armor All or Pledge on the undersides of fenders to try to keep the mud and dirt from sticking so bad, plus to try to make it easier to wash off.

I try to do the pre-ride lubrication as specified in the manual, but I try to use a heavier oil (such as used transmission oil).

I don't think spraying WD-40 on everything sounds too good.

EDIT after lanytim's post: I do try to drown the chain with it aftert I clean the bike and before putting chain lube on it.

lankytim · Post by **lankytim** » 06:59 pm Jan 20 2005

Mine definitely gets a good dose of WD after a wash, particularly the exposed steel bits and spots where the water wells (fork clickers, sneaky holes in the axles, brake caliper pins, etc!).

No one's posted it yet, but it has to be said... "I love the smell of WD spray in the morning".

bradf · Post by **bradf** » 08:10 pm Jan 20 2005

I do the same, spray the places where water likes to sit, especially the chain. WD is a great cleaner as well, like around the front sproket area.

jlm1959 · Post by **jlm1959** » 09:04 am Jan 21 2005

I didnt think that the WD40 was an oil or lubericant. I have always been told to never use it as such. The WD stands for water despercent. Meaning if you have somthing that is metal and wet that it should be used to remove the water and keep rust from forming.

I use it on every metal part of my bike, exceptd the break rotors. LOL

jon

bradf · Post by **bradf** » 09:20 am Jan 21 2005

WD is exactly that, a water displacer. The way this is accomplished is by using a light solvent to initially break the surface tension of water, then the solvent evaporates leaving a very light oil behind, which will eventually evaporate as well, leaving only the clean refreshing smell of WD in the morning for lankytim. There have been some that claim that WD will ruin the O-rings on chains. I have never seen WD hurt any rubber part. Maybe latex rubber.

cicone · Post by **cicone** » 09:44 am Jan 21 2005

The main purpose for WD on my bike is chain drying. Scrub chain w/kerosene, scub again w/mean green or some similar detergent, spray w/WD and take a spin to sling as much off as possible, and then PJ1---what the heck is synthetic sperm oil, anyway?...and on the latex issue...um...i'm thinking you should keep your WD in the garage to avoid any "accidents" in the future.

skipro3 · Post by **skipro3** » 11:47 pm Jan 21 2005

Sperm oil:
In the old days, sonny, we used real sperm whale oil to lube our chains. Best stuff on earth. Then them whale huggers went and got killin' whales banned. Like it was a bad thing or sumpthin. I still have a can of the spray lube around somewheres.

I too use WD40 for drying out the chain after washing. It works as a good mild solvent as well to remove sticker glue or spooge. The best stuff I have found to clean my bike is Super Clean. It's sold in a gallon purple plastic jug at most Wal-Marts. After knocking all the big stuff off with a garden hose, I pour some Super Clean in a spray bottle and go over the entire bike, top to bottom. Then hose it down again and she's as clean as new. No rubbing or brushing. It runs about 6 bucks for a gallon and I use about a dollars worth with each wash.

wanaride · Post by **wanaride** » 03:24 pm Jan 22 2005

I asked a local rider how he kept his 4-yr old KTM looking so good, and he told me he sprayed all the metal parts with WD-40 after a wash. (Yes, this guy rides a lot and his bike looks brand new.) I've used WD-40 ever since to spray all metal parts after washing (except the rotors). I've seen no ill effects from it yet. I use it on my kids' PW50 also.

I'll tell you what didn't work for me...spray cooking oil ("Pam"). A friend told me to spray it all over my engine prior to a ride to allow the mud to come off easy later. Well, maybe I was just an idiot, but I also sprayed it on the exhaust pipe and now I have some nice baked-on brown stains from the combination of the heat + Pam.

Here's another idiotic thing you shouldn't do...spray Armor-All on your bike's seat. I got crazy one day spraying AA on my bike (it did make the plastic look good), and I put some on my seat to make it look good. Well, after sliding all over the seat on my next ride, I learned to not EVER do that again!

skipro3 · Post by **skipro3** » 03:37 pm Jan 22 2005

wanaride wrote: Here's another idiotic thing you shouldn't do...spray Armor-All on your bike's seat. I got crazy one day spraying AA on my bike (it did make the plastic look good), and I put some on my seat to make it look good. Well, after sliding all over the seat on my next ride, I learned to not EVER do that again!

No finer way to learn how to ride standing up!!!

lankytim · Post by **lankytim** » 05:40 pm Jan 23 2005

Hahaha! Yeah, there's a certain introspective one attains about spraying control surfaces with Armor All - it's easier to see what you've done wrong when you're looking at where you SHOULD be sitting but you're not there. I've done it. You've done it. We're all better people for it now.

Hey wanaride - did you use canola or olive oil spray? Maybe look for some peanut oil next time, you can cook it hotter and it don't smoke as much

lankytim · Post by **lankytim** » 05:44 pm Jan 23 2005

Oh, and I guess sperm oil won't harm latex? I hope not.

skipro3 · Post by **skipro3** » 09:47 pm Jan 23 2005

lankytim wrote:Oh, and I guess sperm oil won't harm latex? I hope not.

Why do you ask? Are the sheep nervous?

lankytim · Post by **lankytim** » 10:22 pm Jan 23 2005

LOL! nice try, but it is our neighbors - the New Zealanders - that are (at least by urban myth) legendary sheep-f&*^ers. They sell Velcro gloves over there, so I hear. In Australia, we much prefer wombats.

m0rie · Post by **m0rie** » 10:02 am Mar 07 2005

skipro3 wrote:The best stuff I have found to clean my bike is Super Clean. It's sold in a gallon purple plastic jug at most Wal-Marts. After knocking all the big stuff off with a garden hose, I pour some Super Clean in a spray bottle and go over the entire bike, top to bottom. Then hose it down again and she's as clean as new. No rubbing or brushing. It runs about 6 bucks for a gallon and I use about a dollars worth with each wash.

Ski - I tried some of that Super Clean this weekend. It works pretty good. Made my bike look the cleanest its been in years.

-Maurice

skipro3 · Post by **skipro3** » 12:51 pm Mar 07 2005

If you use it regularly, the bike will stay new looking. Since I got it, I've never taken a brush, rag, etc to my bike to clean it. Just a hose and Super Clean. Don't dilute it and don't leave it on aluminum for too long. It is a strong base and will make your skin dry out terribly if you leave it on too long.
I use it under the hood of all my cars. Wet the whole engine, cold, of course, let sit for 10 minutes or so, then hose off. It disolves dirt and grease very well.

jafo · Post by **jafo** » 07:28 pm Mar 07 2005

Some guys I ride with use it on the underneath sides of thier fenders and bottom of bike to help make mud removal easier. I've never tried it but might sometime. They swear by it. I figure WD-40 or anything with a silicone base would work good.

Jon.

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Using WD-40

Using WD-40