Ultrasonic chain cleaning.

[Digging dog]

Just had a bollocking from the wife for emptying petrol in the garden after doing a deep clean of the drive train.
I've checked in previous posts for recent info on Ultrasonic cleaners and was wondering if anyone has or could recommend a cleaner that will take a 10 - 51 tooth cassette. Obviously without going into industrial kit with industrial pricing.

 

[Stihldog]

Just had a bollocking from the wife for emptying petrol in the garden after doing a deep clean of the drive train.
I've checked in previous posts for recent info on Ultrasonic cleaners and was wondering if anyone has or could recommend a cleaner that will take a 10 - 51 tooth cassette. Obviously without going into industrial kit with industrial pricing.

I’ve only tried a few cleaning solutions ( 5:1 dish soap and some type of degreaser). I don’t think I could ever get the chain as clean as an ultrtrasonic could. I use the Park Tool chain-cleaning tool with a dishsoap/water solution. It’s fast and easy and is good enough for me. Of course I lube the chain (liberally) after and cycle thru several shifts.
Since I don’t ride road bikes anymore I know that my chain is gonna be filthy after the next ride on an eMTB. But I do like to tinker on things that need tinkering.

 

[Digging dog]

I’ve only tried a few cleaning solutions ( 5:1 dish soap and some type of degreaser). I don’t think I could ever get the chain as clean as an ultrtrasonic could. I use the Park Tool chain-cleaning tool with a dishsoap/water solution. It’s fast and easy and is good enough for me. Of course I lube the chain (liberally) after and cycle thru several shifts.
Since I don’t ride road bikes anymore I know that my chain is gonna be filthy after the next ride on an eMTB. But I do like to tinker on things that need tinkering.

Tra

I’ve only tried a few cleaning solutions ( 5:1 dish soap and some type of degreaser). I don’t think I could ever get the chain as clean as an ultrtrasonic could. I use the Park Tool chain-cleaning tool with a dishsoap/water solution. It’s fast and easy and is good enough for me. Of course I lube the chain (liberally) after and cycle thru several shifts.
Since I don’t ride road bikes anymore I know that my chain is gonna be filthy after the next ride on an eMTB. But I do like to tinker on things that need tinkering.

Used a chain cleaning device & Muc-off degreaser and other cleaning products but the chain still had a gritty sound. 20 mins in petrol sorted it. A certain mail order company has a unit for £42, was thinking of giving it a try.
Only issue, the cleaner and liquid will cost the same as a new chain.

 

[Digging dog]

Tra

Used a chain cleaning device & Muc-off degreaser and other cleaning products but the chain still had a gritty sound. 20 mins in petrol sorted it. A certain mail order company has a unit for £42, was thinking of giving it a try.
Only issue, the cleaner and liquid will cost the same as a new chain.

cant you just stick it in the dish washer

Can't water the garden with petrol so no chance of using the dishwasher.
She who must be obeyed wasn't happy when I wanted to use the oven to bake powder coat.

 

[Stihldog]

cant you just stick it in the dish washer

Hey…that’s not a bad idea!

 

[jimbob]

Hey…that’s not a bad idea!

Works brilliantly for car parts too!

And a set of fork lowers comes out looking brand new so I'm told...

 

[steve_sordy]

If my wife can cook a salmon in the dishwasher (and nothing afterwards smelled of fish), then I'm sure that I could argue that I could clean bike parts without everything afterwards smelling of oil.

 

[brigcampbell]

A very good solution for ultrasonic cleaners for gritty parts is simple green. Just a splash is all that's required. Maybe 20:1

I use it at work in an industrial size sonic cleaner for machined parts.

If you purchase a cleaner make sure to do your wife's jewelry first. All will be forgiven. LOL

When we change the solution every month or so at work the gals in the office bring in their piles of jewelry for the first run.

 

[Stihldog]

Sounds like I load up the ultrasonic with raw oysters with a twist of lemon and a sprinkle of hot sauce. …then clean the chain , jump the wife, then jump some jumps, then …

 

[Digging dog]

Sounds like I load up the ultrasonic with raw oysters with a twist of lemon and a sprinkle of hot sauce. …then clean the chain , jump the wife, then jump some jumps, then …

My "good lady" has a jewelry cleaner & pointed out that if I attempted to use it for cleaning any bike parts then my Jewels would end up in it.

 

[Aussie78]

There are always 3 or 4 good yet affordable brands of ultrasonic cleaners on eBay.

This brand I’ve used, they work well:

0.8L-30L Digital Ultrasonic Cleaner Ultra Sonic Bath Cleaning Tank Timer Heater | eBay

Professional Digital Ultrasonic Cleaner Stainless Steel Bath Heater w/Basket 3L. Professional 600ML Ultrasonic Cleaner Watch Jewellery Glasses Cleaning Machine. 4 indicators (Heat indicator, Ultrasonic indicator, Degas indicator, Semiwave indicator).

www.ebay.co.uk

I have a 0.8L for bolts, a 3L for cassettes and a 15L for car parts, the 0.8 and 3L are this AIPOI brand and have been working well for 12 months.

Place your chain in a baby formula tin with naphtha into the ultra sonic bath if using a larger bath, no need for baby formula tin if it’s a 0.8L cleaner, but cassette won’t fit, do this outside, fumes are bad, less then petrol but bad. If chain is mega dirty, shake the crap out of it first. Filter the used naphtha through a coffee filter and store for next time. Or pour the naphtha out onto an old baking tray, it evaporates super fast.

Beware an ultrasonic cleaner will rip the anodised off the back of a sram xx1 cassette if left long enough, like for 1 hour at 70c with dishwashing liquid.

 

[ilostmypassword]

Why not just get a chain cleaning setup you run it though when on bike with degreaser? Simple.

 

[Digging dog]

Why not just get a chain cleaning setup you run it though when on bike with degreaser? Simple.

Chain cleaner devices are fine for a quick surface clean & a soak in a petrochemical liquid even better.
At some point it must be beneficial to deep clean the chain and get the microscopic particles out .
Option 2, never clean it and replace drivetrain once a year.
After all it's a personal choice, some people might like a claggy drivetrain. I'm from an engineering background and probably OTT about these things.

 

[Charliektm400exc]

I’m just using the method recommended by

Zero Friction Cycling

 

[Digging dog]

I’m just using the method recommended by

Zero Friction Cycling

Very interesting article, thanks for the link.

 

[karjalanpiirakka]

I've been using wd40 and elbow grease. Results have always been great. If you want to be really thorough, you can follow it up with warm water and dish soap. Post which you can mount it all together and hit it with a lube of choice.

 

[ilostmypassword]

Chain cleaner devices are fine for a quick surface clean & a soak in a petrochemical liquid even better.
At some point it must be beneficial to deep clean the chain and get the microscopic particles out .
Option 2, never clean it and replace drivetrain once a year.
After all it's a personal choice, some people might like a claggy drivetrain. I'm from an engineering background and probably OTT about these things.

I would take off the chain and soak it in iso prop over night on a sealed jam jar. Give it a good shake then scrub with a tooth brush. Dry in the oven on low then fit and lube. Then never ride the bike again. Fixed.

 

[Digging dog]

I would take off the chain and soak it in iso prop over night on a sealed jam jar. Give it a good shake then scrub with a tooth brush. Dry in the oven on low then fit and lube. Then never ride the bike again. Fixed.

I used a chain cleaner, then about 20 minutes in petrol, rinsed, lubed & refit but it's still gritty inside the rollers.
It's probably sand that's causing the problem.

Rivington Reservoir, half empty. Couldn't resist the opportunity, regretting it now.

 

[karjalanpiirakka]

Don't regret it. Just takes a bit of work. Bikes are meant to be ridden and enjoyed. Worst case you end up replacing parts a wee bit early. But just clean it well. It should be as happy as it was before.

 

[Digging dog]

I'll definitely get the grit out, it bugs me when you can hear it grinding.

 

[Kilham5]

I use one primarily to deep clean new road bike chains of the factory lube before hot waxing.
But everything goes in.

I got a VEVOR 3 litre capacity with heater, direct from VEVOR for £50 delivered, cheaper than ebay or Amazon.
But just done a Google and looks to be no longer available direct from Vevor.

11-30 cassettes off my road and gravel bikes go in fully submerged, but the silly 11-52 of my hardtail is only 2/3rds submerged.
So no problem, 10 mins on one side, turn it over and do the other side. Comes out like a new penny.

I put hot water in to start with, with a dash of Fairy Liquid, Works an absolute treat.

ps. I only hot wax road and gravel bike chains, MTB chains just get oiled.

 

[Digging dog]

I ordered a 1Lt unit, expected delivery tomorrow.
Checked with Muc-Off, their Drive chain cleaner can be used in a ultrasonic bath. I'll give it a try but think I'll filter it after use and reuse it several times.

 

[spicker]

Another trick is to fill the bath with water. Then place your cleaner in a glass jar or zip lock bag with the items you want cleaned. Place the jar in the bath. This way you use less cleaner and won't dirty up the entire bath.

 

[Digging dog]

Good idea, save's on costly cleaner solution.

 

[Digging dog]

DK SONIC ultrasonic cleaner arrived, I used a diluted Much off solution for 20 minutes.

Chain as removed from bike, after using a chain cleaner & soaking it in petrol.

After 20 minutes.

The crud that came off the "already cleaned chain"

Think I will include an ultrasonic clean every couple of months.

 

[Stihldog]

Definitely cleaner. Ultra-sonic really cleaned out the micro-grit. What ratio of cleaner did you use? 50/50? Was the petrol/gas soaking needed?

 

[steve_sordy]

Would filtering the cleaning solution so that it can be used again be advisable?
Thinking coffee filters type of thing.
You only want to get rid of the grit, not restore the colour (but which may happen anyway).

 

[Digging dog]

Used a 50/50 dilution of standard Muc-Off bike cleaner.
I was planning on filtering using a coffee filter but it looked so contaminated it got dumped.
I originally did my after ride drivetrain clean using the usual cleaner tool and undiluted Muc-Off bike cleaner but it didn't remove all the grit so went for the soak in petrol but the gritty noise still stayed.
After the Ultrasonic clean, problem sorted. Now the question do I just lube it or wax it. So many options available.

 

[TR5_20]

[

Used a 50/50 dilution of standard Muc-Off bike cleaner.
I was planning on filtering using a coffee filter but it looked so contaminated it got dumped.

After the Ultrasonic clean, problem sorted. Now the question do I just lube it or wax it. So many options available.

Wax!

Instead of filtering or dumping fluid, did you not fancy the ziplock bag trick as suggested by Spicker?

 

[Digging dog]

Think it was a case of a new toy, want to see it work.
Definitely will try the ziplock bag & filtering the dross out.