Lugging a Motor, Why it's Bad

[Gionnirocket]

I posted this in another thread but I've had good success with a very uncommon method of chain maintenance. After cleaning the chain with kerosene, I use a wet lube on each link. After a few minutes I then hit the chain with maxima chain wax. My thought is that the chain wax sort of seals in the wet lube. I was laughed at for posting this but I'm enjoying over 2,000mi. on a 9 speed chain with an ultra motor that isn't babied. I'm right at .5 on several different chain checkers and will replace the chain soon, not sure I want to wait until .75 but we'll see, I could get another 1,000mi. out of this chain

Not that some of what you say doesn't hold true but the Maxima wax is in a carrier solvent that flushes out the old lube and dirt and allows it to flow into the chain and then solidify. So I'm not sure how much if any of the previously applied wet lube remains.
Also your Ultra results if not ridden overly abusive are common.
And lastly in my experience chain wear isn't straight line... It can hold as new for say 2000mi... and then slowly reach 0.5 by 2500mi. But from that point it's a quick slide to 0.75 and 1.0, probably before 3000mi.
ymmv

 

[DDBB]

Well, when I spray the chainwax on, nothing comes off the chain onto the floor. If it's flushing it out, it's not going anywhere or it's sitting just below the wax? I don't know, I'm guessing but the method seems to give me good results. I got 1,700 mi. on my 10 speed 250 watt yamaha /haibike before the chain went past .5. I wasn't using chain wax on that chain. Could be just because it's a 10 speed though. I know thorough cleaning probably is more important than what which wet lube one uses.

 

[Catalyzt]

Funny this thread popped up again-- I just lugged Nightmare's motor for the first time 15 minutes ago. Total bonehead move, was thinking about something else or looking at the display...

I was in ninth gear or something, way too high a gear, in Tour, the second level of power assist, on a steep grade, and figured I put all my weight on the pedal just to give it a little surge so that I could get enough momentum to ghost pedal and shift without putting too much stress on the drive train...

And she snarled at me. The motor just made a soft little growling noise.

I banged a U-turn, downshifted, did another U-turn, and resumed the climb without incident.

I'm glad this was not my first ebike! It is definitely requires more finesse than the eMTB with the E5000.

 

[Gionnirocket]

Well, when I spray the chainwax on, nothing comes off the chain onto the floor. If it's flushing it out, it's not going anywhere or it's sitting just below the wax? I don't know, I'm guessing but the method seems to give me good results. I got 1,700 mi. on my 10 speed 250 watt yamaha /haibike before the chain went past .5. I wasn't using chain wax on that chain. Could be just because it's a 10 speed though. I know thorough cleaning probably is more important than what which wet lube one uses.

Maxima Chain Wax is a superior power spray lubricant designed for all chain care needs. It's special Para-Film formula creates a waxy film similar to Cosmoline, offering long term protection especially in water and high humidity environments. Maxima Chain Wax is formulated with heavy duty, anti-wear, and extreme pressure additives that provide superior lubrication for all chains, cables, and sprockets. Maxima Chain Wax penetrates deeply, lubricating non accessible areas, reducing chain stretch and wear. Chain Wax is simply the best choice for all chain and cable care needs. CAUTION: Flammable, Do not spray near open flame. Avoid prolonged exposure to solvent vapor. See warning on container. FEATURES: Eliminates fling off and seals lubricant to chain; Special paraffin base creates waxy film; Excellent rust protection; For O-ring and conventional chains; Does not attract dirt; Light amber color.

Most chain waxes have a similar description... take from that what you will.

 

[DDBB]

I use maxima chain wax on my motorcycle chain too. I get 30,000mi. from a chain but they are o-ring chains. I'd suffer the weight penalty for an o-ring ebike chain

 

[Gionnirocket]

Maxima products in general are high quality.

 

[stompandgo]

I used Maxima on my motorcycles. I did not like it on my racing bicycles. Too hard to remove. They got a full cleaning every other weekend.

 

[DDBB]

Kerosene takes it right off I've found

 

[stompandgo]

I'm not a fan of using high VOC cleaners.

 

[DDBB]

doesn't seem to affect metal? Not good for the environment though

 

[Gionnirocket]

 

[DDBB]

Problem with kerosene is what to do with the dirty kero when you're done. That stuff doesn't evaporate

 

[stompandgo]

View attachment 195507

On my Top Ten list of greatest movies ever made.

 

[stompandgo]

doesn't seem to affect metal? Not good for the environment though

The environment is important, but I'm much more concerned about my health. These days, any good low to medium strength citrus cleaner will do just as good a job, and the water won't cause rusting as long as you lube the chain after drying.

 

[Gionnirocket]

The environment is important, but I'm much more concerned about my health. These days, any good low to medium strength citrus cleaner will do just as good a job, and the water won't cause rusting as long as you lube the chain after drying.

I concur.
WD40 is also an excellent cleaner and eliminates any rust concern though it's still a man made chemical and not as environmental friendly as citrus or simple green

 

[PedalUma]

I have used bio-diesel to do things such as clean chainsaw parts. Now with bikes I can buy gallon jugs of the stuff restaurants use to clean fryers. An orange peal contains VOCs. Try squeezing one into a flame.

 

[DDBB]

Something else is going to kill me long before some kero on my hands will

 

[indianajo]

I washed my hands about 4 times a shift for about 15 years in Varsol, the non-flammable version of kerosene. There was a pump that squirted it on parts and my hands. That was >17 years ago. I'm not dead yet. I've also used asbestos, tri-chlorethylene, Freon TF, glyco-phosphate (imitation roundup). I took imitation Zantac for 20 years. Cancer is caused IMHO by having the wrong parents. Last Sunday I had a friend inspect the top of my ear, which was painful, for melanoma. It was a thorn.

 

[Catalyzt]

I washed my hands about 4 times a shift for about 15 years in Varsol, the non-flammable version of kerosene. There was a pump that squirted it on parts and my hands. That was >17 years ago. I'm not dead yet. I've also used asbestos, tri-chlorethylene, Freon TF, glyco-phosphate (imitation roundup). I took imitation Zantac for 20 years. Cancer is caused IMHO by having the wrong parents. Last Sunday I had a friend inspect the top of my ear, which was painful, for melanoma. It was a thorn.

I remember when I was 14 years old and too cheap to buy lighter fluid for my Zippo.

My buddy's dad had a rusted drum full of kerosene in the basement. It would work in the Zippo, but I quickly got complaints about the odor. Not very stealth if you're trying to smoke at that age. The lighter, and every thing it touched, stank of kerosene long after I tried to clean them!

The rusty kerosene drum was ironic in that the house had already nearly burned down once before his dad bought it. We usually smoked in the attic, which was basically charred timber, on the theory that it would be harder to set it on fire because it had already burned.

 

[PedalUma]

The odds of my still being alive are far fetched. I have done so many dumb things and had so many close calls. I don't think my frontal lobes gelled to the maturity level matching a 17-year-old girl until I was about 52.

I talked in Just for fun about the fat folder joke bike. To make it go full speed you would slowly pedal backwards. Karma just bit my butt for that one. Guess what came in today?

Then a guy came in with a scooter and a box. He took apart the battery and wants me to fix it. I told him I used to do stuff like that until I learned better, and that I do not want 3rd degree burns over my entire body.