Chain and Freewheel flushing

[Gnarlyscoots]

After a few months of riding my MBK about, I started getting a very slight 'slip' which I thought might be the chain as it was getting a little 'dry'. I took the chain off and soaked it in some fully synthetic oil, re-fitted it and everything good for a little while.

As I ride with headphones in, I didn't notice the noise from the drive train when I got the slip. I got home and had a little ride the garage area to investigate. After hearing the 'crunching sound from the freewheel, I bought another which I fitted today, along with a new KMC chain and cleaned up the chain ring.

After cleaning the freewheel free from oil and sh!t, I spun it on my fingers and it feels like there is dirt or grit inside it. The chain feels the same between the links.

So, what I would like to know is what would be the best way to flush the freewheel and chain of all the sh!t. I wouldn't normally bother except, the freewheel is a an excellent shape chrome Suntour and the chain is a KMC Stainless Steel INOX. I don't really want to chuck them as they have only around 200 miles on both and they were both used.

What's your best results please 

[senzo milano]

Leave it for a while in heated motor oil.. thats what you can do with the chain . Not sure if it works with the freewheel 

[kev-s]

why not just strip the freewheel down and clean it out? ive done quite a few shimano ones this way with no probs


other option is soak them both overnight (separately) in petrol this will flush out any fine crap stuck in them, you will be surprised what comes out!

i do this with my roadbike's ultegra chain and cassette (nearly £100 worth of chain and cassette) once a month due to all the crap they pick up off the road and it works perfectly and causes no harm

also once you have cleaned them in petrol leave them hanging up again overnight to allow the petrol to evaporate, then on the chain use some finish line dry lube, this once applied dries out but still keeps the chain lubed so you wont have a oily chain

as for the freewheel squirt a little finish line wet lube into it and give it a good spin, the wet lube is quite sticky/thick so will stay on the bearings and not just run out

[Spen69]

Terry, as Kev says, soak the freewheel in petrol. I do mine for a week then hang them to dry and do it a second time in clean petrol to completely clear them. As for re-greasing, I soak the freewheel in diesel and it runs fine.

My chains I scrub and spray but as a lad I used to use the heated motorbike oil route but it does leave oil on your jeans...... You can buy a proper chain scrubher / bath thingy you put your Mountainbike chains in I thought? Maybe try one of them?