I'm not a big fan of WD 40. I like it. I use it, but I'm not in love with the stuff. I just really wanted to know if anyone knew the truth. Apparently they don't.
The The says, "I use it to clean things. I use it to displace water from vital parts on my bike...just like it was designed to do! I even use it when a bolt won't come unstuck. But would I lube my chain with it? Nah."
OK, but why?
Bob Ross said, " Quote:What about using it to *clean* your chain, before you lubed your chain with a more appropriate product?
I've had several ostensibly knowledgeable (or at least, far more experienced) cyclists suggest this approach, and so far it has served me well ...and then just a week ago I read somewhere that WD-40 leaves some sort of residue behind so it's *not* good for cleaning moving parts! What's a mother to do?"
No proof there. Leaves a residue? OK, I say if you rubbed your chain with broccoil it would leave some sort of residue. Nothing new there. In fact, I think if it didn't leave a residue, it wouldn't have any chance of being a lube...right? And there's also no proof that there is any "more appropriate" product with which to lube your chain.
In response to Jesse D. Smith's post, "Well, until some independent lab conducts tests proving kerosene is not a good chain lube, fill up the dunk tank and have at it.
Why not conduct the independent testing yourself. Soak your pedals, hubs, and bottom bracket in it. Please come back in a year with the results."
You're too late Jesse. Been there, done that, bought the "T" shirt. I honestly can't remember having dunked any parts in WD 40, but I sure have lubed a lot of them, that way for the past 30 or 40 years. The results?? Good = 100% Bad = 0%. Hardly scientific, but that's been my experience. Naturally I used many other lubes, too, e.g. Finish Line, Tri-Flo, Pedro's, motor oil, Liquid Wrench, etc, etc. Personally, I can't see much, if any at all, difference in lube qualities between any of them. I never use(d) it on pedals, bottom bracket, hubs, headsets, etc. I always use grease on those.
I liked Dinosaur's post the best. I never knew it'd remove corrosion, but I'm gonna give that a try real soon. Thanks for that info.
So, I guess that, so far, no one really has any proof one way or the other, which to me means that everything said so far re: WD 40 is a lot of bovine excrement. I've said in previous posts on othe forums/threads, that in a former life, I must have been from Missouri - the show me state. When people make statements that are so definitive for or against products, something in me triggers the need to ask them to prove it. If somebody CAN prove, either pro or con, I, and I imagine, many, many other cyclists would sure appreciate it.