Wd-40 Vrs Acf-50

[Mac Morgan]

A lot of members seem to be using WD-40 for just about everything from chain lube to hair gel! I got a gallon of the stuff years ago and tried to put it into a WD-40 labled spray bottle only to have it eat the rubber seals!! Anyway, these days it gets used on a rag for cleaning the chain. In other words, I'm not sure we should be spraying it into important electrical connections. What I do use is a product from the aviation industry called ACF-50 - anti-corrosion formula. it prevents and deactivates corrosion on metals ans safely lubricates and penetrates mechanisms. Its applications include avionic components, solonoids/ motors, battery terminals, rheostats/circuit panels et cetera. You all might want to look into this product before spraying WD-40 into your electrical components and doing some irreversible damage.

Mac Morgan

[2thdr]

Well, you may also want to rethink using WD-40 on your chain liberally...I think it will attack the O-ring or X-ring seals if used liberally (like spraying it on the chain to saturate it). It seems reasonable that you could spray it on a rag and rub the chain, but if my chain has gotten really dirty, that doesn't clean it very well. I have found a product called Bean Clean that is actually made from soybean oil works beautifully for cleaning the chain and sprockets and is totally safe on the rubber seals.

What do you think of OxGuard? I am definitely going to research your ACF-50!

[vanion2]

If you don't know better than to spray WD-40 on electrical connections then you get what you deserve. WD-40 is a water displacement treatment that is conductive. To properly protect electrical connections you should be using a dielectric grease and most people here are aware of that. The dielectric grease will always be more effective than anything you can spray out of a can whether it's aviation rated or not.

And as far as I know WD-40 doesn't eat rubber. I use it when I clean my chain to remove the gunk before lubing and regularly get about 10K miles out of a chain before it needs to be replaced indicating the rubber o-rings are not being destroyed. Sounds to me there may have been other mitigating factors involved with your particular problem.

This doesn't mean the product you are advertizing doesn't work. It just means that with any tool you need to know how and when to use it properly.

[2thdr]

If you don't know better than to spray WD-40 on electrical connections then you get what you deserve. WD-40 is a water displacement treatment that is conductive. To properly protect electrical connections you should be using a dielectric grease and most people here are aware of that. The dielectric grease will always be more effective than anything you can spray out of a can whether it's aviation rated or not.

And as far as I know WD-40 doesn't eat rubber. I use it when I clean my chain to remove the gunk before lubing and regularly get about 10K miles out of a chain before it needs to be replaced indicating the rubber o-rings are not being destroyed. Sounds to me there may have been other mitigating factors involved with your particular problem.

This doesn't mean the product you are advertizing doesn't work. It just means that with any tool you need to know how and when to use it properly.

Have to agree to disagree with you Vanion...spray WD-40 on a latex glove and see what happens. Not that O-ring seals are the same composition as the glove, but I have seen WD-40 soften and breakdown other rubber like materials. FWIW I consider 10k miles on a chain rather marginal service life unless you ride in the rain routinely.

[Duc2V4]

I like the idea of a very safe to use product and I would imagine that anything meant for aviation purposes would need to be as "risk" free as all get out! What is the cost difference for an equal sized can?

[Bad Boy]

10k miles per chain is a big endorsement for not using WD40. I got 40k miles on my OEM chain and sold the bike with 27k miles on the last chain that still had plenty of life. I use 90w gear oil just like the Honda manual calls for. I ride 15k miles year around in Seattle so I am in a lot of rain.

GB Ox-gard is good stuff on the electrical connectors, that is what it is made for. The ACF sounds like it could be a good alternative, not enough information. WD40, well it gets used like snake oil.

[DucatiTerminator]

I'm interested in trying the ACF-50. Any recommendation where to get it?

[2thdr]

Found this on Webbikeworld.com :

From "R.S." sent us some interesting information on the use of WD-40 on motorcycle chains:

"Saw your article on using WD-40 for chains and you asked for evidence of potential harm that WD-40 can do, so am attaching a photo. This photo is of a bearing surface from an airplane.

This is a ball and races in a sealed bearing that had been subjected to regular use of WD-40 for a year or two. The grease was NOT cleaned out before taking this photo - there simply is no grease and the brownish tint is really rust.

The ball had grooves (visible) and was shaped like a potato chip. The races had not evenly worn (see sectioned edge) and were rutted in spots, although neither shows too well.

We learned that WD-40 is really good for the light uses that it was intended for and that needs to be emphasized. However, it is largely a penetrant, which will do just that!

Once it penetrates into the sealed area, it dissolves the petroleum out of the grease, leaving the clay binders. What's left in the bearing is essentially dirt that cakes up, causing the balls to skid. Without the petroleum, the bearing will also rust.

The reason that kerosene and diesel fuel are still favorites and recommended by the chain people is that while both can be penetrants, they are a thicker petroleum and just what the O-rings are trying to seal against.

Of course, gasoline cleans about the same, but with thinner viscosity and better penetrating power. In all honesty, I still use gas to clean (I'm lazy), but don't beat the bike often, regularly measure for linkage stretch and sprocket wear, and re-lube on every other tank of gas."

Moral of the story is to not use WD-40 for cleaning motorcycle chains. Does anyone know of a better product that is specifically designed for cleaning a motorcycle chain without dissolving the grease behind the O-rings?

NOTE: See the wBW article "Motorcycle Chain Cleaners Redux" for many comments on the WD-40 issue and lubricating motorcycle chains.

[Willy]

Just did a quick search for Oxygaurd. Didn't find a supplier. Where do you guys purchase this?

[2thdr]

Amazon is your friend:

http://www.amazon.com/Gardner-Bender-OX-100B-Anti-Oxidant-Compound/dp/B000BODU66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377274191&sr=8-1&keywords=oxgard

Also this stuff...spendy!

http://www.amazon.com/Lear-Chemical-ACF50-Anti-Corrosion-Lubricant/dp/B000P1C8UO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377274258&sr=8-1&keywords=acf-50

[DucatiTerminator]

Amazon is your friend:

http://www.amazon.com/Gardner-Bender-OX-100B-Anti-Oxidant-Compound/dp/B000BODU66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377274191&sr=8-1&keywords=oxgard

Also this stuff...spendy!

http://www.amazon.com/Lear-Chemical-ACF50-Anti-Corrosion-Lubricant/dp/B000P1C8UO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377274258&sr=8-1&keywords=acf-50

Thanks! Two birds with one stone, lol.

[TNRabbit]

The best thing I've found for cleaning electrical connections is DeOxit. It's awesome, but pricey. Use dielectric grease afterward to protect against moisture.

[spud786]

Well, I guarantee I have more time with wd40 in electrical connections, than you do with ACF. So come back in a few decades after confirmation.

[huntinggunns]

De-Oxit Gold that you can get from any music store works great for electrical connectors. It cleans slight corrosion and also protects and lubricates the connections after applying. They also have a more aggressive cleaner for those badly corroded terminals. I have been using this stuff for about 6 months now on several bikes and it seems like it is working pretty good. A better alternative than WD-40 in my opinion, which I have used before, but am slowly doing away with.

[expvet]

+1 on the De-Oxit Gold, which not only is excellent at cleaning electronics but is plastic safe. Another +1 on the Bean Clean chain degreaser. Aside from being non toxic to us and environmentally safe, it is a hell of a degreser not only for your chain but for cleaning rims and pretty much anything else that has grease or oil spatter. Dissolves grease and washes right off with water without harming plastic or paint. It is made from Soy beans.

[spud786]

If you don't know better than to spray WD-40 on electrical connections then you get what you deserve. WD-40 is a water displacement treatment that is conductive. To properly protect electrical connections you should be using a dielectric grease and most people here are aware of that. The dielectric grease will always be more effective than anything you can spray out of a can whether it's aviation rated or not.

And as far as I know WD-40 doesn't eat rubber. I use it when I clean my chain to remove the gunk before lubing and regularly get about 10K miles out of a chain before it needs to be replaced indicating the rubber o-rings are not being destroyed. Sounds to me there may have been other mitigating factors involved with your particular problem.

This doesn't mean the product you are advertizing doesn't work. It just means that with any tool you need to know how and when to use it properly.

Have to agree to disagree with you Vanion...spray WD-40 on a latex glove and see what happens. Not that O-ring seals are the same composition as the glove, but I have seen WD-40 soften and breakdown other rubber like materials. FWIW I consider 10k miles on a chain rather marginal service life unless you ride in the rain routinely.

Orings are made of Butyle rubber or synthetic rubber,( not natural rubber, which can be detrimented with petroleum). Butle synthetic type rubber is used in rubber carberator rubber seals, gas has no effect , and wd40 is even easier on such.

My vfr is a post 100,000 mile bike and all original wiring, the only thing I use in the connections is wd40.

So please tell me how evil and irreputal the damage ive done. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[2thdr]

Spud I don't want to get into this debate with you again. We all know how much you love WD-40. All I'm saying is that there are better things for me to use to clean my chain like soybean oil and kerosene than WD-40. What works for you is great, what works for me is great. Don't take everything so damn personally! I never said you did any damage to anything!

[spud786]

Actually your wording, was how much undue damage is being done by wd40, otherwise I dont care. I just posted cause your scare tactics were unjustified with no result basis.

Otherwise, Acf doesnt matter to me, if people want to try it, I do get alittle greived over the (silicone grease) being used in connections. The Negatives have shown to be very detrimental, yet everyday more apply it.

[vanion2]

Been busy so here's my late rebuttal...

10k for a chain seems to be about average for any bike I have owned and most people that I know who own chain driven bikes are in the same category. Even most bike shop techs I have talked to see this as the norm. I guess we're all just doing it wrong (yes, I replace my own chains, check tension regularly, and clean and lube as needed). No, I don't ride in the rain regularly. I live in a desert and the sand here is probably the critical factor.

As for your statement that WD-40 is probably the reason behind this well...what ever makes you happy. I apply the WD-40 to a cloth and wipe the chain off so any minute amount that does come in contact with the o/x-rings is probably not a factor. BLS, whom I respect as a source of information when it comes most things motorcycle related because he actually goes above and beyond in his research, claims it is typically the grease that breaks down on the rings packed from the factory that causes most ring failures.

As I said before WD-40 is a tool and like any tool, knowing when and how to use it is the critical factor. Again, I have nothing against the OP's product suggestion. I merely pointed out that WD-40 is conductive so using it to seal electrical connections is the wrong way to do it. Wrong tool for the job. Dielectric grease is the way to go.

And latex gloves are always a poor example. I worked quite extensively with chemicals for deprocessing and latex gloves are always worn under other PPE as a last ditch effort. Even IPA or Acetone will break down latex. In fact, the only thing we really used latex gloves for was ESD and keeping the chemicals of our fingers off the parts I worked with. If you are going to justify your stance on a particular product I would choose a better example as proof. That's just a recommendation of course.

[Bassie]

I use lamp-oil, it works wonders and leaves a nice protective film too

I also use it as additive for my petrol to clean my gas-lines once every 3 months, I just add about 20cc to a full petrol tank.

[2thdr]

More about WD-40...did you know that it is 50% mineral spirits? (info from the FAQ on WD-40 website). @ Vanion2...I didn't know if you saw that in my post I said that dousing the chain with a direct spray of WD-40 seemed ill-advised due to the info provided about the aircraft bearings on Webbikeworld.com, but that wiping the chain down with a rag wet with WD-40 seems innocuous. I guess it comes down to how well are the O-rings or X-rings sealing the grease behind them and how easily do solvents penetrate that space to start breaking down the grease? If 10k miles on a chain in your area is average, then that's one of the only reasons I'm glad I ride in my part of the country instead of yours...sand is for certain very abrasive.

After all this talk, I am looking into one of the automatic oilers again...

http://www.cameleonoiler.com/SiteUS/index.php?page=index

[Bassie]

This was about electrical, as for chains I use this:

http://www.louis.de/_1071a7efa235e0b3c55ec51eafe1572459/index.php?topic=artnr_gr&artnr_gr=10004920〈=en

It's white chain spray, and my chain typical lasts about 20K miles / 30Kkm.

I just spray every 500 to 1000 km (300 to 700 mile) as soon at the chain starts to shine silver.

I never clean my chain, just spray it AFTER the ride.

Never had any problems with sand, as the spray makes sure it doesn't get in the chain.

[Duc2V4]

Well, if we don't want to use it on our bikes how about some of these uses? (Taken from the internet so take it with a grain of salt) Although I personally wouldn't use it for item #39. All kidding aside, WD-40 has it's uses and it may or may not be detrimental to use for certain things, but as with all consumer products, used as directed and you should be OK...we hope.

WD-40 Uses:
1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4. Gives floor that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.
5. Keeps the flies off of Cows, Horses, and other Farm Critters, as well. (Ya gotta love this one!!!)
6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7. Removes lipstick stains.
8. Loosens stubborn zippers.
9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12. Keeps ceramic / terracotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on both home and vehicles doors.
18. It removes that nasty tar and scuff marks from the kitchen flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Remove those nasty Bug guts that will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly!
20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gearshift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers...
22. Rids kids rocking chair and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31. Removes grease splatters from stove-tops.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37. Florida's favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.'
38. The favorite use in the state of New York, it protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. It is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray it on the marks and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!
43. If you spray it inside a wet distributor cap, it will displace the moisture, allowing the engine to start.

[Bassie]

Sure, 200 year ago they had wonder waters.....

[Egg on Leggs]

I don't use WD 40 on my chain and it has done 53,450 miles so far. 10k life on a drive chain, disgraceful.