I have a 1996 300 xplorer and I have it somewhat disassembled to work on a few things. I am about ready to Button it up but just wonder if I should try to clean off some of the last 13 years of mudd, grease, oil, & everything else that has been used on the chain overtime. The chain looks to be in fairly good shape at least by what I can see of it that is why I would like to clean it up a little.

The Chain on this machine has o-rings on it so that is why I figured I had better get some idea's from you guy/gays that have had these toys longer than me.

I was thinking of taking some of the foamy engine cleaner and spraying it down letting it soak then rinsing it off with a garden hose. What about using carburetor cleaner on it? One other idea I was thinking about using if neither of foamy engine cleaner or carb cleaner would not work is taking some kerosene or diesel with a brush and clean them up that way.

I guess I should mention that it is the middle chain and the forward chain I want to clean up. I hope not to have to disassemble this little beast for along while.

If I can clean the chain with something I was planning on putting some chain lube I have on the chain but is their something better to use than Chain lube or a certain brand that is better than others?

 

first thing id do is check the sprokets. if the teeth are starting to look like a saw blade its time for new sprokets and chain. if there fine. id check the o-rings in the chain are missing, cracking its time for e a new chain. if there fine there are chain cleaners out there. but carb cleaner, or harsh cleaners i woudnt use. but iv never really cleaned a 0ing chain. i had a oring chain on a wheeler i had before. and all i did was oil it. just becuse of the orings. id use soap and water with a brush. or a cleaner that wouldnt hurt the o-rings asuming there in good shape. but im shure other people who have more exspearinace can say what they use.

 

I would just blow any loose stuff like dirt dust etc.. off with compressed air and spray it back up with chain lube. I am a Electrician by trade and don't use any contact cleaner on this chain with O-rings.......Many contact cleaners will damage rubber and plastic.........Not all but most will............Caper...............

 

Instead of buying the cleaner, buy a chain scrubber.

But as old as the quad is, it may be just as easy to buy a new one.

If you need chain and/or sprockets, a guy using sledpartsguy over on ebay has some good deals.

Don't let the name fool you, he has tons of quad stuff too.

 

you can soak it in diesel fuel to clean it up and lube it too