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Engineering cheat sheet:
Does it move?
Yes
-> Should it?
-> Yes: no problem
-> No: gaffer tape
No
-> Should it?
-> No: no problem
-> Yes: WD-40
WD 40 is probably one of the most widely misused products out there. It is not a good lubricant, it will dry out too fast. Instead you want an actual oil or other based lubricant.
It's the typcial 'one-stop for everything' problem: it's not _bad_ and even pretty good in some things it does, but for each of its uses one can probably find a dedicated better product. Something which makes no sense for a typical household though, hence the popularity.
Wrt lubricating properties: there's numerous threads of cyclists going all religious over this. One side just saying "it's not (or a poor) a lubricant" and the other side mechanics claiming "for my customers I use expensive fancy lubricants but for myself I only use WD-40 and my chain is cleaner and runs smoother". Because of the amount of testimonies like that I got curious and tried it and it undeniably has something going for it: no, it's not a pure lubricant, but that doesn't mean it cannot work at all on bicycle chains. Because of the penetrating/cleaning/anti-rust properties combined it has the tendency to give a super clean chain with not a lot of dirt in it (unlike any other pure lubricant since those just attract and accumulate dirt). And just enough lubricating properties to get some mileage out of it (don't remember, 200km or so), as long as it doesn't rain.
I wouldn't trust a bike mechanic that uses WD-40 as a chain lubricant. The only possible scenario I can think of is if they live in an extremely dry place with minimal chance of rust. I live in the UK, if you use WD-40 as a lubricant your chain will be rusty by the end of the week. Use an oil lube (e.g. I use Finish Line Wet).
Edit: And it's not "going all religious", it's because I do 6,000km on my bike every year. I know through my own mistakes that WD-40 is not a good chain lube.
I know an (e)bike rental operation that uses wd40 almost exclusively as chain "lube". Their current ebikes have something like 4-5k on the odo, powertrains still the original ones. But they clean/apply the wd40 to the chain between every rental, I guess that makes a difference. So my guess is that if you use wd40 often enough, it is fine.
Are you sure it's WD40 and not WD40-branded chain lube? I use that on my motorbike, and it's nothing to do with the WD40 spray - just the same parent company.
WD-40 _IS_ good for cleaning chains and other parts of the drivetrain but not great as a lube. My guess is the convenience of a quick spray and turn of the pedals, then back out to rent outweighs what a bike mechanic would do for their own ride.
WD-40 does not have sufficient film strength. Constantly renewing it won't fix that.
It likely works for that e-bike rental operation because there's almost zero load on the chain; tourists renting e-bikes are soft-pedaling and letting the hub motors do all the work.
My guess is that WD-40 is being used just to keep the chains clean so tourists don't complain about greasy marks on their legs...or because they see the sparkling chain and think the bikes are "well maintained." Being so light, it would also be easy to wipe off various parts of the bike, again helping it look "well maintained."
Center motor, so if anything, the load is higher on the chain than normal bikes.
I am not sure how much more than 5k you can realistically expect for a lifetime for an ebike drivetrain regardless how you maintain it. You need to clean the bike anyway between the customers. If a quick wipe with wd40 gives you 5k, I am not sure if the extra miles on the drivetrain justify the extra work and extra cost of a fancier maintenance.
A belt would solve those problems or a chain guard.
Just to clarify: I agree that it's not a very good chain lube in general (and I don't use it myself anymore after having tested it), but I'm also not going to distrust people applying it as such because depending on the situation it is actually usable. Also see sibling comment.
I do use it on shift cables and derailleur mechanisms. Mostly because I haven't figured out anything that is a better solution.
> Because of the penetrating/cleaning/anti-rust properties combined it has the tendency to give a super clean chain with not a lot of dirt in it (unlike any other pure lubricant since those just attract and accumulate dirt). And just enough lubricating properties to get some mileage out of it (don't remember, 200km or so), as long as it doesn't rain.
This is basically the theory behind Rock'n'Roll's lubes [1] (and perhaps other dry lubes, i don't know):
> Rock'N'Roll chain lubes are formulated to clean and lube at the same time when applied. EXTREME, ABSOLUTE DRY and GOLD go deep down into the links, trapping dirt and floating it to the surface where you can wipe it off. Rock'N'Roll chain lubes create a protective membrane that keeps new dirt out and the lube inside, where it's needed.
So you douse the chain with it, run it round to work it in, then wipe off as much as you can - the stuff you wipe off carries away loads of filth, and the bit that stays behind dries to leave a wax/teflon layer on the working surfaces of the links. Or something. Whatever it does, it seems to work pretty well!
[1]
https://rocklube.eu/en/12-chain-lubes
> It's the typcial 'one-stop for everything' problem: it's not bad a
It absolutely is bad. It's mineral oil with a few random additives thrown in.
https://www.wired.com/2009/04/st-whatsinside-6/
Popular Mechanics tested WD-40 in five popular uses and found it to be the worst choice in every case.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a6064/wd-40-vs-...
> Wrt lubricating properties: there's numerous threads of cyclists going all religious over this.
The cycling community overwhelmingly has been telling generations of newbie cyclists to stop hosing down their chains with wd40 and use a proper oil. There are a few people who swear by it, but they're people who have never tried anything else, or not actually looked at their chain wear.
> Because of the penetrating/cleaning/anti-rust properties combined it has the tendency to give a super clean chain with not a lot of dirt in it
WD-40 does not have any special penetrating abilities. Further, the gaps in a bike chain between the various parts are not so small that one needs a penetrating lubricant.
What is important is wear, not how clean the chain looks. Wear happens on the pins, inside rollers, and the holes on the chain plates. The chain lengthening means wear on the sprockets, which are significantly more expensive than the chain. A 10-speed chain is maybe $50 at most for a pretty nice one, and chainrings plus cassette can be significantly more than that.
The proper chain lube to use depends on the intended conditions, but any lubricant needs to have sufficient film strength - ie keep metal from directly contacting metal.
WD-40 has virtually zero film strength. There are a thousand lubricants out there that are better.
> (unlike any other pure lubricant since those just attract and accumulate dirt).
I'm not sure what "pure lubricant" means, but there are plenty of dry lubricants suitable for chain use. They are designed for dry conditions, especially dusty ones.
Riding in wet conditions usually means you're using a fairly thick chain lubricant.
Periodically measure the chain with a ruler to check for chain stretch and replace before wear gets too high that it starts destroying your cogs.
Editing to add:
If you want to use a wet lubricant for chains, bar and chain oil (ie chainsaw oil) will work just fine.
If you want a dry lubricant for chains, use something like Finish Line PTFE. Dupont themselves also sell a PTFE spray, as do several other companies.
If you want a crazy penetrating lubricant, McLube's Sailkoat is pretty crazy stuff, but a large spray can is $20+.
If you want rust prevention/protection, LPS-3.
If you need a penetrant or rust breaker for bolts, you can try the following: Mouse Milk ($$), Kroil. Mouse Milk is weird stuff, I believe mostly d-limolene (so don't use it near waterways!) but apparently popular for lubricating very high temperature stuff (turbo wastegates, for example) because it does not leave ash/residue behind.
_It absolutely is bad. It's mineral oil with a few random additives thrown in_
Please quote properly: I said it's not bad _at what it does_ and 'not bad' does not mean good. Also: if the metric of what's inside is what we'd be using, most of the other products you mention would also be pretty bad :)
For the rest, same as my other reply: I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I somehow agree it's in general a good idea to use WD-40 as chain lube. I still do not, and I don't use it myself as such because the other dedicated options are better. But thanks for listing a bunch of them.
Worse yet, at some point the manufacturer has rebranded as "WD-40 Company" and started to also sell actual lubricants under that brand name. So whenever someone says "don't use WD-40 as a lube" some person will show up objecting "I use some WD-40 lubes and they are fine, thank you very much"
I’ve recently discovered aerosol silicon which I’ve emptied the can in a week lubricating everything around the house - drawers, toilet seat, shower door, window hinges, sliding doors to the deck. Then there’s tons of stuff in the car - door handles, hinges, rubber seals.
Please be careful using silicone oil near things you want to paint later on: everywhere there is a trace of the silicone oil, even years later, you will get "fish eyes" in the new paint. This is the reason I've banned it from my house, the overspray will get on literally everything and it's difficult to prevent and remove.
Silicone will make plastic on the outside of your car appear like new again but the effect is short-lived, like two weeks, and there'll be a period after that where it looks blotchy. Door rubbers are OK with silicone but I've used vaseline to similar effect.
We had handymen spraying silicone spray all over our (wooden) floor and furniture, because "it helps sliding in the rubber seal" on the doors and windows... "it might be a little slippery, but it will go away in the next days - and don't worry, we take care that nothing spills".
It was _everywhere_ after my MIL wiped the whole house down. That spray was strictly _not approved_ for indoor use, and it did not go away _ever_. My mother finally found a cleaning product that seemed to help, but this was a huge PITA for months and we were so mad. We thought about redoing all wooden floors for ~7k € (in a rented place after all).
I was also angry at me, because I know that several larger production facilities have strictly banned silicone based products from their premises, because it will contaminate everything it touches (and everything that thing touches) for the further production steps, e.g. painting. You will never ever get that product off these surfaces again, and it will continue to contaminate until you throw everything in the bin.
All the professionals we talked to were convinced that they know no way to get rid of silicone on surfaces (especially indoors in living quarters with small kids present), and sanding the floor down would probably just spread it - cross-contaminating the surfaces again.
There are uses for silicone spray (bicycle maintenance, outdoors, cars, etc.), and I would have one at home for these cases - but that whole product line is strictly forbidden at our home forever.
Until you need to remove it, which needs a special application.
I use WD-40 for my bike chain specifically because it's not an oil and because it dries out fast. This helps prevent gunk build up and makes cleaning the drive train a lot easier. I clean and reapply after/before every ride.
Will consider switching to a more environmentally friendly alternative though after reading this thread.
I use it to clean, and then I use a lubricant after.
Yep, it's a solvent more than it is a lubricant.
> It is not a good lubricant, it will dry out too fast.
Yeah, that's why it is so good: people will come back for more ;)
The real problem is technically it's a mild degreaser. I suspect the mistaken use as a lubricant is because it'll dislodge rust which "unsticks" things, but once it dries out what you need to do is put a light machine oil on the part to keep it sliding (I use one of those 3-in-1 deals you find in hardware stores in small bottles).
Nothing quite like sewing machine oil.
#0 grease
I use silicon spray as lubricant.
What is it for if not for lubricating things? I've asked this question to many people and they never had a good response. Most people secretely just use it as a shitty lubricant.
It's not bad at cleaning kitchen grease off range hoods if you've got stainless steel. And you get a great "manly" scent.
I used to use it as a carburettor aide for rarely used lawnmowers to kick start them into life but this is probably bad for the engine. There are real products for this.
Penetrative oil for mildly rusted on screws and bolts.
And.. a really bad chain lube, or hinge de-squeeler. Basically these things deserve proper lube molybdenum/disulphide stuff. You're depending on the graphite (I think) in wd40 to do the job before the solvent strips all the real lube out.
You made me laugh with the manly scent part.
As a kid, I thought washing my hands with "swarfega" is what grown ups just did. I truly do have very happy memories of the smell. And clean hot machine oil and electronics has a fine scent all of its own.
Right on. WD-40 is the only smell I might wear as cologne.
It's a solvent and a penetrating oil. It works for cleaning, getting something unstuck, or making sure something has no water on it (the "WD" is for "Water Displacement"). But it evaporates quickly and that's not good for anything you want to stay lubricated. It's okay for getting a rusty bolt moving because it's thin and easily gets where something thicker would not. It's not suitable for machinery that needs oil permanently on it. Also not good for locks, since it tends to gum them up.
In general if you need to lubricate anything important, you should look into what the official documents recommend. The right lubricant varies a lot depending on the application. Some stuff uses thin oils. Some uses sticky oils. Some wants grease. The right thing to use depends on things like manufacturing tolerances, the presence of oiling systems and the operating environment, so best to just check the manual.
I have used WD40 plenty of times to clean and lubricant rusty locks, in my opinion it works better then most other lubricants out there. And No my lock did not had manual about right lubricant.
Many years ago I tried Super Lube® Multi-Purpose Synthetic Lubricant for locks exposed to weather 24x7, including one that spends 3 months a year buried in snow, and it is far superior to WD-40, as in multiple years of smooth operation without further maintenance. I might clean a lock with WD-40, but i am always going to lubricate outdoor locks with Super Lube. I have no idea if it works so well because of the base oils or the teflon additive or the combination, but it is really good stuff. This summer I used it to rehab my rusted grindy 38 year old Swing-A-Way can opener, which is now butter smooth, and to fix a seized outdoor A/C condenser fan. For both I had no direct access to the bearings and had to flood Super Lube down the shafts. Worked amazingly well.
you're using it to help break a stiff or rusty lock, but it's not lubricating anything.
Water and humidity displacer, and a penetrating oil to help unlock rusted/stuck nuts and bolts.
Especially the second thing depends I guess on capillary properties, which other lubricants (e.g. silicon oil) don't necessarily have?
AFAIK, It's what you use before lubricating things, if the thing in question has not seen a lubricant in a long time. Once the movable parts are moving again, other lubricants are better.
> I've asked this question to many people and they never had a good response.
One might suggest:
A) Reading what it says on the tin can what it is for
B) Consulting its Wikipedia page, which states in the first sentence that it is a
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penetrating_oil
, and that article further explains what those are good at, and what not.
It's pretty good to start things moving, IMHO. Bit of WD40 at first then apply a proper lubricating oil.
I've also used it on bike chains, to clean off a lot of the old nasty before reapplication of a purpose-created lube.
As the article states in the first paragraphs—nudge, nudge—WD stands for ‘water displacement’ and was formulated in the aeronautics industry for the prevention of rust.
I use it to winterize my motorcycle in winter months giving the metal parts a thin film of WD-40 (being careful to avoid the brake calipers and rotor).
Please consider using Ballistol instead. It’s much more environmentally friendly, you can even use it for pet grooming.
Why is it more environmentally friendly? Both are mostly long-chain hydrocarbons, WD40 uses CO2 as a propellant and Ballistol uses propane/butane.
Alas, I was unable to find an aerosol can of Ballistol with the straw for focused spraying.
What are Ballistol's properties? I've not heard of it before.
Ballistol is an oil of pharmaceutical quality, cf.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistol
Only one ingredient is of pharmaceutical quality.
Interestingly, Ballistol was originally also used as a disinfectant in the Germany army.
I am pretty sure that it once was advertised as being usable as salad seasoning, but apparently that use case has dropped of the list at some point?
That was an April fools' day joke by the company that manufactures it [0]
https://www.facebook.com/ballistol/photos/ballistol-hat-f%C3...
Fran Blanche has a nice little video about WD-40 that goes into more details about the particular design choices in the Atlas ICBM engine, specifically how a non-insulated soda-can type tank would build up an ice layer, and WD-40 helped that ice layer be shed quickly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTD_SBudQfY
My favourite WD-40 anecdote is how it saved a maiden win for the McLaren F1 at Le Mans in 1995
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans
Lot of talk about bicycle chains, not sure if they use o/x-ring chains. But here's a well put together video on chain lubrication.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnPYdcbcAe0
There better stuff, sure. I use better stuff now but all the miles I got outta on dirtbike & bicycle chains as a kid. Handy to carry a little bottle in a toolkit as well.
Also excellent lube when working with aluminum(drilling, machining, etc).
I bet almost nobody shakes the can before they use WD-40. It works much better and by that I mean the liquid works better after shaking the can first versus not shaking it.
Why do you think nobody shakes it? It is clearly written - in all caps - in the instructions on the cans. Everyone I know shakes it first.
Funny conversation. Thinking about this the other day.
WD-40 doesn’t have a ‘pea’ [*], so I sometimes find myself shaking the can—because I shake all aerosol cans by habit—and find myself wondering if it’s necessary.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosol_paint
I know! We'll sell kerosene with perfume in a spray can, at a 100x markup!
Already done.
Any of you noticed when they started adding menthol to WD-40? I hate the minty smell, am I the only one?
Interesting read thanks! But I find the Weldtite TF2 with Teflon way superior than the WD-40 (as a cyclist).
Teflon is the material of the gods.
It does come with a rather insidious PFAS problem. That problem doesn't have a solution.
Yes it’s a problem but it’s very useful. Do you know of the WD40 has a lower environmental impact?
As a penetrating oil, I much prefer PB Blaster
PB Blaster then white lithium grease was the only thing that got the hood/trunk latches on my ancient 1990 Civic working properly again. Also PB blaster on stubborn bolts in high heat areas.
Anecdote: Once, driving across this great state of Texas to get to college, the tensioner pulley on my truck started sounding a little noisy. I was with some friends and we wanted to get to school rather than wrench around, so I pulled over in the next town and bought a can of WD-40 and a spare pulley. I sprayed a bunch of WD-40 into the pully bearings, since WD-40 is a lubricant, and I hoped for the best.
The pulley seized about 200 miles later. Burning rubber smell from the engine; loss of power steering, the whole nine yards. I pull over and get out the toolkit to take off the pulley. I had to use a breaker bar, but I finally got the danged bolt to start moving.
Turns out, the bolt was reverse threaded. The whole tensioner needed replacing now. I called a tow truck.
Don't use WD-40 as a lubricant. Also, don't slap quick fixes on critical components if you could take ten minutes to do it correctly.
I recently discovered that WD-40 is a great carpet stain remover. So many uses
Don't use WD-40 on your guns. It leaves a shellac-ish residue when it dries, which is bad for them. I use Ballistol instead.