# Do you use WD-40 for your bike?



## Real Steel (May 14, 2015)

WD-40 was invented in 1953.  'WD' stands for Water Displacing.  '40' was the company's 40th attempt at getting the formula right.  It was developed to displace water from a surface, but not much else.

Since WD-40 has a kerosene base and has oily properties, and because the company was able to put the product in aerosol cans at a time when this was a rare luxury, people started using WD-40 as a convenient way to loosen seized parts and to oil moving parts.  Over time the product became more known as a convenient home lubricant rather than as a water displacing formula.

There is a problem with using WD-40 as a lubricant though.  As the product dries over time it becomes sticky and gummy.  Many people add more WD-40 figuring that the 'lubricant' has worked its way out, but in reality the WD-40 residue is gumming up the parts.  This is pretty uncool for bike chains and bearings.

I thought I would pass on this info because there aren't many people that are aware of the long term effects of WD-40.  Your experience with WD-40 may have been good for the way you are using it, and thats cool too.


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## carlitos60 (May 14, 2015)

I Wipe Down All My Bikes with WD-40 After or Before Usage!!!
It Works in Controlling Rust down here in PR!!
Specially the Bare Metal Ones!!!


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## Real Steel (May 14, 2015)

carlitos60 said:


> I Wipe Down All My Bikes with WD-40 After or Before Usage!!!
> It Works in Controlling Rust down here in PR!!
> Specially the Bare Metal Ones!!!




I use LPS-3 for bare metal protection.  It was made for that purpose and lasts for months.


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## bricycle (May 14, 2015)

I use WD-40 on chrome to keep it from rusting as fast. Not much for loosening stuff. (although it can work). I use Kroil for loosening or Kroil then PB Blaster second. Both WD and PB, even used as directed, will eventually stop spraying. That's when I save the contents and pour in a small atomizer bottle. Liquid wrench works about as well as WD for loosening.
The original formula(extremely flamable) WD would lube and fire up under spark in small 2 cycle engines....better than just ether, as it doesn't lube.


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## Real Steel (May 14, 2015)

bricycle said:


> I use WD-40 on chrome to keep it from rusting as fast. Not much for loosening stuff. (although it can work). I use Kroil for loosening or Kroil then PB Blaster second. Both WD and PB, even used as directed, will eventually stop spraying. That's when I save the contents and pour in a small atomizer bottle. Liquid wrench works about as well as WD for loosening.
> The original formula(extremely flamable) WD would lube and fire up under spark in small 2 cycle engines....better than just ether, as it doesn't lube.




I agree, Kroil is the best for loosening.  I like LPS-3 for protecting.


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## bricycle (May 14, 2015)

I'll have to try LPS-3....


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## Real Steel (May 14, 2015)

I use WD-40 once in a great while.  Yesterday my wife spilled juice on a nice needle nose pliers.  After cleaning the tool, I put some WD-40 on the precision hinge to chase the water out, I followed that with solvent to remove the WD-40, then after drying I added a drop of light synthetic oil.  Good as new.  That was the first time I used WD-40 in about three years.


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## Real Steel (May 14, 2015)

bricycle said:


> I'll have to try LPS-3....




Ever see those nice bare metal old tools for sale at the swap or online?  LPS-3 is what they use to get that nice finish.


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## bikiba (May 14, 2015)

Real Steel said:


> Ever see those nice bare metal old tools for sale at the swap or online?  LPS-3 is what they use to get that nice finish.





have you recently bought LPS stock? or are shorting WD40? JK... will try it out!


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## bricycle (May 14, 2015)

Is that what they use? ....kool!


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## vincev (May 14, 2015)

very seldom use WD . Almost never on a bike.


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## Jeff54 (May 14, 2015)

I use it a lot but not for term oiling as it dries too fast. General metal cleaning or as others to flush water off or out of metal. in early 70's I thought it was a miracle oiler but that was short lived as I discovered it dried so fast. But I'll shoot it on door hinges, locks and stuff for a quick fix. maintenance wise it's crap and actually not very good at soaking into nuts and bolts to loosen em. . word is though, it'll soften up your rubber brake pads for a while.

I'd be shorting their stock but it's still to popular in the minds of Americans.. maybe somebody could go on a WD-40 stock bashing campaign across the net and get good auto mechanics to help,  then we can group short em to zip eh. if ya get enough people who option shorts on a stock, it'll go down, i'll garrr-en-tee! besides that, heck it may be setting up for short now.. it failed to support the previous high and is not supporting the im-between low too which means it'll go and see if anybody likes it at 78 soon. The sell in May and go away market may be setting up now.


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## tikicruiser (May 14, 2015)

It work's really well for removing sticker "goo", such as stickers's on your bike,carwindow's, glass mason jar's with label's, and I use it to clean headset and bottom bracket bearing's before re-greasing them. Pretty versatile product.


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## Real Steel (May 14, 2015)

tikicruiser said:


> It work's really well for removing sticker "goo", such as stickers's on your bike,carwindow's, glass mason jar's with label's, and I use it to clean headset and bottom bracket bearing's before re-greasing them. Pretty versatile product.




Gasoline works great for all that.


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## the tinker (May 14, 2015)

If you clean up some rust bucket bike and spray wd 40 all over it.....then decide to do a little paint touch up here and there,will the paint adhere to the areas that have wd 40 on them, Especially if it has sucked into the old paint?  Dont use it that often. never liked the smell.


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## Jeff54 (May 14, 2015)

the tinker said:


> If you clean up some rust bucket bike and spray wd 40 all over it.....then decide to do a little paint touch up here and there,will the paint adhere to the areas that have wd 40 on them, Especially if it has sucked into the old paint?  Dont use it that often. never liked the smell.




I wouldn't do that. any type of oily substance is berry, berry bad under paints, even if you 'figured' the WD is dry too. .  Another good use for it is getting roofing tar, Or if you're a southern California surfer, dammed floating oil too,  off of your body. But that's part 1. After you've dissolved the tar, then heavy wash with a degreaser to get the WD-40 off, dish soap will do.. I've used it often for that, works great! Much better than gasoline, mineral sprits and other solvents because those always lave a remnant oder while, after washing off the WD-40 with dish soap your hands will be Palmolive soft and smell fresh too. [wink, grin]

Which means you can also get the WD-40 off of the metal and paint with a good degreaser too.


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## the tinker (May 14, 2015)

Thanks for the info Jeff. Back in 1975 me and this other carpenter did this side job re roofing this old house .    we were driving in his old V.W. van and we saw this nice looking girl in a very fancy dress hitch hiking . 
I got in the back of the van ,gave up shotgun so she could get in. Turns out she was a bridesmaid and was on her way to the wedding when her car broke down, thus the fancy pink dress.  we got her to the church,she got out and thanked us for the ride.  As she walked away to the church we noticed there was tar all over the  back of her dress. Earlier I  had sat on the 5 gal. tar bucket and got tar all over the front seat. We waved goodbye, and quickly left.
Now I ask , would W.D.40 have helped her out? ..... I think not.


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## Duck (May 14, 2015)

bricycle said:


> I use WD-40 on chrome to keep it from rusting as fast. Not much for loosening stuff. (although it can work). I use Kroil for loosening or Kroil then PB Blaster second. Both WD and PB, even used as directed, will eventually stop spraying. That's when I save the contents and pour in a small atomizer bottle. Liquid wrench works about as well as WD for loosening.
> The original formula(extremely flamable) WD would lube and fire up under spark in small 2 cycle engines....better than just ether, as it doesn't lube.



Save yourself a bunch of $ - equal parts acetone & trans fluid have been blind tested (Hotrod Magazine?) against all the popular penetrating oils, and proved to be the best & fastest thing going Avoid contact w/ painted surfaces).


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## Jeff54 (May 14, 2015)

the tinker said:


> As she walked away to the church we noticed there was tar all over the  back of her dress. Earlier I  had sat on the 5 gal. tar bucket and got tar all over the front seat. We waved goodbye, and quickly left.
> Now I ask , would W.D.40 have helped her out? ..... I think not.




Dang, they're never out there when I'm stalking for em. But, I'm afraid not. I've used it to lighten the load off my levis but while it'll take 98% of the tar out, it still leaves a stain yawl wouldn't wanna be getting married or trolling fer girls in.

Basically you can break the WD-40 down but when it breaks the tar down, it enables the molecules of tar to stick in the fibers of fabrics.

Besides, bridesmaid? LOL, she would be far better off with fresh tar than stained dress she' toss anyway. That's a wear it once and toss dress, and with fresh tar it is explainable,  funny and wedding humor. while, _ stained_,, that's a memory that doesn't fade as well. U done her a favor, most popular or memorable  at wedding. [grin]


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## SirMike1983 (May 14, 2015)

Duck said:


> Save yourself a bunch of $ - equal parts acetone & trans fluid have been blind tested (Hotrod Magazine?) against all the popular penetrating oils, and proved to be the best & fastest thing going Avoid contact w/ painted surfaces).




Machinist's Workshop Magazine

http://www.bikeshedva.blogspot.com/p/freeing-stuck-bicycle-seatpost-in.html

Machinist's Workshop Magazine discussed solvents used for freeing frozen parts. They found in freeing a frozen part:

       Product / Average load / Price for each fluid ounce

    None / Required 516 pounds of force to free / (no cost)
    WD-40 / 238 pounds / $0.25
    PB Blaster / 214 pounds / $0.35
    Liquid Wrench / 127 pounds / $0.21
    Kano Kroil / 106 pounds / $0.75
    Auto Transmission Fluid (ATF)-Acetone mix / 53 pounds / $0.10


NOTE: do NOT attempt to use the ATF-Acetone mix on anything with paint or near paint. The Acetone will compromise the paint it touches. Go with Kroil or Liquid Wrench instead.


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## Real Steel (May 14, 2015)

SirMike1983 said:


> Machinist's Workshop Magazine
> 
> http://www.bikeshedva.blogspot.com/p/freeing-stuck-bicycle-seatpost-in.html
> 
> ...




Good info!  It would have been good if they ran multiple samples of the baseline test (no penetrating product applied) to demonstrate that the population of metal samples were all basically the same before testing the different penetrating products.


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## Jeff54 (May 14, 2015)

That settles it then, They've mislabeled it and conning the public. lets short the crap out of their stock,  expose em for the snake oil salesmen they are! Why, we could split it in half to $35 bucks a share with these revelations, cover and buy em all back up with our take,  conduct a hostile takeover and go into the WD-40 roofing  tar cleaning solution business!

Incidentally, a little junk yard dog un-freezing solution has been diesel fuel for years on end. I.e. if ya ebber buy a used engine from junk yard, detour if heavy diesel fuel odor is present. albeit I've met many a dogs who'll swear by it. If engine is locked up from setting, pull spark plugs, pour diesel fuel in em, give it a day or so, crank it and go.. dump the fuel and replace with regular oil, stick on shelf and sell.'


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## hellshotrods (May 14, 2015)

WD-40 Dissolves grease. Known fact. So if you spray enough of it on your axle bearings, your only going to cause the grease to start to break down.
If you ever get your hands greasy, spray them with WD-40 and rub them together, you will see the grease dissolve.

Medical use:  Stung by a hornet or wasp - spray sting immediately with wD-40 and rub it in to skin, it kills the poison sting effect.


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## BikeSup (May 14, 2015)

Thanks, I'll try that!


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## silvertonguedevil (May 14, 2015)

I use it mainly to clean old bearings and petrified grease. It works great for that kinda stuff. I've also used it as a rust preventative.


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## GTs58 (May 14, 2015)

hellshotrods said:


> WD-40 Dissolves grease. Known fact. So if you spray enough of it on your axle bearings, your only going to cause the grease to start to break down.
> If you ever get your hands greasy, spray them with WD-40 and rub them together, you will see the grease dissolve.
> 
> *Medical use:  Stung by a hornet or wasp - spray sting immediately with wD-40 and rub it in to skin, it kills the poison sting effect*.




I would never do that. A highly refined mineral spirits with a dash of sewing machine oil on a wasp sting?   I'll use my old fashion method of using a mud pack.  

Kerosene is better than WD-40 for cutting thru old grease. Gas does a great job but the risks are to high.  
WD-40 is nearly worthless for rust prevention unless you spray it on the item on a daily basis. It's a water displacement product, not a rust proofing product. It never helped a bit in keeping my 70 year old handsaws or other antique tools from rusting, and I live in the desert. After using this hyped up crap for 45+ years all I can say I use it for now is a handy cleaning solvent, starting small engines and for starting fires when I run out of Aquanet.


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## wrongway (May 15, 2015)

I like the pleaseing aroma! It reminds me of nights working with my dad in the garage on his '56 Chevy truck, then my '55 Chevy truck....then my other old cars....Mostly I use it to clean parts. Maybe I shouldn't be.....?


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## SuperTaco67 (May 15, 2015)

This whole thread reminds me of my big fat Greek wedding and windex.

I to spray WD40 on our clambait that we used when angling for catfish. We swore by it as teens.


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## GTs58 (May 16, 2015)

Has anyone here ever used gas & wax for a lubricant or a rust preventative?


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## the tinker (May 16, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> Has anyone here ever used gas & wax for a lubricant or a rust preventative?




I got gas.


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## catfish (May 16, 2015)

SirMike1983 said:


> Machinist's Workshop Magazine
> 
> http://www.bikeshedva.blogspot.com/p/freeing-stuck-bicycle-seatpost-in.html
> 
> ...




Great info.


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## Dale Alan (May 16, 2015)

Great info,looks like I am sticking w/ Kroil.


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## GTs58 (May 16, 2015)

the tinker said:


> I got gas.





I would have thought you of all people here would of used gas and wax. Dissolve a block of paraffin wax in a half gallon of gas and then pour it over a 50# box of 16d nails. Then impress the ladies by sinking a 16d nail into a old Doug Fir stud with a single blow of your 16 oz hammer. It also works as a rust preventative unlike WD-40. Other petroleum products like mineral spirits will dissolve the wax but gas works faster.


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## the tinker (May 16, 2015)

Hey G.T. used to use gasoline for all kinds of stuff. paint thinner, cleaner . Really great all around .  Our neighbor when I was a kid was badly burned using it to lite his charcoal grill. I have used it  once myself when I ran outta charcoal lighter fluid. Our dinner tasted like gas. I stopped using the stuff when I realized just how easily the stuff can go up. Can put a match out in it , but if those fumes build up , look out.                                                                                           
  I know you were a carpenter so you will appreciate this one: worked for an out fit that that would have 3 carpenter crews using one generator for power. Every day it would run outta gas about 11 AM. they would have an apprentice fill it up "while running" about 1045 so as not to stop work and lose man hours by shutting it off . Nothing like pouring gas into a hot ,running generator.  thank god them days are over.                                                        
Getting back to WD 40, I dont use it that often. I have noticed the spray cans go"dead" but still have lots of wd 40 in them. I take and puncture the can when its lost its charge and put the wd40 in a small bottle. use a little paint brush to apply it. Actually works nice on small things where you dont want to get the spray everywhere and waste so much. 




























than


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## Metacortex (May 16, 2015)

Here is an interesting test of the corrosion prevention capabilities of several products including WD-40: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=...inic-Knowing-the-Limits-of-Rust-Preventatives


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## dougfisk (May 16, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> I would have thought you of all people here would of used gas and wax. Dissolve a block of paraffin wax in a half gallon of gas and then pour it over a 50# box of 16d nails. Then impress the ladies by sinking a 16d nail into a old Doug Fir stud with a single blow of your 16 oz hammer. It also works as a rust preventative unlike WD-40. Other petroleum products like mineral spirits will dissolve the wax but gas works faster.




GT, are you saying this is the best option you have found for rust prevention?  Does this differ from applying a furniture paste wax for example?


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## Duck (May 16, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> I would have thought you of all people here would of used gas and wax. Dissolve a block of paraffin wax in a half gallon of gas and then pour it over a 50# box of 16d nails. Then impress the ladies by sinking a 16d nail into a old Doug Fir stud with a single blow of your 16 oz hammer. It also works as a rust preventative unlike WD-40. Other petroleum products like mineral spirits will dissolve the wax but gas works faster.



 There is (or used to be) a counterpart to this called Waxoyl- very similar to Cosmoline sans the awful smell. Cosmoline is available in aerosol cans, I bought a few, a few years back, but can't recall where off hand. I sprayed my "patina-ed"  Columbia down with it, let it set up, then aggressively buffed to remove all excess. Has kept the rust in check so far, with a dull shine of a finish.


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## GTs58 (May 16, 2015)

dougfisk said:


> GT, are you saying this is the best option you have found for rust prevention?  Does this differ from applying a furniture paste wax for example?




I can't say if it's the best option for rustproofing everything but it does fill a niche. Waxes do a good job of repelling water and moisture on many surfaces which will prevent rust, and the trick is applying it. The gas and wax does an excellent job after I spray my handsaws and planes or dip my old auger bits, chisels etc. in a can of the mixture.  And if or when I use these tools the wax actually helps with lubrication without leaving oily stains. There is a product called Honey Coat that is used for rustproofing car panels. Not sure of the composition but I'm thinking it contains bees wax. There are other products that are probably of the same or similar composition.   

http://www.dennygs.com/rust-repairprevention.html

I'm still surprised Tink hasn't tried this with his tools beings as he's in the mid rust west.


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## GTs58 (May 17, 2015)

Here's something that many of you might want to try. I'm a third generation Carpenter and many of the passed down tricks of the trade have been forgotten. I'm originally from Wisconsin and the work environment there is totally different than here in the Arizona desert. One thing that you will find in an old carpenters tool box is brick of beeswax and it was used for multiple purposes. When doing hardwood trim hand nailing can be brutal until you first poke and spin the finish nail in a block of beeswax. Then the nail will drive like it's going in butter. Almost forgot, scrape the threads of a screw across the block of wax and it will make your life easier when inserting it into a fresh drilled hole in your oak door jamb. Another use for beeswax is waterproofing and protecting all types of material, including metal. If you want something a little more civilized than a hack framer's plain ole gas and wax, here is a video that will give you the low down on making a beeswax protectant or polish. Note, it may be slow and start to bore you but hang with it.   If I had an old rusty prewar bike that I was trying to preserve I would be using this on the paint and chrome after it was cleaned instead of wiping it down with that WD-40 crap. 

>>>>>  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BAHx0KBpT4  <<<<<


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