If it were me and it was just cheap Gulf Wax I’d dump it start with fresh. A crockpot on low doesn’t get all that hot but if it discolored the wax it must have undergone some type of change.
I’ve made it a point to keep an extra smart plug out in the garage I plug the crockpot in to and set a countdown timer via the app to 1.5 - 2 hours. That way even if I forget, it automatically shuts itself off.
Yeah. It’s cheap paraffin wax.
That’s a good idea. Thx
Does anyone find KMC chains, specifically the X-11, stay kind of rattly in comparison to Shimano or SRAM chains when waxed? I’m not sure if the spaces are looser and the wax isn’t filling things up as much or if the wax isn’t sticking as well but with other chains I find you have to break the links free whereas with the KMC x-11 chains they stay fairly mobile even after a double dip.
I don’t have any experience with KMC chains myself, but if you aren’t having to break the links, it doesn’t sound like the wax is adhering properly OR you aren’t letting it cool??? I assume you are doing the latter?
Although the KMC chains are not my favorite, I don’t have this problem with mine. I still have to break the links. But I do think I’m done buying KMC chains or Shimano. KMC chains die quickly with chain measuring device. The shimano’s always rust. YBN is the way to go. I love them.
Do you ride in alot of wet conditions? I run exclusively Shimano chains since I started waxing and have never had an issue with rust. When I do get caught out in rain, I always come home, wipe down the chain and throw it in the pot for a re-wax though.
No. Mostly indoors. But I live in Houston so always humid.
To be fair though, the rust doesn’t take away at all from its performance. It’s just unsightly more than anything.
That’s the reason I’ve gone away from shimano chains myself, even when new they’re dull, then off you’re not careful they’ll have brown spots on in no time. You end up with a gleaming bike and a chain that looks like you found it in a skip 
YBN also has reusable links, 5x I think they say. They’ve worked well for me.
ZFC also recommends YBN links. I’ve not had a good experience with them, however. I have snapped 3 or 5 properly fitted links. The pins sheared right off. I’ve since transitioned to KMC reusable 11 speed links and (touch carbon) haven’t had any issues since.
Hello everyone, I’m new to chain waxing and got a question for you guys.
Bought Silca Hot melt wax and used it on my Shimano 11speed and SRAM AXS XX SL (Transmission)
everything great but I can’t seem to get good results with SRAM Red chain.
Chains are cleaned properly, heated the pot with wax to 90c submerge chain, swish around to get bubbles out, then pull chain out on 80c or so ?
My Red chain seems quite noisy when running on full red groupset.
today I done 100km ride in Dry conditions and chain was quiet for 60km but then started to be noisy as the chain is dry ? Also some chain clunks when in 28t (second cog on 33-10 cassette )
Should I leave chain inside the pot and wait till film forms on top then pull it out ?
thank you!!
Maybe your chain rings and sprockets had other lube on them causing the wax from the chain not to lubricate them?
Are you sure the Red chain is compatible with the transmission cassette & chain ring? This PDF would suggest not: https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/compatibility-map/road/axs-components-compatibility-map.pdf
I have Red and Force chains for my Force AXS road group, and the wicked tight tolerances of the red chain make it less able to get the wax deep inside, so I get fewer miles out of it between waxings. Otherwise, I have no issues.
-Tim
Seconded, from what you’ve described you have incompatible AXS parts. XX SL and ‘Drivetrain’ are not compatible with road AXS chains like Red.
If it’s not that, I wax my Red AXS chain without issues, the tolerances are quite fine so I tend to leave the chain in the hot wax for around 10 mins with some agitation, to allow the chain to heat up and expand a bit. Can’t help you with temperatures as I don’t measure them though, sorry. I don’t wait as long as a film forming on top of the wax though.
Have I done this correctly?
I used drip on wax after cleaning the chain (using spirits etc) and it seemed to work really well, particularly being absorbed into the links.
After riding ~100km outside I removed the chain, cleaned it off with some paper towel and attempted the drip on wax again. This time the wax didn’t seem to be absorbed, it was almost like it was being repelled from the rollers.
Is this because they are already “full”? Do I need to keep using the drip on or is this wasting it?
Sram Red groupset was installed new, there was no grease on it.
@tim_nh
sorry I miss wrote, I have 3 bikes (one with Sram XX SL, one with SRAM Red, and Ultegra 11s)
do you let your wax cool down a bit before taking the chain out ?? if yes what temperature ?
I’ve run into the same problem with the X0 chain that came with my X0 T-Type groupset.
Went through the normal routine I always do with new chains. In less than 80 miles of dry riding it was grinding and sounding terrible. I normally get go 120-180 miles on the old AXS and XT setups. Switched over to one of the XX chains I had decided would be my std. on the new bike. It was prepared identically and ran fine with no noise at all. So did the other XX chains I have rotated through since.
I’ve since rewaxed all the chains but haven’t run the X0 yet. I think I’ll put it on next and see if it has the same low mileage issues it did the first time. The X0 chain has a black surface coating which is the first chain I’ve ever had with this coating so maybe that has something to do with it.
I’ve been waxing since 2015 and this is the first time I’ve ever run into this kind of problem.
Sometimes I let the wax cool, sometimes not. I do always leave the chains in the wax for a good 5+ min, swishing around periodically, with some vigor. The wax temp is about 200F. If I let it cool, it’s usually around 160F when I pull things out.
I haven’t noticed much, if any, difference when letting things cool down, so I only do it when I have the time.
On using drip wax, I use Silca drip on occasion, when I let things go too long and don’t have time to re-dip. The Silca looks like it’s not going to penetrate, but after a few turns of the cranks it works its way in and is good for a few rides. I’ve never run it to failure, so don’t know how many is “a few”.
-Tim
Quick update, I rewaxed the Sram Red chain and went for 35km ride to brake it in, it shows the same results, quiet till some point then bit noisy, nothing serious but I guess that’s how it runs.
I will receive new Sram Red chain this week probably and test things with stock grease just to confirm my suspicions that wax making it bit chattery noisy. Will update you on it .
Thanks !!
Do not all chains come pre-greased? Or am I am mis-reading your post?