Chain oilers -- 1 sided vs 2 sided

[Pixie]

I don't doubt those fancy Scott Oilers/Pro-Oilers work well, but I'm a cheap-bastard student who doesn't want to fork out a few week's wages for something I can hack and mangle together myself on the cheap. Plus, it's more fun.

Is this what we're talking about with the brush thingie? http://oilrite.thomasnet.com/viewite...s-with-brushes

Basically a different `head' for the oiler. The brush is saturated with oil, then? How'd they do that. I would've thought the brush would wear out quick-smart. And damage the O-rings. Not that I'm particularly attached to O-ring chains.

That's the idea.Although the oilrite brushes are difficult to fit on the bike.
My brushes last around 20,000 km

[xwhatsit]

Girlfriend's an artist. It would be a shame if hmm... some of those expensive paint brushes of hers were to disappear...

Nylon instead of steel seems best in view of those O-rings. Wondering if a normal chain would attain similar mileage if used with a good oiler.

[Ixion]

I am currently investigating that question. I reckon it should, and indeed, perhaps even better.

With an O ring chain, a lubricator does very little, it can only lubricate the side plates. The important part, the rollers, are totally dependant on their original sealed in lubricant, since the orings prevent lubricant getting in as much as they prevent it getting out.

And after tens of thounsands of kilometres, I'm guessing that lubricant will be getting tired. Whereas a *permanently lubed* non-oring chain, the rollers are always lubed in *fresh* oil.

O ring chains don't have any better life than a *WELL* lubed non oring. It's just that very few people indeed have the discipline to lube every 50k or so. The little pixies are more patient, thei little brushes and oil pots are constantlt at work.

[T.W.R]

Just recently finished a job on a VN800 Drifter that had a Scott Oiler fitted (that had broken off it's mount).
It had lost the metering reservoir and torn the tail light/number plate mount off the guard, and that was the prescribed mounting point according to the instructions (No we didn't fit it originally, it'd been done in another town).
Bluntly it was a messy piece of crap

The guy wants it replaced so we're getting one of these. A lot of London couriers are using them A mate who was a courier for 7yrs ha one on his last workbike (ZZR600) and raves about it and how popular they were

[Warr]

I am currently investigating that question. I reckon it should, and indeed, perhaps even better.

With an O ring chain, a lubricator does very little, it can only lubricate the side plates. The important part, the rollers, are totally dependant on their original sealed in lubricant, since the orings prevent lubricant getting in as much as they prevent it getting out.

And after tens of thounsands of kilometres, I'm guessing that lubricant will be getting tired. Whereas a *permanently lubed* non-oring chain, the rollers are always lubed in *fresh* oil.

O ring chains don't have any better life than a *WELL* lubed non oring. It's just that very few people indeed have the discipline to lube every 50k or so. The little pixies are more patient, thei little brushes and oil pots are constantlt at work.

Arr Ixion .. I suspected that... just like you say.
Once the pins dried out It seemed all down hill from there.
SO is it possible say with a duckems ?? tin to re oil the chain rollers on the stove ?

[HenryDorsetCase]

Arr Ixion .. I suspected that... just like you say.
Once the pins dried out It seemed all down hill from there.
SO is it possible say with a duckems ?? tin to re oil the chain rollers on the stove ?

I actually tried to use one of those Duckhams boil in the bag tins once many years ago (when I O Ring chains had just come out and were hideously expensive).

My advice is don't go there.

It stank up the whole house (GF NOT happy, esp when neighbours asked what had we been cooking because it didnt smell right...yay for rented flats!)

messy as fuck!. getting it out and hanging up was not pretty,

the duckhams spooge didnt seem to last that long but was a major PITA to clean off the wheel and swingarm and everything else. It didnt seem to want to stay on the chain, but Jeebl, did it stick like shit to a blanket everywhere else....

I have a suspicion that even if it did work, if there was crap in the rollers, it just stayed there and got cemented into place by the Duckhams spooge.

Can you even buy it anymore?

[oldrider]

I am currently investigating that question. I reckon it should, and indeed, perhaps even better.

With an O ring chain, a lubricator does very little, it can only lubricate the side plates. The important part, the rollers, are totally dependant on their original sealed in lubricant, since the orings prevent lubricant getting in as much as they prevent it getting out.

And after tens of thounsands of kilometres, I'm guessing that lubricant will be getting tired. Whereas a *permanently lubed* non-oring chain, the rollers are always lubed in *fresh* oil.

O ring chains don't have any better life than a *WELL* lubed non oring. It's just that very few people indeed have the discipline to lube every 50k or so. The little pixies are more patient, thei little brushes and oil pots are constantlt at work.

Always a debatable subject, Chains.

To counter the "O" ring breakdown and consequent lube leakage and replacement process, Pro-oiler have recommended 10% addition of ACF-50 to the reservoir oil.

ACF-50 is a highly penetrating anti-corrosive lubricant that is compatible with the "O" ring material used in bike chains.

I use bike engine oil and ACF-50 in my Pro-oiler. (Google ACF-50)

I set it on the lowest feed (when on tarmac) this provides one full chain length delivery of oil every 4.4 (approx) miles. (say five on average)

Any increase in the delivery causes too much fling off and increases the amount of oil and shit all over the bike, obviously this oil is not doing the chain any good and I don't want it all over the bike.

My chain and sprockets are adequately oiled and the "O" rings are moist looking at this setting, remember that all judgement on "adequate" is mine.

I can not claim long chain life experience because I have not had it long enough to experience that yet.

What I am ecstatic about is my day to day chain management and bike cleaning management, it is a breeze and a pleasure now because it is so easy compared to any other system that I have tried.

I have not yet got the dirt road management of the chain as exact as the tarmac but it's getting there.

The ACF-50 seems to cause water rejection from the chain and maintains the lubrication level pretty high but there is still too much fling off in and around the engine casings and the back wheel when I am setting it up for dirt roads.

I just have not had the guts to lean it down enough on the dirt yet but when I think about it I used to ride the chain "dry" for bloody miles before I bought the oiler!

Breaking old habits is not always easy.

I promote the Pro-oiler because I like the detail and engineering work that the designer has put into a problem that has driven me mad for so many years.

I tried escaping to driveshafts but nature kicked me back down to lighter bikes with chains and I had to confront the problem of the chain all over again.

Pro-oiler has made that a pleasure again and I know from others that you can get good results from them, they are just a little technically challenging initially as you set them up.

Well it was for me but my son in law soon sorted me out on my problem with the controller.

The best part of the pro-oiler for me is that it is so precise and so easy to control the amount of oil that you can apply to the chain, even while you are riding along the road.

In short, when you have a Pro-oiler, you are in charge, not the bloody chain! Feels so good!

The temptation to watch the dots (operating indicators) when you are riding is to be discouraged. Cheers John.

[xwhatsit]

Oiling my chain and cleaning it all the time isn't that arduous a task, I just accept it along with the rest of bike maintenance, like lubing cables and changing oil (except chains need doing rather more frequently).

What shits me though is that the RS is such a consumable-friendly motorcycle in everything but two respects; engine oil (low intervals) and chains. Thumper power pulses and lack of much shock absorption in the drive-line means they chew through quickly and need frequent adjustment. I'd like to think an oiler might help things here. But also building one myself is a fun project and a good way of procrastinating from other chores, it's worth it for that reason aside from real benefits.

One thing I was thinking about at work was riding offroad. How does gravel dust and dirt affect the brush applicator? To my mind it seems far more susceptible to getting clogged up with dirt and shit compared with the primitive oil-dripping things. Unless the brush was shrouded somehow? Is this an issue?

[Pixie]

With an O ring chain, a lubricator does very little, it can only lubricate the side plates. The important part, the rollers, are totally dependant on their original sealed in lubricant, since the orings prevent lubricant getting in as much as they prevent it getting out.

This is partially correct.If you look at some of the cut away pictures of O ring chains.( magazine ads feature them)You will see that the O rings seal lubricant into the pin / bush cavity.Wear in this area results in chain "stretch".
The roller spins on the outside surface of the bush and is only lubed by oil applied to the outside of the chain.Poor lubrication here results in roller and sprocket wear.

[Laava]

+1 on the Pro-Oiler. 18,000 kms now and have adjusted the chain twice and only minimally. Other than a slight oil drip when the bike is stationary, from the oil on the chain guard, not the oiler itself