How to initially oil new roller chain on equipment

[NYlumberman]

I am a retired millwright that maintained chain drives that varied from large slow moving mill chain to high speed roller chain. What I learned is the oil on the outside of a roller chain does nothing but pick up dirt and become grinding compound. I would avoid motor oil or anything “tacky”. A light machine oil or chain lube will work best. As long as the rollers are free you should get very little wear on the sprockets and the sprockets are usually the most expense and the most hassle to replace. Running through an oil bath like a timing chain, or a skid steer drive is great, but impractical for the majority of applications. The chain is the wear part, so if you want it to last, put a spare on the shelf. For most roller chain after 5% stretch (wear) it is considered out of pitch and will start to wear the sprockets. We would adjust once after break in, then change the chain when it got sloppy. The chain usually come pre-lubed, we never did anything but put it into service and lube it per the application.

 

[sixdogs]

I am a retired millwright that maintained chain drives that varied from large slow moving mill chain to high speed roller chain. What I learned is the oil on the outside of a roller chain does nothing but pick up dirt and become grinding compound. I would avoid motor oil or anything “tacky”. A light machine oil or chain lube will work best. As long as the rollers are free you should get very little wear on the sprockets and the sprockets are usually the most expense and the most hassle to replace. Running through an oil bath like a timing chain, or a skid steer drive is great, but impractical for the majority of applications. The chain is the wear part, so if you want it to last, put a spare on the shelf. For most roller chain after 5% stretch (wear) it is considered out of pitch and will start to wear the sprockets. We would adjust once after break in, then change the chain when it got sloppy. The chain usually come pre-lubed, we never did anything but put it into service and lube it per the application.

Are you familiar with John Deere chain lube? What do you think of it?

I use it in lots of low speed ag applications and it foams up when you put it on and then seems to drip through the chain.

 

[NYlumberman]

Are you familiar with John Deere chain lube? What do you think of it?

I use it in lots of low speed ag applications and it foams up when you put it on and then seems to drip through the chain.

Any lube that penetrates to lube inner contact surfaces of the chain is a good start. I am not familiar with John Deere chain lube, I wonder who makes it. If it doesn’t pick up grit after it sits a bit, then we are on the same page. Our chain PM was to lube the chains in the evening (we used a 2 gallon ag sprayer with brush on the wand) so they would sit overnight and shed the excess oil. Two reasons, the first was so the chains wouldn’t leave oil marks on the lumber, and the second was to reduce wear caused by the dirt sticking to the chain. We used ATF to oil all our chains, in the air oilers, and in all our hydraulic units. When I retired we had 24 years old pumps that had never been touched. We sampled the fluid, and routinely changed filters.

 

[Bentrim]

Back in the days when I was starting to learn how to work on farm equipment, I noticed a round can with a lid that was spring loaded closed, on opening the lid there was a round tube in the center that had a wick in it that ran from the tube to the bottom of the can, this was mounted over the main drive roller chain on a Fox forage harvester. when the harvester was started for the day the can was filled with oil and then dripped on the chain as it worked for the day.

Here are some links for ones that work the same as those did.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Lube Minder Oilers | Shop AGCO, Vermeer & Universal Auto Oilers

Proper lubrication of chains and sprockets is highly recommended by roller chain manufacturers and is critical for increasing the life of your machine’s components. We stock a range of Lube Minder auto oilers for AGCO kits, Vermeer kits and universal kits.

www.hoseandfittingsupply.com

SKF

www.skf.com

As for initial lubrication most roller chain I have found new was pre lubricated (I hated installing it!!) or was shipped dry. You will have to decide to prelube or not.
When I ran combine I was told to fire it up leave it idle and oil the chains every morning, but you may also consider as the chain cools after being run it will draw the oil into the rollers.

Just some thoughts-- Use at your own risk

 

[panamaguy]

I'm going to replace my #50 roller chain on a PTO snowblower. After it's on, a cover bolts on over it. What is the initial way to oil it before installation? I know after it's installed I'll spray with chain lube but what about before installation?

Do I soak in oil first? What kind? Motor oil? Chainsaw oil? No oil? Maybe just spray as it's initially running?

Any advice helpful. I haven't changed a roller chain in a long time and those were easy access where I could just keep soaking with chain lube in a spray can. This one is different because it's behind a cover and a hassle to access.

Don't use oil that old school. Go to a motorcycle shop and get chain wax. Run the new chain for a short time to warm it up a little and spray on the chain wax.. Bikers figured it out years ago. It lubes better and does not fling off. yes this is from experience

 

[Gord Baker]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just put it on and lube it.

My blower has the exposed chain, I bought it new in 2013. It is used almost daily with the snow we get here in the winter and I have never had to adjust or replace yet.

All I have ever done is spray it with motorcycle chain lube, chainsaw bar oil, Krown, Fluid Film or whatever else was in arms reach every time I get done blowing.

It is virtually impossible to lube contacting parts just spraying them. Soak it in ATF oil for a day or so and hope for the best.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I was taught to put the chain in a big coffee can, and fill the can with enough melted paraffin to cover the chain, and the let it set off the heat until the paraffin got solid and then to it again.

That was back in the days before pre-lubricated chains. Now i just spray them off with Dupont Chain lube with teflon. Dries to a wax film which resists corrosion, and doesn’t attract dust.

DuPont Chain Saver - Wax Based Lubricant​

If you can’t find it locally Amazon has it.

 

[LouNY]

Well lots of ideas and thoughts here. Depending upon the chain and application different chains get different maintenance. The drive chain on my sander is mounted horizontally so I use a spray chain lube that I carefully apply with the engine idling and the chain moving spraying the lube onto the "inside" of the chain. My snowblower and the forage chopper with lots of chains gets lubed with used motor oil and a dawn detergent squeeze bottle. When everything has been greased the equipment is started up and a liberal amount of oil is applied to all moving parts. I would not recommend this procedure to anyone as you are moving around rotating and moving chains and pieces. It is done very carefully, it is also amazing the change in the running equipment noise.

 

[jonathentyquan]

I'm going to replace my #50 roller chain on a PTO snowblower. After it's on, a cover bolts on over it. What is the initial way to oil it before installation? I know after it's installed I'll spray with chain lube but what about before installation?

Do I soak in oil first? What kind? Motor oil? Chainsaw oil? No oil? Maybe just spray as it's initially running?

Nox Vidmate VLC​

Any advice helpful. I haven't changed a roller chain in a long time and those were easy access where I could just keep soaking with chain lube in a spray can. This one is different because it's behind a cover and a hassle to access.

Put your new chain into the grease so it could penetrate. Remove chain from grease and wipe off excess grease.

 

[Gator6x4]

Duh--why didn't I think of that?. Drill a hole.
I'll prelube with ag chain lube and stick a nozzle down the drilled hole every now and then.

Great answers from all. Thank you.

Consider buying a set of these and making the hole large enough to be a inspection and oil hole.

Amazon.com