Chain Oilers

randy1149

New member
If your like me you hate the chore of chain maintenance. Cleaning and oiling is really a pain in the a$$ and worse if you don't have a center stand (I put one on... that's another thread). But even with a center stand didn't make me like cleaning the chain any better. So, early on I installed an automatic oiler. There's quite a few ones out there and quite involved with electronics. I ran across a gravity feed oiler with no electronics or buttons to push, a Tutoro oiler (link Tutoro). The Tutoro controls the oil by an adjustable valve. I'm not endorsing the oiler over any other ones, as the reason for this post is the endorsing of chain oilers are a great answer to chain maintenance.

One of the greatest improvement to chain maintenance is there is no more chain maintenance with an oiler. The oil applied to the chain does 2 things. 1. it oils the chain, and 2. it keeps the chain clean as oil flings off taking dirt with it. I do have to wipe my chain guard every once in a while from the oil that's flung off, but that's a 10 second job. I went all last year without having to clean or adjust the chain. I cleaned it this year as part of taking the bike out of winter storage. I don't expect to clean it again this year.

I have 6K miles on the chain with the oiler, I have not have to adjust the chain since I put the oiler on. What I did notice when I first put the oiler on, after a few rides I lost all the slack that was in the chain. This can be explained when the oiler filled all the spaces between the rollers it took the slack out... I had to loosen the chain. That is a very important effect to the chain when considering chain wear and longevity, where the was metal to metal in the rollers was filled with oil.

I highly recommend an oiler if you hate chain maintenance as I do. Considering I have not had to adjust the chain after 6K miles, the chain should last 30K at least. I installed the oiler onto the saddle bag mounting support. A few pix below.
 

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randy1149

New member
dave, the reduction of chain maintenance to a few wipes every now and then is worth the admission. This is my first oiler so I was skeptical but now it's a must for any future chain bikes I own. And of course the chain life extension is a big plus for oilers also.

You do get oil flinging off the chain, but that is controllable depending in how much oil you let the system release, close the valve a little if that's an issue or you can still use the oiler as a manual device. Open the valve a wide, take a short ride and let the oiler do it's thing and then close the valve. So you can mitigate some of the down side the oiler brings. But I like to see the wet shinny clean chain after my ride, so I do the wipe thing.

Some people debunk the oiler calling it a contraption... they like to do the chain maintenance. Really? For me, going back to a chain, coming from 20 years of belts and drive shafts there's nothing to like about that dirty job.
 

Merlin III

New member
Me too. Got to make some decisions on what type to install. I think I would prefer a manual oiler that I would could turn on as needed.
 

casper

New member
The tutoro pro is the one I have too. Love it. Super easy install, and I have it set at 3 o'clock and hardly any fling off. Just a bit by the wheel rim. I love the double nozzle where I set it at about 7 o'clock and it gets both sides of the chain that way. I also installed it like randy on the rubbermaid bagstay. I ride in the rain too. Not a speck of grime on the chain in 6000 miles.

The fellows at tutoro are very supportive. My bike fell over in the grass because of soft soil, and broke the reservoir seal. I tried a fix that didn't work, so I emailed them about just getting a new reservoir. They said sure they can do that seperately even though that option was not on their website. I told them I'd try one more fix, and if that didn't work then I'd order the new one. They were totally cool and just said if I need assistance please let them know. That's cool.

So yes. I think this is a really good one with less things to go wrong and it does its job well.

Btw. Can someone please point out the front sprocket cover? I think there's 2 bolts holding it on but I only see one in that area. Thanks!
 

randy1149

New member
The issue for me on this oilier that needs attention is the oil viscosity changing as the seasonal temperature changes. Changing the viscosity and/or, open/close the control valve to compensate. Recommendation here at Adventuretech LINK on the subject.
 

Woodswoman

Member
I purchased an oiler last year, thinking I would want it for a long trip ... that ultimately never materialized. So all riding season I followed my prior method of chain wax every 500 or so miles.

When I do get around to installing that oiler, I know it'll keep me in good shape during the riding season. But my bike hibernates for 4 or 5 months during the snowy winter. Would waxing the chain for that storage period be advisable?
 

casper

New member
I don't think it really matters, Woodswoman. I've got mine sitting under the carport, and I just looked at the chain, and I'd put it away in mid November, and the chain still looks wet. If you lubed it before putting it away I think it's fine. Since mine had the oiler on it it was already oiled the day I put it away. Otherwise just spray some oil on it as you rotate the back tire. It should be fine.
 

casper

New member
The issue for me on this oilier that needs attention is the oil viscosity changing as the seasonal temperature changes. Changing the viscosity and/or, open/close the control valve to compensate. Recommendation here at Adventuretech LINK on the subject.

That was interesting randy. Here in Minnesota our temps fluctuate alot. Rarely does it get above 85 for any extended period, and I rarely ride below 45. So it looks like the standard tutoro oil is what I'll use year round. Might up the flow a bit though to a full one revolution instead of the 3/4 I'm at now. But I think I started at like 1.5 and it was putting too much on. Then backed if to 1, but still seemed to be a bit too much, but I also didn't know what I was looking for. At .75 revolutions it seemed like I was getting into the goldilocks range. The chain was clean, very little fling, and looked consistently wet. When I put my finger on it it does come away with an oily residue, so I guess it's good.
 

randy1149

New member
Normally I use 80/70 gear oil and 1.25 is where I keep my control valve. The 80/70 gets a little thick in colder temperature and I over oil slightly to keep the chain pins and rollers "full". I would think these oiliers perform with some difference because they're gravity feed and variable mounting and oil tube dispenser variations.
 
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