Post by Moderator on Jan 3, 2008 23:42:59 GMT -5
Cleaning regular drive chain:
Before greasing in, clean your drive chain. I cannot enphasize this enough! By cleaning your drive chain before greasing it in you'll avoid wearing it out rapidly. You can use gasoline, petrol or filter oil together with a regular brush. (steelbrush is also ok to use onto regular chain) Rub off the dirt and worn out grease and wipe it dry with a cloth. Or you can use an airgun to blow your drive chain dry.
IMPORTANT: This doesn NOT apply for O-ring drive chains!
Lubricate regular drive chain:
Afterwards, grease in the drive chain. Grease in the side of the drive chain that comes in contact with the sprockets.
2 methods to grease in drive chain:
1. unpractical: push ATV ahead whilest greasing in the drive chain.
2. practical: turn you wheels in air whilest greasing in the drive chain: you can either use a lift or you can tilt your ATV onto a box, or anything strong you have laying around to rest the swingarm onto.
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O-ring drive chain
What's an O-ring drive chain?
An O-ring drive chain is more durable drive chain and is therefor a bit more expensive. Most ATV come with an O-ring drive chain. Look for the O-rings on you ATV's drive chain. (*) Inside an O-ring drive chain there are small rubber O-rings filled with grease. The grease inside the O-rings avoids dust and water from entering. This is what sets the chain apart from a regular chain and is why this chain needs another method of cleaning as well as another type of grease, compared to a regular chain.
Cleaning O-ring drive chain:
Before greasing it in, clean it with a regular brush.
a. Wipe the drive chain with a clean cloth.
b. Put the drive chain in kerosene and remove any remaining dirt with a not-coarse brush.
c. Remove the drive chain from the kerosene and completely dry it.
(remove dirt with not-coarse brush & kerosine)
Never use high-pressure water or air, steam, gasoline, certain solvents (e.g., benzine), or a coarse brush to clean the drive chain. High-pressure methods could force dirt or water into the drive chain’s internal parts, and solvents will deteriorate the O-rings. A coarse brush can also damage the O-rings. Therefore, use only kerosene to clean the drive chain.
Don’t soak the drive chain in kerosene for more than ten minutes to prevent damaging the O-rings.
After cleaning it, spray on some WD40 to protect the chain from rust.
Lubricate O-ring drive chain:
The most important components that need lubrication are the O-rings themself. Greasing those is more important then greasing in the joints.
WARNING:
DO NOT use regular drive chain grease! It will wear out the o-ring drive chain and cause it to break. To avoid damage you need to get a lubricate that is specialy designed for O-ring drive chains. I will recommend and list wich products suit best lateron.
2 methods to grease in chain:
1. unpractical: push ATV ahead whilest greasing in the drive chain.
2. practical: turn you wheels in air whilest greasing in the drive chain: you can either use a lift or you can tilt your ATV onto a box, or anything strong you have laying around, you can rest the swingarm onto.
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IMPORTANT REMARKS!
Drive chain with lock:
If you have a drive chain with a lock on it, make sure you lock it towards the turn direction. I.e. the side where to lock is open has to point towards the back. This way you're avoiding the lock to come of while riding. Also, if you unlock your drive chain for maintenance, use the lock only one more time. Next time get a new lock.
Drive chain maintenance:
- When? After each ride!
- Clean, before greasing in!
- Lubricate: Not too much. Not too little. Use a special lubricant for O-ring drive chain.
Drive chain replacement:
- If your chain is worn out, replace all components all together at once!
(frontsprocket, rearsprocket & drive chain)
If you notice your drive chain needs replacing, or you notice a sprocket needs replacing, you are wise to replace both drive chain and sprockets all together at once! (frontsprocket, rearsprocket & drive chain) Otherwise, if you replace just one component, the new component will wear out as quickly as the worn out components. There is no point in buying a new drive chain if you plan to use it together with the old worn out sprockets!
Hence the importance of cleaning & lubricating your drive chain before or after each ride!
Drive chain tention:
- Not too hard. Not too loose. Make sure you allow your drive chain to have a slack of 25-33 mm.
To check the drive chain slack, all tires must be touching the ground and there should be no weight on it. Normal slack is approximately 25-35 mm.
That's one lubricated drive chain ready to roll again!
Before greasing in, clean your drive chain. I cannot enphasize this enough! By cleaning your drive chain before greasing it in you'll avoid wearing it out rapidly. You can use gasoline, petrol or filter oil together with a regular brush. (steelbrush is also ok to use onto regular chain) Rub off the dirt and worn out grease and wipe it dry with a cloth. Or you can use an airgun to blow your drive chain dry.
IMPORTANT: This doesn NOT apply for O-ring drive chains!
Lubricate regular drive chain:
Afterwards, grease in the drive chain. Grease in the side of the drive chain that comes in contact with the sprockets.
2 methods to grease in drive chain:
1. unpractical: push ATV ahead whilest greasing in the drive chain.
2. practical: turn you wheels in air whilest greasing in the drive chain: you can either use a lift or you can tilt your ATV onto a box, or anything strong you have laying around to rest the swingarm onto.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
O-ring drive chain
What's an O-ring drive chain?
An O-ring drive chain is more durable drive chain and is therefor a bit more expensive. Most ATV come with an O-ring drive chain. Look for the O-rings on you ATV's drive chain. (*) Inside an O-ring drive chain there are small rubber O-rings filled with grease. The grease inside the O-rings avoids dust and water from entering. This is what sets the chain apart from a regular chain and is why this chain needs another method of cleaning as well as another type of grease, compared to a regular chain.
Cleaning O-ring drive chain:
Before greasing it in, clean it with a regular brush.
a. Wipe the drive chain with a clean cloth.
b. Put the drive chain in kerosene and remove any remaining dirt with a not-coarse brush.
c. Remove the drive chain from the kerosene and completely dry it.
(remove dirt with not-coarse brush & kerosine)
Never use high-pressure water or air, steam, gasoline, certain solvents (e.g., benzine), or a coarse brush to clean the drive chain. High-pressure methods could force dirt or water into the drive chain’s internal parts, and solvents will deteriorate the O-rings. A coarse brush can also damage the O-rings. Therefore, use only kerosene to clean the drive chain.
Don’t soak the drive chain in kerosene for more than ten minutes to prevent damaging the O-rings.
After cleaning it, spray on some WD40 to protect the chain from rust.
Lubricate O-ring drive chain:
The most important components that need lubrication are the O-rings themself. Greasing those is more important then greasing in the joints.
WARNING:
DO NOT use regular drive chain grease! It will wear out the o-ring drive chain and cause it to break. To avoid damage you need to get a lubricate that is specialy designed for O-ring drive chains. I will recommend and list wich products suit best lateron.
2 methods to grease in chain:
1. unpractical: push ATV ahead whilest greasing in the drive chain.
2. practical: turn you wheels in air whilest greasing in the drive chain: you can either use a lift or you can tilt your ATV onto a box, or anything strong you have laying around, you can rest the swingarm onto.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT REMARKS!
Drive chain with lock:
If you have a drive chain with a lock on it, make sure you lock it towards the turn direction. I.e. the side where to lock is open has to point towards the back. This way you're avoiding the lock to come of while riding. Also, if you unlock your drive chain for maintenance, use the lock only one more time. Next time get a new lock.
Drive chain maintenance:
- When? After each ride!
- Clean, before greasing in!
- Lubricate: Not too much. Not too little. Use a special lubricant for O-ring drive chain.
Drive chain replacement:
- If your chain is worn out, replace all components all together at once!
(frontsprocket, rearsprocket & drive chain)
If you notice your drive chain needs replacing, or you notice a sprocket needs replacing, you are wise to replace both drive chain and sprockets all together at once! (frontsprocket, rearsprocket & drive chain) Otherwise, if you replace just one component, the new component will wear out as quickly as the worn out components. There is no point in buying a new drive chain if you plan to use it together with the old worn out sprockets!
Hence the importance of cleaning & lubricating your drive chain before or after each ride!
Drive chain tention:
- Not too hard. Not too loose. Make sure you allow your drive chain to have a slack of 25-33 mm.
To check the drive chain slack, all tires must be touching the ground and there should be no weight on it. Normal slack is approximately 25-35 mm.
That's one lubricated drive chain ready to roll again!