Install automatic lubrication chains and maybe bearings

[Midtveit]

Hi

Rebuilding my 1996 Argo Conquest made me think, all these manual every 10 or 50 hour lubrication points is not a good think. The work is a hassle but I was more thinking in terms of durability, better lubrication could mean longer life to chains and bearings.

I see SKF System 24 have systems both for chains and bearings. There are probably other systems also.

Have anyone tried it, any hint where to get components cheap.

Maybe I will just make automatic chain lubrication with plastic tubes and some simple way to restrict flow to a suitable drip of oil.

I understand the newer Argo/Centaur have automatic lubrication, does it help ?

Regards
Knut

[Norbert77]

They are very expensive. Most can be set for a given time to oil, but can't be shut off once started. They're really good for factories and industries that run 24/

If you were to run lines from each bearing to a central point you could grease all bearings at once, side by side. We used 3/16 copper lines with good luck on some machines for easy access to grease hard to get at bearings. If you were to run small plastic lines to the top of chains you could put a dropper at the top, and add oil before a ride to lubricate chains.

What sort of chain lube do you use?

[flippy]

I like using gear lube,thick and messy and sticks to everything.

[Norbert77]

Bar oil, sticks so it doesn't fling off! I have worked with escalator chain oil in the past, it's perfect if you can get your hands on it. It's clingy, and stringy about 80w90 thicknes

[Tahoe]

I'm in the process of designing manifolds to bring all the greasing to one location. If you look at track excavators you'll get the idea. I want to run flexible line thru the hull with compression fittings to seal the line and hull for a dry passage way. Then bring them all to a convenient location. Still thinking on the chain oilers but plan to do that as well. Keep us posted on your progress and good luck.