Lube the Sprocket without Special Tool?

[WarmGuy]

Here's the tip of my bar:

I assume that's a lube port that the arrow is pointing to. Is there any way for me to get grease in there effectively without a special grease gun??

Thanks.

 

[granpajohn]

I just keep pressing grease in with my fingers and spin the sprocket every other press. You can see it working. Yes, it is more laborious than one of those little grease gadgets, but has worked for me.

I bit similar to the old way of packing grease into a wheel bearing using the palm of your hand......the way your dad/grandad showed you years ago. (I guess)

 

[WarmGuy]

Thanks, John, that 's what I'll do.

Do you think I can get by with regular automotive grease, or do I need some high-temp stuff?

 

[Bret Chase]

I just use the Oregon grease gun... it was less than $9 at TSC....

 

[MasterMech]

Yeah, the guns are cheap. Or they sell adapters for regular grease guns that are inexpensive as well. Works much better than your finger too.

 

[Bret Chase]

Yeah, the guns are cheap. Or they sell adapters for regular grease guns that are inexpensive as well. Works much better than your finger too.

I agree... I haven't found a gadget that packs a wheel bearing better than a glob of grease in your hand tho...

 

[MasterMech]

I agree... I haven't found a gadget that packs a wheel bearing better than a glob of grease in your hand tho...

Really? So I shouldn't bother with one of these?

 

[Bret Chase]

Really? So I shouldn't bother with one of these?

I hadn't seen that one... where does the grease go?

 

[MasterMech]

I hadn't seen that one... where does the grease go?

Under the red "piston" that's in the cup. When you press down on the whole gizmo, it forces grease up through the bearing rollers. You reload it via the zerk in the middle of that lower piston. They run $20-$25.

Hand packed my brother's F150's front bearings and then all 8 on my enclosed trailer. My hands were sore.

 

[Bret Chase]

I've got unit bearings on most everything... the only thing I have to actually repack is my 14' box trailer that sees about 100 miles a year... Not something I do very often anymore...

 

[MasterMech]

I've got unit bearings on most everything... the only thing I have to actually repack is my 14' box trailer that sees about 100 miles a year... Not something I do very often anymore...

I just did Timken units for my Canyon, after that bill, I'll smile while repacking/adjusting the bearings on my 1 ton. (Which is 2wd)

 

[Boog]

Really? So I shouldn't bother with one of these?

Hadn't seen that one, looks pretty slick..............I've always just done them by hand too.

I usually just use WD40 or some "Solvent based Teflon/Silicone" spray lube on my bar sprockets. More to get the gunk out and free them up versus a heavy grease job. Seems to work fine for me.

I have been thinking about carefully drilling "the small typical hole" in some bars that do not have one for sprocket greasing.............. do you forsee any problems with doing that?

 

[MasterMech]

Hadn't seen that one, looks pretty slick..............I've always just done them by hand too.

I usually just use WD40 or some "Solvent based Teflon/Silicone" spray lube on my bar sprockets. More to get the gunk out and free them up versus a heavy grease job. Seems to work fine for me.

I have been thinking about carefully drilling "the small typical hole" in some bars that do not have one for sprocket greasing.............. do you forsee any problems with doing that?

Stihl bars were not designed to be greased. If they're locking up, usually the chain has been run very loose or the sprocket is not getting enough oil.

As far as drilling your hole, doing so and not leaving a burr on the inside, not hitting the sprocket/bearing itself, or dropping metal shavings into the hole is going to be a challenge.

 

[Boog]

Stihl bars were not designed to be greased. If they're locking up, usually the chain has been run very loose or the sprocket is not getting enough oil.

As far as drilling your hole, doing so and not leaving a burr on the inside, not hitting the sprocket/bearing itself, or dropping metal shavings into the hole is going to be a challenge.

Sounds like a simple "if it ain't broke don't fix it" issue.............. I'm not having any trouble at all with my bars and sprockets with the way I've been cleaning/lubing them. Sometimes too much of that "how to improve them" thinking can get you in trouble!

 

[kevin j]

the 'conventional wisdom' is to grease, or not grease, but don't change. Grease forms a dam around the sprocket bearings and prevents bar oil from getting in there, so you need to keep greasing.

Stihl deleted the holes, on the theory that more dirt comes in the hole, and by preventing greasing the bar oil gets there.

I am in the 'no grease' camp, whether convinced by facts or by laziness. Clean everything up with ether/starting fluid, dry everything. Don't spin a dry sprocket with air. Then flood it with bar oil, spin the sprocket to work it in, and after that let the bar oiler do its thing. I tend to run rich on the bar oil, keep the chain pins flooded. The old adage 'bar oil is cheaper than bars and chains' is not really true. How many gallons of bar oil do you use in life of a bar and chain....a lot. but I just feel better with moving parts with plenty of bar lube in those pin joints.