How to lube your chain

xjma

Member
I didn't see any DIY for this, if I missed it, just erase this. This is kinda important, so I thought I'd spell it out real nice and slow.

Whatever type of chain you run, you're going to want to lube it up to make it last as long as possible. If you only rode your ATV on paved roads, you probably wouldn't have to lube it up every ride, but most of us ride off-road, so lube your chain every time you ride! Deep mud/snow will take the lube off your chain, so if you're riding all day through either one of these mediums, you may want to think about lubing it mid day, if possible.

Also, lubing the chain won't do as much good if it's not clean. I recommend wiping the rear sprocket (if you could get to it, the front too, but that's kinda hard, so I don't unless I have access to it for some reason) clean and also cleaning any grime off the chain. There are special triple-brushes available that make cleaning the chain a snap. You don't have to clean the chain every ride, only if it's real nasty. The new special chain lubes supposedly don't promote gunk buildup on your chain. You can wipe it down with a rag, or use the fancy tool, either way works. Or use an old tooth brush.

NEVER lube the chain with WD-40, PB Blaster, or anything of the like!! These are penetrating oils and they'll just decrease the life of your chain!! There are a million different brands of chain lube out there, I'll let you decide which one is best for you.

I usually let my quad idle for a bit and warm up, then take it for a quick ride to really warm it up before going out. Ideally, you want to ride the quad around for a few minutes before lubing the chain, but lubing a cold chain is better than not lubing it at all! One of the reasons I'm writing this is because I've seen so many people lube the rollers on their chain.....which is useless! Clean the rollers, but don't lube them. You want to lube the links, from the side. I lube the chain by pressing the nozzle against the gap between the inside and outside links, spraying, and pushing the quad forward while I spray. Once you get used to it you won't even have to look at the chain to see if you've gotten the whole thing or not, you'll just know how far you push it. Do each side, just once. Your chain will think you!!
 
noob here and i know its stupid question but i gotta ask it... why is lubing the chain so important? i only do mine after goin through ponds n stuff- what am i herting by not periodically lubin er up?
 
^^ it prolongs the life of the o-rings and protects the chain itself from rust. Just like lubing anything else, its routine maintenance that only takes a few minutes and will save you from buying a new chain!
 
i use PJ-1 lube and it works great. i usually jack up the back of my quad and start it then put it in first gear and let the tires just spin freely in the air. then i spray the lube on the moving chain. its easier then pushin it.
 
i use PJ-1 lube and it works great. i usually jack up the back of my quad and start it then put it in first gear and let the tires just spin freely in the air. then i spray the lube on the moving chain. its easier then pushin it.

thats the same way i do mine. i always lube my chain after every ride i take cause it beats havin to buy another chain.
 
wd-40 is very good,lube your chain bud,very improtant..

lmao very bad... it even says in the DIY. wd-40 dissapates quickly and it dries and it increases wear on ur o-rings. u need some gummy chain lube. i use chain wax and bearing wax. works great. and another BEAUTIFUL chain lube or any lube for that matter is white lithium grease. i lube up my entire bike with it. everything from a-arm joints to shocks.
 
WD-40 was developed as a water dispersant. Hence thw WD. the 40 came from the 40th attempt to come up with the formula. It was not designed as a lube. It will quiet things down for a short while and would probably help clean a chain or help dry a wet one out prior to lubing it.
 
wd-40 eats plastic and rubber, << orings
 
i just soaked mine down with beacon grease which worked really well...
and as a bonus when the grease hit my hot exhaust i got the wonderful smell of bacon......mmmmmm bacon.
 
I lube after every ride-that's what I was told to do by dealer, But to be honest I always thought they just wanted me to buy their lube...
 
^^^^^HAHA^^^^^^ I usually use chain lube, but the other day i didn't have any so i used a tooth brush and some chainsaw bar and chain lube. I find it to be working really well, but what the hell do i know.