Avoiding oil spots

[Bob S.]

In response to a question posed in the training forum:

I take the precaution of laying out newspapers over the erg, under the chain. I would do this no matter what brand of oil I use to lubricate the chain.

Another thing I do is to use a stool, on its side, with the seat up against the far end of the erg. Then I can pull the chain all the way out and hook the handle on the legs of the stool. When I tried to do it just holding the chain out with one hand and trying to add oil with the other, it was much too awkward.

Bob S.

[JRBJR]

I consider the periodic oiling of the chain on my C2 erg on slides to be a 2-person operation. One person (sometimes the wife) sits down on the seat, grabs the handle, and moves back incrementally as I add C2 oil to the stretched chain, from a few feet from the handle down to the other end.

I've tried to to do the job alone and find it's just too difficult to perform when the erg is on the slides: you have to hold the chain taught while adding oil, all the while dealing with the unpredictable movement of the erg along the slide rails. Why not just remove the erg from the slides and then reinstall it so it's properly aligned and centered? That's a whole other set of challenges.

[Bob S.]

I've tried to to do the job alone and find it's just too difficult to perform when the erg is on the slides: you have to hold the chain taught while adding oil, all the while dealing with the unpredictable movement of the erg along the slide rails. Why not just remove the erg from the slides and then reinstall it so it's properly aligned and centered? That's a whole other set of challenges.

Here's the way that I do the job alone:

chain pulled out.jpg (53.13 KiB) Viewed 3891 times

Here's how I keep the slides aligned at all times:

slide clamps.jpg (48.76 KiB) Viewed 3891 times

It shows a 18.5' square spacer welded together from angle iron, with the slides clamped to it with clamps. Bolts would have been neater, but I couldn't think of any easy way to drill the necessary holes in the ends of the slide frames. Holes in the square frame would not have been a problem, but the slide frames are too bulky to manage with ordinary home tools.

Bob S.

[johnlvs2run]

Another thing I do is to use a stool, on its side, with the seat up against the far end of the erg. Then I can pull the chain all the way out and hook the handle on the legs of the stool. When I tried to do it just holding the chain out with one hand and trying to add oil with the other, it was much too awkward.

That's a great idea, Bob. But isn't that messy, using a stool.

I put a hook in the cabinet behind the erg, and put the handle in the hook. The best thing for me was to use an old nylon sock. I moved it along under the chain while dropping the C2 oil on the cogs, then rubbed the chain throughly with the sock. This works great, because the nylon doesn't come apart or get stuck in the chain.

Maybe next time I'll try a stool and see how that works.

[Bob S.]

Another thing I do is to use a stool, on its side, with the seat up against the far end of the erg. Then I can pull the chain all the way out and hook the handle on the legs of the stool. When I tried to do it just holding the chain out with one hand and trying to add oil with the other, it was much too awkward.

That's a great idea, Bob. But isn't that messy, using a stool.

I put a hook in the cabinet behind the erg, and put the handle in the hook. The best thing for me was to use an old nylon sock. I moved it along under the chain while dropping the C2 oil on the cogs, then rubbed the chain throughly with the sock. This works great, because the nylon doesn't come apart or get stuck in the chain.

Maybe next time I'll try a stool and see how that works.

Not having a cabinet handy, the stool was the most convenient way to do it. I have never had a problem with any mess. I always cover the rail and the wheel support with old newspapers and I don't oil the last few inches of the chain at the handle until after I disengage the handle from the stool. The picture attached to my later post shows how I hooked the handle under the legs of the stool.

Bob S

[mercurygirl]

Thank you for the tips!!