On the road oil changes

Going to be heading out for a pretty good loop of the US in a few months and was curious about what people do while on the road for an oil change. More specifically what do you use to catch the oil you are draining out? I'm looking for suggestions either something that can pack up small or creative. I'd rather not buy a catch pan like you get at the auto parts store and bring it with me or leave it behind.

Stop at Wal mart, buy oil and filter. Then ask the automotive service dept if you can borrow a drain pan. Change oil in parking lot, Wal mart will dispose of oil.

Buy a gallon of water for drinking etc. then cut the side of the empty jug open and drain your oil. Pour the old oil into the empty one liter jugs after you have filled your engine. The now empty water jug can be thrown in the trash or burnt in the campfire. Drop off the oil at a service station.
We did 2 bikes in 20 minutes at a Texaco station ( no filter change) and gave the used oil to the El Salvador truckers ! EZ Cheezie

I was actually thinking this would be about the easiest way to do it. I'd be buying the water for my camelback anyways. One suggestion from a friend was to use shopping bags. I much prefer the water jug, seems much cleaner.

I tend to avoid walmart if I can though I may try asking at small service stations that I come across.

This is what I do when on the road except I buy a cheap oil drain pan and then give it to one of the service guys. Wal-mart has always been very accomodating. I know it is not cool to like them nowadays, but they are very practical.

Most gas stations nowadays are also convenience stores and they don't want you changing oil in their lot.

What I'd look for is a "service station" in a small town - one that has some mechanics working there .. not a "gas station" that simply sells stuff. Offer to buy the oil there if they will dispose of the old oil at the same time.

I have used 1 gallon heavy duty Freezer zip lock bags, pack small, can use them for just about anything, fill with oil and toss in 1st lake or stream you find!



NO I AM JUST KIDDING!!!!

change oil in wall mart parking lot and leave it in the bath room if you don't like wall mart!

NO I AM JUST KIDDING!!!!

bring it to the auto service center at wall mart or any parts store like autozone, checker, O'rielly or service station but the gallon zip locks are great for a lot of stuff, I always have a few with me, you can carry Ice to camp. water, just about anything. and the fold up small!

the disposable aluminum tins for making roasts/turkeys also work and are cheap.

We did an oil change last night. Without the filter it takes exactly one quart on the 250cc motor. Done deal .. We found an empty 1 gallon oil jug but washer fluid jugs are good too


20w50 is all we can find but with the hotter temps its a good viscosity

+1
Last year on my CC trip I did my initial oil change at an inmate's house. I had never met him but knew him through two forums. I did two at Walmarts and one at an O'Reilly's Auto parts. At the three stores I purchased a $1 pan and gave it to them with the used oil and filter. The Walmart mechanics were great and even brought out cardboard and a jack so I could swap tires.

Walmart sounds good, but you can also do it at almost any auto parts store. On the TAT that's what we did. The store almost always will have a used oil drain pan handy, and a place to dispose of the oil. Buy the oil there after inquiring if they have one handy. Some small towns don't have a Walmart, but there is almost always an auto parts store. You can stock up on chain lube, etc., at the same time.

Many people on the Tent Space list also offer garage space for maintenance/repairs.

Jamie

It seems like half the time I go to AutoZone, there is someone working on their car in the parking lot. I'm sure they're amicable to motorcycles as well.

I was thinking that too. Thanks all for the great ideas.

I have had several inmates stay an extra day just to catch up on needed maintenance.

I have also helped a couple guys change tires and oil in the dark driveway so they could be back on the road in the morning.

I worked at an auto part store and this would come up once in awhile. We always kept a drain pan for bikers. THey would buy the oil from us and then we would let them change the oil out in the parking lot. I'd even give em paper towels and anything they needed, tools whatever. It would come up maybe a few times a year because we were next to a major freeway.

Rode into a small service station in Alaska and ask if I could change oil in their lot. The guy said no...you can use my shop. He supplied everything including rags and tools if we needed them. I offered to pay him and he said no way. I dropped a 20 on the counter and headed out. There are still good people out there.

Monticello Utah. I change the oil about 800 miles on the 525. The skid plate causes a messy unpredictable drip. But for those concerned, I did clean up the spilt oil.
The water jug works good, then pour into the qt bottle. When in town, or....
Sometimes I'll wait and change oil at camp, and use the oil to start a camp fire.

I used the walmart and autozone approach. I was very anal about maintenance, so my oil changes consisted of a trip to a suzuki dealer to get a filter, check for suzuki synthetic there, then either find amsoil or in the end I used Mobil 1 motorcycle synthetic from walmart or the auto parts store.

Most walmarts in the North had kickpans theyd let me use. If not, Id just buy the cheapest I could find and give it to them when done.

start the trip with Redline. Forget about oil changes.