[glds] chain lube/ long read "facts"

[mark ward]

From A chemist.

--- On Wed, 10/13/10, Jeramey Valley wrote: > > To: GLDS@... > Date: Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 4:08 PM > > Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:50:09 > -0500 > > From: Terry Nestrick > > To: glds@... > > Subject: Re: [GLDS] Chain Lube - GLDS Digest, Vol 25, > Issue 27 > > > > Hey Jeff > > > > I have been reading the posts on chain lubes and > subsequent derivative arguments and decided to provide some > additional information [opinions] from a retired, organic > chemist on this subject. > > > > To begin, I recognize that certain subjects [e.g.; > engine oil, tire brand, chain brand, chain lube, etc] create > lots of discussion as most everyone have their favorites, > their past experiences and their personal opinions ... so, > here's my contribution. > > > > On a typical O-ring style chain, the link pins are > sealed with permanent lubricant inside the pin chamber and > therefore do not benefit from any form of external > lubrication provided that the O-ring seal is intact. That > being said, external cleaning and lubrication of such a > chain is still of utmost importance if one is interested in > longevity. While the link pins themselves are the primary > bearing surfaces and receive continuous lubrication from the > grease that is sealed inside the pin chamber, the link > plates also receive and create considerable friction, both > on the O-ring surface that they contact as well as > link-to-link interaction and contact with the link pin ends. > It is these friction points, external to the pin chambers, > that deserve our attention when we are cleaning and > "lubricating" our chains. > > > > So ... metal lubricants are typically low polarity, > organic molecules of sufficient molecular weight to resist > evaporation under the circumstances of application. > Additives can be formulated with the organic fluid to > provide additional benefits, e.g.; friction reducers, > chemical reducers to prevent surface oxidation, viscosity > enhancers to maintain high viscosity at elevated > temperature, etc. As such, a lubricant is applied to a metal > surface so as to reduce friction under a specified set of > operating conditions ... here is where the problem arises > ... a lubricant under one set of conditions may not be a > lubricant under a different set of circumstances. This > situation is of considerable importance regarding our chains > and their lubrication under typical operation. > > > > Our chains function under some of the most severe > conditions one can subject such a power transmission device. > They run the gambit from cold to hot temperature, wet to dry > to submerged in water and moist particulate matter > conditions, they are not supplied with continuous lubricant > application so any externally applied lubricants tend to > wear off quickly, and finally, perhaps worst of all ... > manufacturers attempting to produce a product that will not > wear off [often claimed as: "won't fling off"] actually make > the situation worse by creating a mixture of particulate > matter and lubricant which sticks to the surfaces of the > chain thereby producing the equivalent of "sandpaper" at > friction points. > > > > The solution to these problems with regard to dirt > bike chain lubrication were addressed and solved by the US > Military between the time of the Vietnam War where problems > with M-16 jamming first occurred, and the Gulf War where > similar weapons were exposed to wet and sandy conditions. > Basically, the solution was quite simple ... the "lubricant" > was a formulation composed of a moderate volatility > penetrating oil and a chemically active component which > bonded to the oxidized metal surfaces to which it contacted. > One doused the metal components with the mixture, wiped off > the residual and then evaporation of the remaining carrier > oil produced a clean, and dry metal surface which has a > chemically bound dry lubricant present to reduce friction > and not attract, or permit adherence of particulate matter > under typical operation conditions. Works great for weaponry > ... and, luckily for us, it also is the optimum solution for > cleaning and lubrication of our dirt bike chains. In > actuality, the development came in two steps ... the first > dry lubricant formulations used graphite or molybdenum > disulfide particles suspended in the penetrating oil carrier > ... these left behind a thin, dry film of solid lubricant. > The problem was that the dry lube particles were cleansed > from surfaces exposed to "dirty" operating conditions far > too rapidly to provide a reasonable period of lubricity. The > second, and current generation of dry lube products solved > the problem by incorporating a lubricant that was chemically > active. When exposed to a partially oxidized, metallic > surface, the lubricant undergoes a chemical reaction to bind > the lubricant molecule to that surface. As such, the > chemically bound lubricant molecule is able to withstand > considerable exposure to "dirty" operating conditions and > remain intact and functional. > > > > Ok ... now that you understand the problem and its > resolution ... question is, what is this stuff and where do > I get it? There's always some kind of catch ... so too for > this situation. I originally researched the problem back in > 2002 and discovered an internet company called: Digilube > Performance Products that was run by a fellow with the > handle: "Jaybird" who posted on DirtRider.net and > ThumperTalk. I ordered a gallon of Digilube Performance > Ultra Film 1... [whoa ... I know you're saying to yourself > ... "A GALLON! ... but wait, I'll explain later] ... it took > quite some time to get it, and the bottle contained only 112 > ozs instead of 128 ozs ... after several back and forth > communications, Jaybird made it right. That gallon lasted > more than two years doing two dirt bikes. Since that time I > have not been able to track Jaybird down ... he still has an > internet site ... but it is funky and in my opinion, not > reliable. However, I checked the Thomas Register and tracked > down the company that manufuctures and sells the stuff we > need ... that's the good news ... the smallest quantity they > sell is a 5 Gallon pail ... that's the bad news. > > > > Turns out that Digilube Systems Ultra Film 1 is a > commercially available conveyor belt lubricant and as such, > is available in commercial quantities. Jaybird was simply > buying the stuff from Digilube Systems, rebottling it, and > selling it on the internet as chain lube for motorcycles. So > ... what I have resorted to doing since my original gallon > ran out is to contact Digilube Systems Inc, directly at: > 800-837-5667 and order a 5 Gallon Pail to be shipped to me. > I then repackaged the material in 1 Gallon orange juice > bottles for long term storage and resale to friends of mine. > I use a 16-oz plastic bottle with a flip-top-tip to > administer the material to my chains ... it usually takes > about 1 oz to properly clean and lube a chain ... I > typically use it immediately after a ride while the chain is > still warm ... then reapply a smaller amount after washing > the bike to displace water and ensure that all surfaces are > coated. Application is simple ... jack up the rear of the > bike, start it up and put it in gear ... I then run a stream > of lubricant on the chain as it comes up and around the rear > sprocket ... it takes a few seconds ... use a rag to catch > the drips off the chain guide ... let the bike run a minute > or so ... then shut it off and use the rag to quickly wipe > the entire length of the chain by rotating the rear wheel > manually and letting the chain run through the rag in my > hand. It is just that simple ... the Ultra Film serves to > rinse out debris from the chain, that's why it takes an > ounce or so of material to properly do the job ... sometimes > I use a bit more if I am riding and can't wash the bike > before my next ride ... this helps to ensure I get the > maximum amount of particulates off of the chain surfaces. > After you use Ultra Film a few times you will notice that > the chain becomes considerably cleaner and shinier ... it > will appear dry, will not fling off residual lubricant, and > most importantly, will not attract dirt to exposed surfaces. > The treated chain will repell water for a considerable > period of time. Bonded lubrication properties do slowly > degrade ... but easily perform adequately for many hours > each application. I clean and lube my chain every ride via > the described procedure ... it takes less than a couple of > minutes to do ... and I have never had any problems with > excessive chain wear on any of my three dirt bikes. > > > > Here's the Company information: > > > > digilube systems, inc. > > 216 East Mill Street; Springboro, Ohio 45066; USA > > 1-937-748-2209 or 1-800-837-5667 phone; 1-937-748-0597 > fax > > sales@... > > > > http://www.digilube.com/images/ultrafilm_flyer.jpg > > > > Now for some extraneous blathering on the subject of > chain lubrication ... again, remember, my opinions! > > > > Digilube Systems Ultra Film 1 is great for dirt bikes > ... however, I don't think I would recommend it for street > bikes. The reason for this opinion is related to the > difference in operating conditions for the two types of > chains, Dirt bikes operate in very dirty conditions and are > therefore in need of a lubricant that will not attract or > bind particulates. As such, we give up some of the lubricity > to gain the "dry lube" effects needed for dirt bike chain. > Street bike chains operate under much cleaner conditions and > therefore can use a more viscous lubricant which has greater > lubricity but can also attract particulates. One thing > though, Ultra Film is a nice material to clean your streat > bike chain ... it will do a great job ... just reapply your > favorite chain lube after cleaning ... again, simple rinsing > and scrubbing with a soft toothbrush is all that is needed > when using Ultra Film to clean your chain. As such, WD-40 > can also be used ... the only difference being that it is > only a cleaner and provides no additional lubrication > properties when driy. > > > > So what about WD-40 as a lubricant? This is sort of an > oxymoron situation ... WD-40 is technically not a lubricant. > WD is an acronym for 'Water Displacement" and was developed > to displace water from metal surfaces following exposure to > moisture. It is a moderately volatile organic fluid [oil] > that while wet does provide lubricity properties on metal > surfaces, however, because of its moderately high > volatility, it evaporates too quickly under ambient to > slightly elevated temperature conditions to serve as a > lubricant. > > > > WD-40 can be used to clean a chain ... as a chemist, I > have no problems with this statement. WD-40 is basically a > high volatility, penetrating oil ... it won't hurt the > O-rings which are of fluoroelastomer composition ... it will > cleanse surfaces of particulate residue if used in > sufficient quantity to flush out the debris ... this is the > reason I mentioned that at least 1 oz of Ultra Film be used > to clean and lube a chain ... it takes some volume to flush > the chain .... wiping cannot get between the link plates. It > should be mentioned though, eventually, a chain wears out > ... the O-rings become worn or damaged and begin to leak. > When this happens, the entrained grease in the link pin > chambers begins to leak out when the chain gets hot ... and, > lubrication fluids tend to leak in when cleaning and lubing > the chain after use. These phenomena exacerbate the > situation and the chain appears to "stretch" quickly ... it > is actually not stretching ... the link pins and links are > wearing and it is the additional slop from this wear that > gives the appearance of the chain growing in length. > Regardless, eventually the chain reaches a point that it > should be replaced. Proper cleaning and lubrication as I > have described does not cause O-ring leakage and degradation > ... it reduces it ... riding through dirt, water and sand is > the primary culprit for O-ring degradation. > > > > I have been using Ultra Film exclusively since 2003 > and can provide the following performance data. On my 02 > CRF-450R equipped with a Sidewinder Ti-Moly chain, I got > three seasons of MI single track riding with only two > adjustments ... the chain looked like new when I sold the > bike in 2006. Similarly, I installed a Sidewinder Ti-Moly > chain on my 06 KTM300 XC-W when it was brand new ... I now > have over 5000 miles of off and on road use and have needed > to adjust chain tension only twice ... again, this chain > looks better than new ... its shinier! Dan Djokovic and I > both have 07 Husqvarna TE610's ... we installed Sidewinder > Ti-Moly chains on these bikes the first day we got them and > have subsequently cleaned and lubed them exclusively with > Ultra Film 1 ... they both have more than 10,000 miles on > them today and have needed adjustment only three times and > we have no reason to believe we won't get another year out > of them. I should mention that we are very careful to > replace the counter sprocket as soon as any hooking is > visually apparent ... this is perhaps as important to chain > longevity as cleaning and lubing ... most folks don't do > this and pay the price in reduced chain life. > > > > One last component to extending the lifetime of your > chain involves removing the manufacturer's protective grease > coating before installation of a new chain. Manufacturers > coat all new chain as it is produced with a viscous grease > that is appropriate for protecting the chain from exposure > to oxygen and moisture during storage before it is put into > use. Said grease is totally inappropriate for use on a dirt > bike ... it attracts debris and forms "sandpaper" on all the > external friction points ... because of its high viscosity, > it is difficult to remove when a chain is in actual use, > hence the stuff hangs around for a considerable period and > can produce significant damage. I recommend cleaning the > brand new chain with several rags soaked in mineral spirits > ... keep wiping the chain until you have removed as much of > the external grease coating as possible. Mineral spirits > will not chemically hurt the chain or fluoroelastomer > O-rings ... but I do not recommend soaking the chain > directly in a bath of mineral spirits because mineral > spirits are of sufficiently low viscosity that submersion of > the O-rings might permit solvent intrusion into the link > chamber ... this would not be good from a longevity > perspective. Hence, once you've wiped off as much grease as > possible via wiping with a mineral spirits soaked rag, put > the chain in a container and add several ounces of WD-40 or > Ultra Film 1 and work on each link with a soft tooth brush > so as to remove as much of the original grease coating as > possible. At this point you have done everything that makes > sense to prepare the chain for installation and use. > > > > Hey ... I'm certainly not an expert ... I have tried > to apply some of my chemistry skills to the problem of chain > preparation, cleaning and lubrication ... take all this > stuff with a grain of salt ... it has worked for Dan and I > ... we don't intend to change. > > > > terry nestrick > > > > -- GLDS Mailing List Options --- > > To remove your address, email: > > To see the messages on a web page (archives): http://gldsmc.org/mailman/private/glds_gldsmc.org> > > To get your password for this mailing list, email: > > > List Manager: President@... >