SFR’s Corporate Blog

Chain maintenance whether on a bicycle or motorbike is one of the most controversial subjects between mechanics. The major cause of chain “stretch” is wearing away of the metal where the rivet rotates inside of the bushing (or the “bushing part of the inside plate) as the chain links flex and straighten as the chain goes onto and off of the sprockets. Premature chain fatigue can be a real problem and effect gear shifting and performance.

First one must be aware of the three points where a chain needs lubrication. First, and foremost, the rivets need to be lubricated where they move inside the inner links as the chain bends and straightens. Second, the insides of the rollers need lubrication to let them revolve freely around the bushings as they engage and disengage in the sprocket teeth, which can cause accelerated sprocket wear. Third, the surface where the outer side plates overlap the inner side plates can benefit from lubrication as well, although this contact surface is much more lightly loaded than the first two.

The problem with lubricating conventional chains is that thick lubricants cannot penetrate into the inaccessible parts where they are really needed, but thin lubricants do not last long enough in most cases. Due to the speed of the chain grease or oils fortified with tackifiers should not be used as they will attract dust and dirt and will only add to the problem of premature wear. Light oils will be thrown off due to the speed of the chain and spalling will take place on the rollers. For high-speed chains there is only one type of lubricant that can be used that will stay on the chain and not attract an inordinate amount of dust and dirt. Such a lubricant must be thin and contain additives called extreme pressure agents. An extreme pressure agent is acidic and thus attaches to the metal and is resident at all times. Extreme pressure agents can carry loads up to 800 kilograms, which is a tremendous amount of pressure. I found such a product that is absolutely ideal for chains. The product is named ProTecta Precision Needle Oiler, by SFR Corporation, who specializes in extreme pressure technologies. In checking the testing, this product beats the testing parameters of the 4 Ball Extreme Pressure Test ASTM D 2783 as it exceeds the 800 kilogram limit. It comes in a half-ounce container where only a drop is required on each of the rollers. The product almost dries however I on our bearing test machine Corporation that the product takes a tremendous load even when what appears to be dry. This product lasts for at least three months and is outstanding for chains. Upu can find this product at the SFR Corporation website at www.sfrcorp.com. This is a remarkable product for chains as it is a synthetic and will withstand heat as well.

ZDDP (Zinc Dithiophosphate)

In 2006 when a new motor oil warranty category for gasoline engines was developed GF-4, problems started occurring with older cars. When a new warranty specification is put on the market and licensed by the American Petroleum Institute (API) it makes all other previous specifications obsolete. All cars are supposed to be able to run on the new oil, however this is not the case with GF-4.

For many years major oil companies have used ZDDP (zinc dithiophosphate) in their motor oil formulations. The reason for this is ZDDP acts as a good anti-wear agent, and until metals of all kinds have escalated wildly in price, it was relatively cheap. Furthermore due to the skyrocketing price of platinum and palladium, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) decided to change the composition of your vehicles catalytic converter. With the new catalytic converter material, the new GF-4 specification is fine for new vehicles, however cars with flat tappet engines are not so lucky. Due to the pressure on flat tappets the new additives in the GF-4 are not working and customers are reporting early failure in droves! This is not an isolated problem, and the oil companies were aware of this problem. What has happened is that the EPA has mandated that sulfur, phosphorus and zinc (sulfated ash) were to be removed from the oil as it destroys the catalytic converter over a long period of time.

Older cars have run into a myriad of problems with flat tappet camshafts. Premature failure seems to be the rule rather than the exception. Car owners are mad and want answers fast. The fact is that older cars with their different catalytic converters need a product like zinc to protect its critical parts.

SFR 100 manufactured by SFR Corporation, www.sfrcorp.com contains a very concentrated amount of zinc as well as containing sulfur and phosphorus. Oil analysis shows this product is loaded with ZDDP. It is used at 1 ounce per quart of motor oil. So if you have a car produced before 2006 and will benefit from ZDDP this is a product to consider. Extensive testing has been completed including the $100,000 wear test that all motor oil formulators must pass. SFR went against the leading motor oil marketer in the U.S. The test was run twice, once without the SFR 100 and the second time with SFR 100 with remarkable results published on the website. If you need ZDDP look for SFR’s SFR 100.