SLIDING INTO THE FUTURE
How lube tech will make your chain last longer
Chain care is one of the less glamorous parts of owning a motorbike, but we all know that a well lookedafter chain will last longer than a neglected one. Chain lube can be a contentious issue, with some riders opting for purpose-made products, others using WD-40, or even engine oil.
But you might be surprised how much technology goes into developing something as seemingly simple as chain lube. Everything from the design of the spray nozzle to the choice of propellant, the viscosity and penetration of the lubricant and the amount of fling (how much of the lubricant comes off when you are riding) has been carefully and painstakingly designed, tested and developed in lab conditions. At least that was the case for German brand S100 when developing the latest 2.0 version of their White Chain Spray. The primary function of any lubricant has to be its performance in reducing friction between two metal components. To test the efficiency of this, a machine called the Cross Cylinder Tester (XCT), developed in collaboration with the University of Mannheim, is used. Essentially, a small piece of mild steel is coated in the lubricant before being run against a hardened steel cuff spun on a rig.
The XCT measures the braking force exerted by the blank onto the cuff to calculate a friction coefficient, as well as measuring
‘The biggest improvement is cut in wear’ DR MARIO KRAFT, S100 R&D
the heat generated during the test. Wear on the blank is then measured using a microscope, giving a data set that can be used to compare the performance of different recipes or benchmark against competitor products. “The biggest improvement we achieved for White Chain Spray 2.0 is the tremendous reduction in wear,” said Deputy Head of R&D, Dr Mario Kraft.
Dr Kraft is in no doubt that this improvement in performance is down to a long and thorough R&D process. He says this is the only way to achieve this level of product improvement.
“If you start modifying a formulation because you get a new compound which might enhance the wear protection, you need to double check the effects on the other three product characteristics.
“Very often new raw materials have a beneficial effect for one or two properties but unfortunately seldom for all four effects. And sometimes you have a great compound giving you massive improvement in one aspect but you can’t use it because of negative effects on other properties. Once you have a good formulation you need to make sure that the mix of compounds is stable and does not form any kind of precipitation, which could block the nozzle. “This test takes three months at different temperatures and if the formulation fails at any stage, we need to start the process again with a new recipe.”