In article <[email hidden]>,
Phil said:I used Prolink on my beater chain about 5 months ago. I've ridden it
on short 1/2 mile trips on a daily basis, with a couple of wet rides.
I haven't maintained it at all because my current job has distracts
me from my interest in bikes, and the entire set of inner and outer
plates is a nasty dry-rust mess at this point. However, there's no
chain squeak. This is a SS with decently high tension on the chain.
I also don't notice any dry chain roller "rattle."Is there no squeak because of the chain tension, or is it because the
Prolink has actually maintained its lubricating properties?
http://www.progoldmfr.com/products/prolink.html
Prolink claims to be a "metal conditioner" using "MFR technology."
Whatever the hell that is.
http://www.progoldmfr.com/products/MFRconc.html
"Not to be confused with ordinary "additives," ProGold MFR Concentrate
is a scientifically blended petroleum-based formula designed to blend
with motor oils, gear oils and other lubricants, either natural
hydrocarbon or synthetic. It coats internal metal surfaces with a
polarized layer of oil molecules to resist extreme pressure and
excessive temperature in industrial and automotive applications such as
internal combustion and diesel engines, automatic and manual
transmissions, differentials, gear boxes, mining and smelting equipment,
machine tools, air compressors, pumps, generators, bearings and bearing
journals. Contains no plastic particles, PTFE resins, molybdenum
disulfide, or any other solids which may cause harmful buildup."
They don't identify what "MFR" is. Searching the Web for "MFR" and
things like "lubricant" and "tribology" was not all that helpful.
Nothing turned up at www.uspto.com but then since I don't know what "MFR
technology" stands for that might be a limiter. One definition of "MFR"
was "Melt Flow Rate." Another was "Melamine-Formaldehyde Resin:"
http://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/TSF06/Event/55993
http://www.chamotlabs.com/ApplicationNotes/HTC/HTC34thMidwest.html
Note that ProLink is part of the "ProGold" family of products, which
have those wonderful commercials where they add their product to the oil
in an engine, then drain the oil out of the engine and leave it running
while all the other engines using plain motor oil rapidly overheat and
seize.
http://www.progoldmfr.com/products/enginetrmt.html
It looks suspiciously like oleus serpentus to me. However, that said,
I've got a bottle of ProLink and it works fine on my chains. I get
300-400 miles between applications. The chain seems to be slightly less
of a dust and dirt magnet than is the case motor oil and it seems to dry
a bit more. It seems to hold up in the rain fairly well but no better
than motor oil.
Most of the breathless claims on the ProLink page of ProGold's Web site
are hooey, though. It's not a dry lube, it does attract dirt to an
extent, I've seen no sign of it cleaning as I ride, etc.