Twisted Steel Performance
Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
Lubricating and maintaining such lubrication is critical to the life of the bearing. This covers all types of bearings including Rod, Cam and Crankshaft bearings, Roller bearings both Ball and Tapered; in effect any bearing where friction and wear are an issue.
An Engine Bearing is designed to carry tremendous loads while also being soft enough to allow small particles to “embed” in the bearing material. The various designs of bearings all address these primary needs. In addition a bearing is a sacrificial part; in that it is easier and less expensive to replace bearings due to wear, than to replace the crankshaft.
On other types of bearings normally only the Race or the Shaft is coated. This provides a solid lubricated surface that reduces friction and allows the bearing unit to function better and last longer. Various formulations exist to fit a particular need.
Tech Line designed DFL-1 primarily as an Engine Bearing coating. Coatings come in two basic formulations, Solid film and Dry Film. While the two terms can be and are to a great extent interchangeable, when it comes to bearings the differences are important. A solid film lubricant derives its name from the resin film formed during curing. This film has greater internal bond strength than the bond to the substrate, in this case the bearing. A Dry Film on the other hand has a weaker internal bond than the bond to the substrate. When these features are applied to a bearing the Dry Film is superior.
Since no coating is a 100% friction free material some pressure will be exerted against the coatings. In Engine application, such as we have discussed, the coating needs to be able to minimally flake away when such pressure is reached. Otherwise the coating can delaminate. DFL-1 functions in this manner. Generally the particle size that can be removed is under 1 micron. However on solid surfaces like a Race or Shaft, then C-Lube or TLML work extremely well, with C-Lube being the preferred Coating.
The coatings are capable of withstanding pressures in excess of 350,000 psi while lubricating. This is well beyond the strength of the bearings. As pressure increases the coating actually becomes more lubricious. In addition the Coatings are a “fluid retaining” material that actually holds oil in place on coated surface.
One of the most important features of a High Performance Coating is its ability to maintain its full lubrication characteristics even in extremely thin films. Typically they will be applied in a film thickness of from .0003” to .001”. Obviously this would affect clearances when the film approaches .001”. After checking the thickness, burnish with “Scotchbright”™ or similar material until the film thickness is no more than .0003”. During running the coating will burnish to a near “0” dimension. This characteristic allows the bearing to be run with its normal installed clearance with no loss in performance. Coatings that form a “harder” film will also reduce friction and provide a protective layer to the bearing, however as these coatings begin to wear clearances will open up. While Tech Line produces coatings to build up a part where it is necessary, the normal use is better served by a non build up coating such as the standard coatings produced by Tech Line.
Due to the above features a Coating can extend the life of a bearing while reducing friction, particularly in instances where normal oil film failure could lead to bearing failure. The Coatings are easy to apply, with certain ones being water based. Both Solvent and Water based Coatings have l a low cure temperature, typically between 300f and 350F. They can be sprayed or brushed, though a spray application is recommended for best results.
An Engine Bearing is designed to carry tremendous loads while also being soft enough to allow small particles to “embed” in the bearing material. The various designs of bearings all address these primary needs. In addition a bearing is a sacrificial part; in that it is easier and less expensive to replace bearings due to wear, than to replace the crankshaft.
On other types of bearings normally only the Race or the Shaft is coated. This provides a solid lubricated surface that reduces friction and allows the bearing unit to function better and last longer. Various formulations exist to fit a particular need.
Tech Line designed DFL-1 primarily as an Engine Bearing coating. Coatings come in two basic formulations, Solid film and Dry Film. While the two terms can be and are to a great extent interchangeable, when it comes to bearings the differences are important. A solid film lubricant derives its name from the resin film formed during curing. This film has greater internal bond strength than the bond to the substrate, in this case the bearing. A Dry Film on the other hand has a weaker internal bond than the bond to the substrate. When these features are applied to a bearing the Dry Film is superior.
Since no coating is a 100% friction free material some pressure will be exerted against the coatings. In Engine application, such as we have discussed, the coating needs to be able to minimally flake away when such pressure is reached. Otherwise the coating can delaminate. DFL-1 functions in this manner. Generally the particle size that can be removed is under 1 micron. However on solid surfaces like a Race or Shaft, then C-Lube or TLML work extremely well, with C-Lube being the preferred Coating.
The coatings are capable of withstanding pressures in excess of 350,000 psi while lubricating. This is well beyond the strength of the bearings. As pressure increases the coating actually becomes more lubricious. In addition the Coatings are a “fluid retaining” material that actually holds oil in place on coated surface.
One of the most important features of a High Performance Coating is its ability to maintain its full lubrication characteristics even in extremely thin films. Typically they will be applied in a film thickness of from .0003” to .001”. Obviously this would affect clearances when the film approaches .001”. After checking the thickness, burnish with “Scotchbright”™ or similar material until the film thickness is no more than .0003”. During running the coating will burnish to a near “0” dimension. This characteristic allows the bearing to be run with its normal installed clearance with no loss in performance. Coatings that form a “harder” film will also reduce friction and provide a protective layer to the bearing, however as these coatings begin to wear clearances will open up. While Tech Line produces coatings to build up a part where it is necessary, the normal use is better served by a non build up coating such as the standard coatings produced by Tech Line.
Due to the above features a Coating can extend the life of a bearing while reducing friction, particularly in instances where normal oil film failure could lead to bearing failure. The Coatings are easy to apply, with certain ones being water based. Both Solvent and Water based Coatings have l a low cure temperature, typically between 300f and 350F. They can be sprayed or brushed, though a spray application is recommended for best results.