Jon T

I am going to respoke my wheels. What kind of grease should I use on the spoke threads and nipple seats? I have wheel bearing, Phil Woods (green) and white Tetra Grease. Are any of these acceptable? If not, what do you recommend? I know to use just a very light smear.
Thanks to all.
Jon

Andrew R Stewart 

There are many ways to address spoke threads and nipple seats. I usually use a combo of Spoke Prep and Triflow. Like so many lube questions it is that some is used is usually more important then which type. Andy

ThermionicScott 

Doesn't matter, pretty much any oil or grease you have on hand will work to let the nipples turn freely while you build the wheel.

fietsbob

I dip each spoke in an anti seize, myself...

davidad

I use a Teflon based pipe thread sealer on the nipple threads and a little oil on the heads. The sealer will be tacky, but never freeze the nipple to the spoke.
https://www.amazon.com/2087069-567-T...gateway&sr=8-5

aggiegrads

Rim brakes or disc? I use Boeshield T9 on rim brakes for the nipple bed. It is a wax based lube, and won’t contaminate brake pads as bad as oil based lube if you don’t get it all off.

On the threads I use Loctite 222. This purple compound is very light when cured and flows well.

easyupbug 

On the families wheels I have used with success boiled linseed oil, oil, grease and anti-seize. With brass nipples they all work, with aluminum/alloy or in wet weather I would go with anti-seize or consider a spoke prep product. Loctite can dry in less than an hour so if you are slow or can get distracted I might avoid it.

drlogik 

I would not use regular grease on the spoke threads. Grease and oil will run out of the threads in time and the nipples can seize. Spoke nipples are a specialty application. Yes the spoke nipples need to be able to turn under pressure but they also have to stay where they are once the wheel is trued.

It's a balance of slippery versus sticky. There is a special paste the folks at Retrogression sell for that very purpose. It's called Alchemy Lube & Spoke Prep. Get it here: https://www.retro-gression.com/colle...-lube-and-lock My guess is that is really good stuff for that application.

Back in the old days they would use boiled linseed oil on the spoke threads because after a few days or weeks it would cure in the air and harden up but would still be slippery enough so the spoke nipples would turn yet hold their place once the wheel was trued.



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Jon T

Thanks for the tips. I like the BLO idea. I have that on hand for refinishing gun stocks. I guess it's a case of "any thing is better than nothing".
Jon

Bike Gremlin

Properly built (and tensioned) spokes will not untwist, so no need to glue them (including the above mentioned "spoke prep").
Anti seize is best since it prevents them from seizing in the long run.
Other options (grease, or oil) will disappear after the wheel is built (within one year after that).
Oil is easiest and quickest to apply - dipping the spoke thread ends and using cotton wool sticks (for "ear cleaning") dipped into oil for lubing the nipple-rim interface.

If spokes start untwisting without any glue, it's a sign of either:
- Rim got hit and bent
- Spokes have not been tensioned enough (if a wheel is built to the 70%-80% of max. tension the rim can take, then the rim is to week for the application/use - using thinnger, or at least swagged spokes can help with this, especially on the non-drive side of rear wheels that have a cassette - and are hence dished).

So for my own wheels, I'd rather know of this (by noticing the spokes coming loose). For wheels built for (far away) customers, using glue makes sense in case a rim gets a dent - it will keep the spokes in place so they can more easily "limp" to the nearest bike shop.

Jon T

Thank you Bike Gremlin for the info. I'll be using single-butted on the DS and triple-butted on the NDS.
Jon

79pmooney

I used to use Phil green but switched a few years ago to marine boat trailer hub grease, the thick blue stuff from any auto store. It does not break down so adjusting the true later or removing the nipples to swap rims isn't an issue, even if years or harsh winters have gone by. Nothing a bike will ever see touches that stuff.

Never used any form of "locking"grease. Always found that well built wheels don't need any kind of spoke lock, at least not until you hit that deep pothole and bend the rim.

Ben

Jon T

Thank you, Ben.
Jon

JohnDThompson 

I like boiled linseed oil. It lubricates the threads as you're building the wheel, then over the course of a couple days hardens into a varnish that locks them in place. It's not so hard a bond that you can't break it with a spoke wrench, should the need arise. A few bucks can buy you a lifetime supply.

krecik

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Jon T

Thanks Kret.
Jon

3alarmer 

...I started out using 30 or 40 weight machine oil (a la Jobst Brandt). It works fine. Now tha I am older and more forgetful, I've been using Park green grease because it's dark enough to show up on the threads and I have visual reminder of where it is and isn't.

With the machine oil, you just lube all the threads at once. With the grease, I've been doing them post insertion through the hub flanges, but just prior to the insertion into the nipples.

As stated above, if you tension your wheels adequately, they won't unwind. So I'm not a fan of the various spoke preps. Good luck in your project.

Bike Gremlin

The point about copper grease is not correct. In a bit more details on anti seize for bicycles.

krecik

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pressed001

I like 79pMooney's suggestion to use a thicker grease. I myself use