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Is White Lithium Grease really what should be used?

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Is White Lithium Grease really what should be used?

Old 01-03-19, 06:08 PM
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Anonymous238
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Is White Lithium Grease really what should be used?

After consulting this forum about attaching new pedals to my bike, I read that white lithium grease would need to be applied to stop the pedal threads from ceasing. I did just that and a few months later discovered that one of my new bike pedals somehow came lose and ate away at the crankarm thread so badly that nothing would repair it (I had to ride it wobbling out since I was miles away from my destination). I waited a half a year for someone to sell the same crankarm on ebay because the crankset was practically brand new and I wasn't going to pay another 150 for a new one. I just attached the new crankarm with the grease a week ago and today I noticed my crankarm was wobbling off too! I'm tightening these parts as damn hard as I can and I can bench 200+ easily. What gives? Is it really just more tightening that's required or is the grease causing this (I use a lot btw - the white grease is visible around the threads)
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Old 01-04-19, 07:43 AM
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I usually use whatever grease I happen to have on hand, including white lithium, and with good, clean threads and reasonable quality pedals and cranks, have never had a problem.
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Old 01-04-19, 08:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Anonymous238
I'm tightening these parts as damn hard as I can and I can bench 200+ easily. What gives? Is it really just more tightening that's required or is the grease causing this (I use a lot btw - the white grease is visible around the threads)
You are turning the left pedal counterclockwise to tighten right correct? That part of your statement above makes me think you may possibly be cross threading the non-traditional threaded left pedal. With grease on the threads it shouldn't be that hard. Another possibility could be the thread size, there are 1/2 and 9/16th sized pedals. I wouldn't think you could get a 9/16" pedal started in a 1/2" crank but if you're that strong
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Old 01-04-19, 08:36 AM
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I surely do not know what the problem could be. Possibly what the above reply states. I have been using Liquid Wrench, spray can. for a long time for mounting pedals and lubing of all kinds of screws, bolt. nuts etc., including marine/saltwater applications, and have never had any kind of problem with it. It is also long lasting.
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Old 01-04-19, 08:42 AM
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FWIW, I use Permatex zinc anti-seize for parts I wanna get back apart easily in the future. Pedal threads, seatposts, quills, etc. It’s compatible with everything and lasts forever.


-Kedosto
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Old 01-04-19, 02:50 PM
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There are better options but the grease didn’t cause the problem.

the crank arm you bought may already have been ruined. Is it a hollow spindle type where the arm clamps on the spindle and the bottom bracket bearings screw into both sides of the shell? or is it a solid spindle type bottom bracket where it bolts to the spindle with a square peg or splines?

Last edited by Darth Lefty; 01-04-19 at 02:56 PM.
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Old 01-04-19, 03:01 PM
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Bummer that this happened to you. I use anti-seize usually but occasionally used whatever grease was on hand and have had no problem in over 50 years of cycling. Do you think you may have cross threaded the spindles when you installed.

BTW, you really didn't need a new crank arm. There are repair kits available for problems like the one you described. Most bike shops should be able to do this for you.
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Old 01-04-19, 03:12 PM
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Could, not Should .. Decades ago the little tub you bought with <Campagnolo> on it , was a Lithium cream colored grease..
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Old 01-04-19, 04:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Anonymous238
I'm tightening these parts as damn hard as I can and I can bench 200+ easily. What gives?
I think that is your problem... Tightening too hard. That is the only thing that makes sense. Crank material (typically aluminum) is always softer than a pedal spindle (hardened steel), way softer, different league.. If one or the other is going to strip, stretch, or somehow get damaged from improper installation, it will be the crank. It depends on your specific cranks and pedals but ~ 30-40NM (25 ft/lbs) is a good start. A crank arm to BB pinch bolt torque varies but I believe Shimano Hollowtech are like 10 NM. Non pinch types (square/spline) are usually in the 30-40 range. Not much at all. If you are cranking any of these down, the crank will fail. Same applies to your seat, stem, handlebars and any other bolt.

Last edited by u235; 01-04-19 at 04:25 PM.
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Old 01-04-19, 05:35 PM
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I can bench 200+ easily. What gives? Is it really just more tightening that's required or is the grease causing this
(yes , but.. Not owning a torque wrench & proper bit to fit your pedal) maybe you need an experienced bike mechanic to show you how tight is tight enough..

I'd hate to be the next guy trying to remove a pedal you over-tightened so excessively..

sometimes it takes 2 people to work as a team to get off some pedals.. (on Bikes left for boxing and Shipping after riding from the east coast )




...

Last edited by fietsbob; 01-04-19 at 05:39 PM.
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Old 01-08-19, 09:56 AM
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would be nice to know how the OP used. brushing it on thick on all the threads inside & outside would be overkill. when ever I use that stuff I'm sure to use a tiny bit & even wipe it off. it spreads easily so just a dot somewhere in the middle of a thread is usually more than enough. having clean threads is important too. wonder if the OP is using a pedal wrench
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Old 01-08-19, 12:54 PM
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I use Phil Wood grease on the pedal threads. Nice to know lithium works too, as I have a bunch for my trailer hitch ball.
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Old 01-10-19, 09:45 PM
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Guessing that the current problem is the crankarm loosening from a square taper spindle? Sounds like grease was used on the tapers, which may have contributed to the problem. I have never used lube for that. But, some folks do.
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Old 01-11-19, 04:47 AM
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Originally Posted by DiegoFrogs
I usually use whatever grease I happen to have on hand, including white lithium, and with good, clean threads and reasonable quality pedals and cranks, have never had a problem.
Gott nytt år!
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Old 01-11-19, 04:47 AM
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It depends on how much WLG smells on the lubricant spectrum. A little or a lot?
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Old 01-11-19, 05:51 AM
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Originally Posted by acidfast7
Gott nytt år!
Tack! Det samma!
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Old 01-16-19, 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by JanMM
Guessing that the current problem is the crankarm loosening from a square taper spindle? Sounds like grease was used on the tapers, which may have contributed to the problem. I have never used lube for that. But, some folks do.
That's not the issue. The grease is there to reduce the chance of the cranks from sticking through eventual galvantic corrosion with the spindle. It in no way contributes to them stripping, getting loose, or falling off provided they are torqued correctly. My last set of square tapered Shimano cranks had a grease glob in the spindle hole out of the box and I recently bought a pair of HT2 cranks and they were pre greased as well. Maybe not all cranks or vendors do that out of the box but the reason they do is logical and mechanically sound. Same reason you can do that on pedals

Last edited by u235; 01-16-19 at 03:00 PM.
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Old 01-16-19, 02:53 PM
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Yeah to have two pedals fail on the same side under the same conditions is pretty suspicious. I'm thinking Deal4Fuji is onto something.
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Old 01-30-19, 06:21 PM
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I use a bio-based grease by WPL (Whistler Performance Lubricants). It's great for everything from pedals and cranks to bearings, bushings, wheels, and headsets.
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Old 01-30-19, 11:35 PM
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OP’s been gone for a month, guys
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