Is White Lithium Grease really what should be used?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 25
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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)
#2
Senior Member
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.
#3
minimalist cyclist
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,747
Bikes: yes please
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 1,626 Times
in
935 Posts
#4
Mother Nature's Son
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sussex County, Delaware
Posts: 3,111
Bikes: 2014 Orbea Avant MD30, 2004 Airborne Zeppelin TI, 2003 Lemond Poprad, 2001 Lemond Tourmalet, 2014? Soma Smoothie
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 838 Post(s)
Liked 1,414 Times
in
801 Posts
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.
#5
Callipygian Connoisseur
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,373
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 564 Post(s)
Liked 350 Times
in
190 Posts
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
-Kedosto
#6
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,775
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,102 Times
in
1,366 Posts
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?
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.
#7
On Holiday
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,014
Bikes: A bunch of old steel bikes
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 394 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 14 Times
in
12 Posts
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.
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.
#8
Banned
Could, not Should .. Decades ago the little tub you bought with <Campagnolo> on it , was a Lithium cream colored grease..
#9
Senior Member
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.
#10
Banned
I can bench 200+ easily. What gives? Is it really just more tightening that's required or is the grease causing this
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.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,528
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5219 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times
in
2,331 Posts
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
#12
always rides with luggage
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.
__________________
--Ben
2006 Trek SU100, 2009 Motobecane Fantom CX, 2011 Motobecane Fantom Cross Uno, and a Bakfiets
Previously: 2000 Trek 4500 (2000-2003), 2003 Novara Randonee (2003-2006), 2003 Giant Rainier (2003-2008), 2005 Xootr Swift (2005-2007), 2007 Nashbar 1x9 (2007-2011), 2011 Windsor Shetland (2011-2014), 2008 Citizen Folder (2015)
Non-Bike hardware: MX Linux / BunsenLabs Linux / Raspbian / Mac OS 10.6 / Android 7
--Ben
2006 Trek SU100, 2009 Motobecane Fantom CX, 2011 Motobecane Fantom Cross Uno, and a Bakfiets
Previously: 2000 Trek 4500 (2000-2003), 2003 Novara Randonee (2003-2006), 2003 Giant Rainier (2003-2008), 2005 Xootr Swift (2005-2007), 2007 Nashbar 1x9 (2007-2011), 2011 Windsor Shetland (2011-2014), 2008 Citizen Folder (2015)
Non-Bike hardware: MX Linux / BunsenLabs Linux / Raspbian / Mac OS 10.6 / Android 7
#13
rebmeM roineS
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Metro Indy, IN
Posts: 16,217
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 653 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times
in
225 Posts
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.
__________________
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
#14
Banned
#15
Banned
It depends on how much WLG smells on the lubricant spectrum. A little or a lot?
#16
Senior Member
#17
Senior Member
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.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: USA
Posts: 2,192
Bikes: Ti, Mn Cr Ni Mo Nb, Al, C
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 942 Post(s)
Liked 526 Times
in
349 Posts
Yeah to have two pedals fail on the same side under the same conditions is pretty suspicious. I'm thinking Deal4Fuji is onto something.
#19
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 8
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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.
#20
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,775
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,102 Times
in
1,366 Posts
OP’s been gone for a month, guys