maartendc

Hi all,

I have just replaced my square taper Bottom bracket from cup and cone style to a Shimano UN55 sealed cartridge type.

Now I was following this RJthebikeguy tutorial:

He puts anti-seize on the threads. I did not have anti-seize, so I used this Polyurea Grease from Park tool (https://www.parktool.com/product/pol...26%20Compounds) that I have been using on all my threads (pedal threads, bottom bracket treads, etc.): Have I been doing this wrong? I see Park Tool also make an anti-seize, so they are clearly not the same thing. Will my threads get seized up if I use a Grease instead of an anti-seize?

Thank you!

DrIsotope

In a bicycle application, they're basically interchangeable. Anti-seize is "high solids," while grease has no solids. So in many applications (particularly those in heat) anti-seize will last much longer. But on a bike, doesn't really matter*. I routinely use both.


*maybe if a bike is left out in the weather to sit for years, using one over the other may have a lasting impact. For the typical user, I seriously doubt it.

frogbiscuit

I agree. Anti-seize has colloidal copper or lead and is especually effective when fastening dissimilar metals. I use it on all threaded surfaces (works great on wheel lug bolts). In bicycle applications, it is such light duty, any sort of grease will work.

maartendc

Okay, that is the answer I was hoping for! Thanks guys!

AlmostTrick

I too use both and see little difference. But I appreciate a good lube debate so I'm hoping it fires up!

Bike Gremlin

My experience is that anti-seize (as the name says ) provides longer ant seize protection.

If re-applied at least annually, then grease is not too bad either.

fietsbob

It's Grease , Plus..

Leebo

My choice is anti seize for the bb. Heavy grease will work fine too.

easyupbug 

All true, but has anyone had to deal with an anti-seized part that seized? I don't need to ask if anyone has had to deal with a greased part that seize (stem, seat post, etc.).

Sy Reene

It's a good question.. some scenarios to consider?
Ti pedals into a (what material are these?) crank's thread?
Alloy Seatpost into a Ti frame?
Ti bolts to secure an alloy stem's faceplate

Isn't the point of anti-seize to avoid galvanic corrosion, not duration or extending time between applications?

canklecat

Yeah, sometimes I worry about some dissimilar metals cohabitating nicely. My Trek 5900 has the original Ibis titanium threadless stem. I haven't disassembled anything to check it. For fancy stuff I'd probably pony up for anti-seize grease.

On my bikes with aluminum quill stems in steel headsets I just use Phil's green grease, which is probably marine grease. So far, so good.

jlaw

I have both. White lithium grease works fine for the purpose.

I don't like the automotive anti-seize that I have because it gets all over things (my fingers, the bike) and is much harder to remove than grease because it has very finely ground solids.

August West

Ha, I was going to post the same thing. Anti-seize is great but it is compound that has the innate ability to migrate to everything on the bike, in the shop or on you even though you didn't touch anything else beside the part that gets the anti-seize and the tool driving it

2manybikes

Same here.

elcraft

I always envisioned anti-seize for things that are disassembled much less frequently, like cartridge BB 's or bolts used to mount racks. I find the M5 bolts that are used in dropouts for rack mounting, etc., are a tad more likely to get rusty. Seat posts seem to be a bit more out of the elements, so traditionally, I greased them. Upon reflection, though, I might change that over to Anti- seize for seatposts, as well. The rest of the more routinely dismantled threads get grease ( anti -seize is so much messier!). BeforeI learned about anti-seize (mostly from DIY auto repair) I used grease to no ill effect. I would use white lithium grease in places like lower headset bearings or the BB where water might get in. With the waterproof "marine bearing " greases, I no longer fuss with lithium grease at all.
In the automotive world, there were once sticky "assembly" greases that were intended to be displaced by or augmented with thinner hi- temp greases or lubrications. The marine grease has a similar viscosity as the assembly grasses of old. I like synthetic grease, like Super Lube, for my Sturmey Archer IGH's, as it doesn't thin out or wash out from the oil inside the hub.

Racing Dan

Yeah, Im inclined to say grease is fine, then again parts may seize efter a long time. Form my experience pedals and seat posts are prone to seizing.

easyupbug 

Good questions, I can only say I come from a smoke stack industry where Preventative Maintenance was highly valued and for Ti if I recall correctly we always used a nickel based anti-seize with any dissimilar metals as apposed to cycling where I, owning only aluminum/steel and/or aluminum/aluminum interface, use copper.

rumrunn6

sounds like porcupine quills. I was once stuck w a couple quills taking pics of a dead one, even tho I never touched it!

rumrunn6

lots of ppl talking it down on the Jeep Cherokee forum for lug bolts. after breaking a cpl on an old 4Runner I began using it, sparingly of course, when ever I rotated wheels, etc. on all our cars. but now everyone is saying it creates a false torque easiness, meaning we're likely to over torque due to the lubrication & ppl are saying it's best to use nothing, on wheel lug bolts. I don't do that anymore so I can't dictate what other mechanics policies are. but I always like a small smidgen wiped w a cloth. especially around there the steel wheel sat on the rust steel wheel hub, on Wifey's old Tiyota

3alarmer 

...sweet memories.

Dr.Lou

I use extra virgin olive oil on all my Italian bikes and sesame on Asian bikes.

Last ride 76 

Don't make the mistake of using toasted sesame oil... the heating causes the oil to gum up and is heck to clean. In fact perilla oil, being a finer sized molecule is much more suitable for racing wheels, reducing bearing friction by .008 percent.

Dr.Lou

I concur, as long as temps don’t drop below 0C

todds

This is an old thread but I believe one place anti-seize really is preferable to grease is freewheel threads. Of course anything is better than nothing, but they get removed so infrequently that anti-seize's long life really helps!

___
/<>/>/>
cambridge, ma

bitpuddle

Bicycles are very low-demand applications for lubricants: low speed and low load. Really any grease is fine. You can use anti seize compounds interchangeably with grease on threads, but the reverse isn’t true. Anti seize compounds aren’t lubricants. Anti seize is a reasonable choice when different metals are being threaded or clamped together and can help prevent weird creaks with titanium components.