Fave Grease/Lube for diff. bike parts?

[giverdada]

So as per my other post regarding a chain-driving Tune hub and subsequent attempt to delve into a new rear wheel, I ended up taking the Tune hub apart, and doing my best to give it a sound overhaul.

It worked.

I didn't end up needing a special 'axle-driver' to tape the axle past the hub body bearing either - an old toothbrush worked just fine when tapped with a framing hammer. I got the cassette off, the end cap off, tapped the axle through the freehub body bearing, got the freehub body off, and looked inside the hub shell and at the pawls and springs.

Holy crap, there was a ton of right nasty gunk in there! All grey grease. Just coating everything. Not black, but that nauseating grey that shows once-clean grease to be thoroughly contaminated by rounds and rounds of dissolved metal particulate. Ew.

So I cleaned it all up, micro screwdriver and a rag, many many times around, took out the pawls and springs and cleaned those and their slots on the freehub body, and got everything pretty clean. Then I was confronted with the decision: which lube to use to reassemble?

My choices were: White Finish Line Grease; Phil's Tenacious Oil; or Tri-Flow basic lube. I went with the Phil's. It seemed to be the best viscosity, and also like it would stick around longer than the Tri-Flow.

I put it in the pawls' slots, and the springs' slots, on all of the teeth inside the hub body, all over the O-ring washer, and a few drips inside the bowl of the hub body, just for good measure. Rubbed everything over with my fingers to make sure it was all coated on all sides, then reassembled. It's been working like butter. Quieter than before when freewheeling, but no more driving of the chain while coasting, and very good engagement. Don't even need a new wheel anymore!

So, what lube SHOULD I have used for inside a rear hub shell? What about for other parts?

This is my current mode of operation so far:

Assembly of most bolts, pedals into cranks, stuff like that: Phil's waterproof or Finish Line white stuff.
Repacking bearings: Phil's waterproof or Finish Line white stuff.
Cables: NEVER Pedro's; Tri-Flow okay?
Brake pivots, derailleur parallellogram pins: Tri-Flow
Hub/Spoke, Nipple/Spoke/Rim interfaces: Tri-Flow
Chains: endless debate
Headsets: Phil's Waterproof or Finish Line white stuff
Other?

[oldpotatoe]

Assembly of most bolts, pedals into cranks, stuff like that: Phil's waterproof or Finish Line white stuff.
Repacking bearings: Phil's waterproof or Finish Line white stuff.
Cables: NEVER Pedro's; Tri-Flow okay?
Brake pivots, derailleur parallellogram pins: Tri-Flow
Hub/Spoke, Nipple/Spoke/Rim interfaces: Tri-Flow
Chains: endless debate
Headsets: Phil's Waterproof or Finish Line white stuff
Other?


Remember, grease is 'oil' in 'soap'...any grease is fine. I mix a $5 tub of blue waterproof 'boat' grease with a $5 tub of white lithium..ooo, pretty light blue. I'd use the dark blue boat grease but ya can't tell when it's dirty.
If a Campag hub, I use my tub of stoopid expensive Campag grease-:)

Oil? Synthetic automotive engine oil. Quart of Mobil One not expensive and a QUART. Doesn't get thick when cold. Use on all pawls and between things like DT ratchet plates.

Anything packaged for 'bike' is going to be more expensive and often just repacked general purpose 'stuff', like Phil's grease. Made by Chevron but way more expensive than Chevron grease.

[AngryScientist]

greasing pawls is a good way to get them to hang up and stick. never grease in freehub pawls for me.

additionally, i use very few bicycle specific products. there is a robust product range for the automotive and motorcycle industry that perform as well and in many cases better, and are cheaper and easier to find.

anyway, for freehubs, i use hypoid gear oil, specifically designed for sliding contact metal surfaces. works. the phil's oil was a good choice in there too.

[giverdada]

genius. i'll have to start heading to the auto parts section more often! what do you all use for cables? i found that the pedro's i used to grease-gun pump into my speedplays turns into complete muck, and often hardened muck, after a time. cables might be sticking right now because of this. tri-flow? synthetic motor oil?

[AngryScientist]

cables:

i just shoot a blast of spray dry lube in the housing before i insert a cable. stays clean, doesnt collect grime. never had an issue with this method. i would never use a liquid "oil" or grease on a cable for a bicycle, IMO.

https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/eb1010e2-a247-43d5-b544-b11a5bdcfa44/svn/blaster-lubricants-grease-funnels-16-tdl-64_1000.jpg

[oldguy00]

For threaded parts/bolts, I've used this stuff for years, never had a bolt seize yet.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/finish-line-anti-seize-grease/rp-prod29157

[old_fat_and_slow]

Phil Wood for all greased surfaces.

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/f2e702f3-7fb8-4079-856d-783b122b2212_1.543d7fc6cc6a29464cf7ba629d7bea8d.jp eg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF

[GOTHBROOKS]

https://merlincycles-img.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/productImage_470_470_ffffff_image-jpeg/30786_rock_n_roll_cable_magic_1oz.jpg
for cables.

[Duende]

+1 on RocknRoll. Love their chain line too!

[zzy]

I like cable magic too, and cannot understand why people grease or oil cables in lined housing. It always degrades and fouls up. I like Phil's waterproof or Slick Honey for hubs and headsets. Otherwise Park Poly for non moving parts. TriFlow for quicklubing of small parts. Clean Streak aerosol if I'm in a rush.

[simplemind]

Basically you don't want t use anything "sticky", as it can cause a pawl to shear off if it doesn't flip out soon enough. I use a King lube (https://chrisking.com/files/public/content/media/document/2/0/ring_drive_lube_addendum_10_16_b.pdf), but the conventional wisdom recommends Dumonde tech freehub oil. Source (https://www.bikenashbar.com/cycling/dumonde-tech-freehub-oil-1-oz-dt-fhoil-base?utm_source=Google_Product_Search&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=datafeed&cm_mmc=Google_Product_Search-_-PLA-_-Datafeed-_-Dumonde%20Tech%20Freehub%20Oil%201%20Oz&CAWELAID=1274442203&source=googleUS&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=24469518258&CATCI=aud-439536544508:pla-169326040818&catargetid=400006960000132860&cadevice=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwr-PYBRB8EiwALtjbz50DgxTotGlP7yDXmx9m2N3-4A4vWohZh6CXFFUnTLKQvgYTM7N2BRoCcOYQAvD_BwE).