S&S Couplers Loosening

[Dustin]

I've read that this isn't supposed to happen, but lately the coupler on my downtube seems to be in the habit of loosening up, even after I reef down on it with the spanner wrench.

Anyone else ever have this issue? If so, how did you fix it short of carrying the spanner and tightening before your rides? I've considered loctite, but the instructions make a pretty big deal of only using the teflon grease in there.

[Ray]

I've read that this isn't supposed to happen, but lately the coupler on my downtube seems to be in the habit of loosening up, even after I reef down on it with the spanner wrench.

Anyone else ever have this issue? If so, how did you fix it short of carrying the spanner and tightening before your rides? I've considered loctite, but the instructions make a pretty big deal of only using the teflon grease in there.
I've never had it happen and it shouldn't, but beeswax is the solution to any problem of that sort. Fortunately, having the thing turn one or two revolutions won't hurt the frame at all - the coupler won't move unless it comes all the way undone. So you could really just hand tighten it before each ride and keep an eye on it while you're riding and hand tighten as needed. But beeswax ought to hold it pretty well and still let you loosen it when you want to. But I'd call the builder and see if anything can be done because it really shouldn't be happening.

-Ray

[David Kirk]

No on the loctite!

Are the threads and the collars lubed with the grease that the S&S folks recommend?

dave

[Smiley]

I've read that this isn't supposed to happen, but lately the coupler on my downtube seems to be in the habit of loosening up, even after I reef down on it with the spanner wrench.

Anyone else ever have this issue? If so, how did you fix it short of carrying the spanner and tightening before your rides? I've considered loctite, but the instructions make a pretty big deal of only using the teflon grease in there.

Ti or SST coupler, I have a tandem and a road bike with SST S&S couplers and when I read your post I went to the garage and checked and they are both really snug. I can't figure out why, I'd call S&S as they would know for sure.

[Dustin]

No on the loctite!

Are the threads and the collars lubed with the grease that the S&S folks recommend?

dave

I used the special teflon grease they recommend, but I suppose I could try cleaning everything, then reapplying and tightening to see how things go.

It's not enough to hand-tighten it once it comes loose, as it will actually re-loosen mid ride after hand tightening.

Have e-mailed S&S to get their advice.

[billrick]

My thoughts . . .

I had one S&S frame that was built slightly out of alignment - and the couplings would come loose frequently. I simply checked before every ride and hand tightened them. Definitely DON'T over torque them.

My new S&S frame (Rock Lobster) is super precise in the alignment department - and it never comes loose.

Not saying that alignment is the cause, just my observation.

:)

[RaleighComp]

http://www.sandsmachine.com/ac_greas.htm

According to them, the best and only stuff to use on S%S couplings.

Check out their test data (http://www.sandsmachine.com/grease_t.htm) . If you scroll down you'll be amazed at how many "Teflon" lubes are actually worse than no lube at all!

Luckily, I bought some of this good stuff from Performance when they had it for close-out at $3.95 a tube back in 1996. I always use it for important and fragile stuff that needs to be torqued down (like Hollowtech II pinch bolts after I broke one off and had to carefully drill it out from the other side with tiny dremel drill bits)

[FMS_rider]

http://www.sandsmachine.com/ac_greas.htm

According to them, the best and only stuff to use on S%S couplings.

Check out their test data (http://www.sandsmachine.com/grease_t.htm) . If you scroll down you'll be amazed at how many "Teflon" lubes are actually worse than no lube at all!

Luckily, I bought some of this good stuff from Performance when they had it for close-out at $3.95 a tube back in 1996. I always use it for important and fragile stuff that needs to be torqued down (like Hollowtech II pinch bolts after I broke one off and had to carefully drill it out from the other side with tiny dremel drill bits)

I would be very surprised if the special Teflon grease is necessary for S&S couplers, including Ti. The test described on the S&S site may be appropriate for certain aerospace or industrial applications but in my opinion is extreme overkill for their couplers. I and others I know use standard anti-seize on Ti couplers with no problems --if it works on bottom brackets it is going to work on the couplers. The only advantage of the Teflon grease I can see is that it may be less likely to stain clothing. However I have scarfed up tight-fitting plastic caps (from various containers around the house) that I cover the connectors with during travel so I don't have a problem with that --and I don't have to reapply anti-seize when I reassemble.

I push down as hard as I can on the end of the standard S&S wrench (oriented horizontally) with my palm (padded with a cycling glove) and have never had a coupler loosen.

A warning about anti-seize in tubes: it separates when unused for some time and if you don't knead it around in the tube and discard the bit in the nozzle what you get out is mostly a thick oil that could kill expensive Ti parts.

Lew