Titanium Frames and anti seize

[Jcgill]

I had my Moots built up in June of 2016, and the shop that assembled it used silver nickel anti seize on all of the threads.
I bought all of the moots ti fasteners for the bottle cages, barrel adjusters, and a ti seatpost as well.
I am kind of concerned with parts seizing to the frame, as this is my first ti bike....

What is a good interval to reapply anti seize to the ti on ti and aluminum on ti of the bb to make sure nothing seizes?

For what it’s worth, the moots is my nice weather bike, so it has never seen rain and hopefully never will. I also clean it with a cloth and pedros bike lust, never soaking it with a garden hose....Not sure if that changes the service interval.

[Cicli]

I do it annually. Probably too often but it makes me feel good and cant hurt.

[AngryScientist]

if it doesnt see crap weather, and the parts were put together with anti seize in the first place - the only parts i would be concerned with are the seatpost and bottom bracket. ti is known to eat certain aluminum alloys. the internet is littered with swiss cheese photos of CK bottom brackets eaten by ti frames.

for the conditions you describe, all i would do is pull the bottom bracket and seatpost annually and re-apply anti-seize. for what it's worth, i just use grease on my moots, and it sees a decent amount of craptastic weather. no issues.

[beeatnik]

Better to ride a creaky titanium frame than a creaky skateboard.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

if it doesnt see crap weather, and the parts were put together with anti seize in the first place - the only parts i would be concerned with are the seatpost and bottom bracket. ti is known to eat certain aluminum alloys. the internet is littered with swiss cheese photos of CK bottom brackets eaten by ti frames.

for the conditions you describe, all i would do is pull the bottom bracket and seatpost annually and re-apply anti-seize. for what it's worth, i just use grease on my moots, and it sees a decent amount of craptastic weather. no issues.

I have owned at least one TI frame for about 10 years now and used them in all kinds of bad weather. I never used anti seize and never had an issue except for a decomposed CK BB.

[Kontact]

Aluminum parts in Ti gall, which is a friction process, not electro-chemical like galvanic corrosion.

Since the whole point of anti-seize is its longevity and the damage is done while tightening or riding when loose, I would coat the threads well, torque it correctly and leave it alone. Every time you remove a part you are just subjecting it to the forces that will cause galling.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Jcgill

I had my Moots built up in June of 2016, and the shop that assembled it used silver nickel anti seize on all of the threads.
I bought all of the moots ti fasteners for the bottle cages, barrel adjusters, and a ti seatpost as well.
I am kind of concerned with parts seizing to the frame, as this is my first ti bike....

What is a good interval to reapply anti seize to the ti on ti and aluminum on ti of the bb to make sure nothing seizes?

For what it’s worth, the moots is my nice weather bike, so it has never seen rain and hopefully never will. I also clean it with a cloth and pedros bike lust, never soaking it with a garden hose....Not sure if that changes the service interval.

Congratulations on such a nice rig..probably about the same interval as a complete OVH of bearings, hubs, headset, BB..annual..As has been mentioned, seatpost as well.

[Peter P.]

Apply anti-seize to the BB cups, (threaded, yes?) then wrap with Teflon plumber's tape. Apply anti-seize to the BB threads, then install.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

Apply anti-seize to the BB cups, (threaded, yes?) then wrap with Teflon plumber's tape. Apply anti-seize to the BB threads, then install.

BUT not too much..if the anti seize migrates to bearings it'll kill 'em in short order..

I actually use grease on my Moots on BB threads and OVH more often(about 3 times a year, wet weather bike).

[tuscanyswe]

i used grease alone on both my moots. Not the slightest issue even tho i rarely took them apart and these were bikes who saw riding in swedish weather more or less every day incl winter.

Its not a big concearn imo

[Veloo]

Do you folks remove and replace the headset as well when you do the seatpost and BB rotation?

Not as convenient even if you do have the tools.

[Mikej]

I would use the copper anti seize only, 10+ ti frames. Reason being the silver anti sieze is aluminum, ti frames have 3 or 6% aluminum. Chemical wise, metals of the same like to hold hands... forever. You want opposites. I’m sure people have dry ti on ti and it’s fine, but I would not be able to sleep at night.

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by Veloo

Do you folks remove and replace the headset as well when you do the seatpost and BB rotation?

Not as convenient even if you do have the tools.

Defiantly not. Pulling press fit cups in and out a lot may not be healthy for the cups and head tube on a metallic frame. A good dose of anti-seize will seal up the interface. I have pulled a King headset out of my Ti frame after 6 years of all weather riding and the cups were pristine as was the head tube, this was with light grease and not anti-seize. Worst case scenario, the cups corrode and are still easy to remove and the head tube remains intact. This is not a threaded part that can create a big problem if it seizes in place.

[Veloo]

Thanks BD. Good to know.
Cups and headsets are cheap enough to replace if it's just the aluminum that will deteriorate. Would hate to deal with Ti (frame) corrosion/ degradation.

Originally Posted by Black Dog

Defiantly not. Pulling press fit cups in and out a lot may not be healthy for the cups and head tube on a metallic frame. A good dose of anti-seize will seal up the interface. I have pulled a King headset out of my Ti frame after 6 years of all weather riding and the cups were pristine as was the head tube, this was with light grease and not anti-seize. Worst case scenario, the cups corrode and are still easy to remove and the head tube remains intact. This is not a threaded part that can create a big problem if it seizes in place.

[Kontact]

Originally Posted by Veloo

Thanks BD. Good to know.
Cups and headsets are cheap enough to replace if it's just the aluminum that will deteriorate. Would hate to deal with Ti (frame) corrosion/ degradation.

It isn't degradation, and it isn't caused by wet weather.