Groupset mounting bolts... to grease, or not to grease?

[Stats]

I'm building up a bike from scratch at the moment - I've built bikes before but nothing this high end, and I want to be extra careful.

Recently, I've had some conflicting advice about which threads to grease (or not to grease) when installing them on the frame so I was wondering what the board members think... I've got the Dura Ace (yellow) grease, the Campagnolo white (lithium) grease and a small amount of the Finish Line anti-oxidant paste... The groupset I'm building up is a mechanical Super Record groupset.

My question is, what grease (or not) do I use on the mounting bolt threads of the various parts? I know some people have certain preferences but specifically:

- BB (has thread locker on standard) - should I add the anti-oxidant paste to this?
- Crank centre bolt - should I grease this thread - if so, which? (Ti crank)
- R.Der - should I grease the thread before installing - if so, which?
- Brake caliper bolts (has thread locker on standard) - should I grease the threads, if so, which?
- F.Der - any grease, if so, which?
- Headset (I put the lithium grease around these) - correct?

The Campagnolo instruction manuals don't seem to mention anything about whether to put grease on the threads or not, or mention any types. If I should be using a grease that I do not have, please let me know.

Thanks!

[roselend]

- BB, nice thick layer of grease or anti-seize paste on both threads. Keeps it from seizing and keeps the threads healthy.
- Crank centre bolt, axle, axle split and teeth, drown this sucker in grease if you like squeak free riding!
- Bearings on crank and BB cups, nice thick layer.

Basically you cant put to much grease on the bb area, as long as it's not squeezing out on all sides.

- Rear derailleur, front derailleur, brakes. Not really needed here but I always put a small dab of grease of on them for that typical Belgium weather

- Headset, nice thin layer of grease on each individual part to keep it from corroding and extra protection against water.

Using a small brush definitely helps.
The lithium grease will do, the green Dura Ace grease is more for ball bearings and such.

[Frankie13]

I wouldn't put grease on the threats of the bb cups since they already have thread locker. Just make sure you clean the bb area of your frame before installing the cups. I also wouldn't apply any grease on areas that come pretreated with threat locker. Use a thin layer if grease to all the other parts who don't have a threat locker and lower the recommended torque just a little bit because of the grease. Don't put grease on the cult bearings of your crank since the campagnolo ceramic bearings require oil. Lots of grease on the crank axle and crank bolt. A thin layer to the bb cups where the crank bearings slide into and you are all set.
Have fun building your bike and Merry Christmas !

[Cheers!]

From what I can remember, installation of the campagonolo bottom bracket cups is to use Loctite Primer to prime the threads, and then install using Locitite 222 (low strength) and hand tighten the cups into the bottom bracket threads.

If you are installing other bottom brackets, I would goup it in antiseize. The threads of the frames are usually aluminum threads that are freshly tapped/cut or Titanium. No thread treatment means the female and male threads will gall and cold weld to each other.

If you are pressing in bottom bracket cups (bb30, BB92, PF30, BBright, etc), I would use Loctite primer and then Loctite 609.

For loctite primer I typically use 7471... But it is solvent based... I'm not sure if it is acetone as the main solvent... which may be bad for non metal parts... There is 7649 but I'm not sure what it is comprised of. Best to check before doing anything.

[Valbrona]

BB (has thread locker on standard) - small amount of Finish Line Anti-Seize Assemply Paste
- Crank centre bolt - Finish Line Anti-Seize Assemply Paste
- R.Der - Finish Line Anti-Seize Assemply Paste
- Brake caliper bolts (has thread locker on standard) - small amount of Finish Line Anti-Seize Assemply Paste
- F.Der - Finish Line Anti-Seize Assemply Paste
- Headset (I put the lithium grease around these) - yes, a light smear of white grease around bearings if we are talking modern integrated headset. Petroleum jelly will do.

[fdegrove]

Hi,

I've got the Dura Ace (yellow) grease, the Campagnolo white (lithium) grease and a small amount of the Finish Line anti-oxidant paste...

Except for the Finish Line product which is an anti-seize the other greases are bearing greases which I wouldn't use to mount parts with.
The anti-seize as the name suggests prevents parts made out of differing materials, e.g. steel and aluminium, aluminium and titanium etc., from forming a cold weld. I.e. a weld takes places due to ion exchange between different metals.
So this particular grease (a.k.a. copper paste although not exclusively copper particle based) is used wherever two or more different metals are to be mounted together.

Loctite's threadlocker does lock parts into place and serves as anti-seize at the same time. See above.

When in doubt about the nature of the materials to be put together use anti-seize (or threadlocker medium force) or a mounting paste at the very least.
Parts such as handlebars (carbon or aluminium), seatposts etc. that you don't want to slip can best be mounted with a carbon specific mounting paste such as Dynamic/Tacx or whatever other trade name it is being sold under. This particular mounting grease is loaded with microscopically small pearls which provide for an exceptionally high filling grade preventing parts from moving/slipping.
As an aside it also allows for about 30% less torque to be used which is a godsend when mounting delicate carbon parts.

Personally I never grease parts that I remove/untighten regularly: derailleur and brake cable fixing bolts for instance, and use Loctite threadlocker for parts that I don't touch regularly. Threadlockers have another advantage over mounting paste in that they don't act as a dirt magnet....

Use a torque wrench whenever it is wise to do so but use it correctly. There's is more damage done by incorrect use of torque wrenches than people would care to admit.

Enjoy building and merry X-mass to all,

[yourdaguy]

Old school rule of thumb is that everything on the bike gets grease or thread locker. The only debate is what kind of grease and thread locker. I only use low strength thread locker on things like brake rotor bolts, etc. unless the installation instructions specifically call for medium strength (I have never seen anything bike related that called for high strength, but I am sure there is something).

For most general bolts and bottom bracket threads, etc. I like Tri-Flow clear synthetic grease. It is the most impervious to water washing out the grease and is stable for a long time. I have had very bad results with TACX anywhere that carbon is touching a metal directly such as a steel or aluminum seat tube. I learned this lesson very well when a carbon seatpost slathered in TACX and put in an 853 frame for 3-4 months allowed the seatpost to weld itself to the frame. TACX apparently does little to stop galvanic corrosion and is very easily washed out with water. I currently use the silver anti-seize with good results for that application, but the frame got cracks on both sides of the seat tube (even though the post a 420 mm post is in the tube by over 3 inches). Apparently the galvanic corrosion where the top tube and seat stays enter the seat tube (the cracks are in line with those tubes) was so deep into the metal that it was almost to the surface. The silver anti-seize grease appears to have small soft particles of aluminum so the post grips great and doesn't corrode because of the aluminum. I have easily removed a carbon seatpost in a steel frame after 6 months using this. If you are wondering why I need a carbon seatpost in an 853 steel frame it is a full rigid single speed and my butt is old and doesn't have much padding.