Grease or Loctite? What do you recommend for each bolt?

[mudpuppy]

I am trying to get a list together for a post on what bolts on our machines to use grease on and what bolts to use loctite on and would love to hear your opinion.

Here is a list of the bolts that I can think of on a bike, fi you can think of any others please add them.

Stem bolts -
Seat Post bolts -
Seat Post Collar bolt -
Rotor Bolts -
Cranks 8m Bolts -
Chainring bolts -
Bottom Bracket Shell -
BB Interface -
Pedals -
Flat Pedal pins -
Caliper to brake bolts -
Caliper to frame bolts -
Pivot bolts -
Shock Mounting bolts -
FR/R Axle threads -
Derailleur limit screws -
Bottle Mount bolts -

Ti bolts?

Any other tips on this subject?

Thanks everyone!

[J.B. Weld]

A dab of grease on just about any bolt has always done me right. The only bolts I ever use loctite on are brake caliper and rotor bolts- there are many grades so be sure to use the right one. I use anti seize on ti bolts, but some people recommend it on all threads and that would be fine as well.

Your limit screws should already have loctite on them.

[minh]

the only time I've ever used loctite on a bike was when building mavic 817 wheels (the 817 rims have these threaded-in eyelets, and you need the eyelet to not move when you're bringing the spokes up to tension). for everything else I use either grease or antiseize. antiseize on BB shell, and spoke threads (used to use motor oil/ grease on spoke threads). grease on mostly everything else. and a torque wrench.

[wschruba]

I am trying to get a list together for a post on what bolts on our machines to use grease on and what bolts to use loctite on and would love to hear your opinion.

Here is a list of the bolts that I can think of on a bike, fi you can think of any others please add them.

Stem bolts - grease
Seat Post bolts - grease
Seat Post Collar bolt - grease
Rotor Bolts - threadlocker (medium/blue)
Cranks 8m Bolts - grease on threads and the bottom of the bolt head
Chainring bolts - n/a
Bottom Bracket Shell - anti-seize/grease/bearing retaining compound, depending on interface
BB Interface - depends on the interface, nothing or greased
Pedals - grease
Flat Pedal pins - threadlocker
Caliper to brake bolts - threadlocker
Caliper to frame bolts - threadlocker
Pivot bolts - nothing (nylock nuts)/threadlocker
Shock Mounting bolts - nothing (nylock nuts)/threadlocker
FR/R Axle threads - nothing
Derailleur limit screws - threadlocker
Bottle Mount bolts - nothing, low torque application

Ti bolts? Same as above

Any other tips on this subject?

Thanks everyone!

...

Spokes should either be built with spoke-prep or oiled periodically to keep them from corroding in the nipple and preventing truing, as above.

[Nrs1Rider]

Grease on every thing but spokes, rotor bolts, brake bolts, chain ring and crank bolts which I use loctite blue on. I only use loctite on the race face crank I have on one bike because the bolt kept coming loose. I check the bolts on my bikes on a fairly regular basis for tightness so I don't feel the need to loctite every thing.

[trhoppe]

Threadlocker on
- suspension bolts
- shock bolts
- brake rotor screws
- derailleur limit

Grease on everything else.

[mudpuppy]

Awesome, thanks for the help everyone, super appreciated!

[GTscoob]

Grease on headset cups when pressing into the frame, grease in looseball hubs and bottom brackets.

Blue loctite on rotor bolts, adapter frame bolts, caliper bolts, and pedal pins. Limit screws as well but most of those come from the factory with threadlocker.

Antiseize on everything else. Stem bolts, seatpost binder bolts, headset preload bolt, bottom bracket threads, pedal threads, derailleur threads. Torque wrench on most of them. Pretty sure you should only use silver antiseize with titanium hardware as copper will cause galling.

Antiseize just seems to stay put better than grease on threaded surfaces.

[mtnbiker4life]

Also, follow components manufacture recommended torque values.

Do not use Loctite Blue 242 anywhere near plastics or thermoplastics are it outgases resulting in part failure.
http://www.loctiteproducts.com/tds/T_LKR_BLUE_tds.pdf

.

[dereknc]

CA also known as Super Glue works as a really good thread locker on bolts threaded into plastic pieces. Right off the bat I can't think of anything on a bike that would require this but just putting it out there in case you run into it.

I've used mostly grease on bicycle bolts but have found that my Easton EA50 stem clamp bolts would regularly work loose with grease. 242 and those bolts have yet to come loose.

My opinion is if anything is clamping a carbon part threadlocker may be a better option. The torque is so low on those bolts to start with that the threadlocker is definitely going to hold the bolt to it's original position unlike grease.