Freehub: which oil?

[Jimmy Doug]

I've started hearing a gritty noise when freewheeling. Thanks to the god-like Sheldon, I found that I should lubricate every year with a medium oil by simply pouring it into the freehub with the bike on its side. But what constitutes a medium oil? I know there exists something called Phil's Tanacious Oil, but it's quite expensive and has only limited use. What else can I use? In my garage right now I have chain oil (normal and wet), B'Twin spray grease (which seems very light), B'twin teflon grease (which is very thick), 3 in 1, diesel engine oil, UB40 (Yes, I know it's not really a lubricant!) Could any of these oils do the trick? If not, what about chainsaw oil?

 

[Shut Up Legs]

The weekend before last I cleaned my freewheel body and put some White Lightning "Wet Ride" oil into it, just trickling it into the bearing well. It seemed to work OK.

 

[PpPete]

IUB40 (Yes, I know it's not really a lubricant!)

ROFPMSL...
Both Red Red Wine and WD40 are to be avoided for this purpose...
Anything other than grease will likely wash out very quickly.

 

[mickle]

Noooooooo!!! Grease only!

It might be acceptable to seep oil into a freewheel to eke a bit more life out of it but never a freehub. They aint the same, and oil bleeding into the grease is a great way to wreck the non drive side bearing surface of the hub. Oil doesnt stay where its put - its why they invented grease.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Agreed. Let me clarify that I put chain oil into the freewheel body only. The rear hub bearing wells* (after cleaning the bearings and the wells) I thoroughly greased before reassembly.

* or whatever the correct term is.

 

[mickle]

Ok. Do we all understand the difference between a freewheel and a freehub?

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Ok. Do we all understand the difference between a freewheel and a freehub?

I think I do, now. Just read the Wikipedia article on freewheel vs freehub, so I understand that the Shimano FH M760 unit I have is the latter . Thanks for prompting me to correct my misunderstanding.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Ok. Do we all understand the difference between a freewheel and a freehub?

I hope. Freewheel is the old system where the ratchet mechanism was attached to the cluster; freehub is the modern, better system where the ratchet mechanism is attached to the wheel. Mine is a freehub.

ROFPMSL...
Both Red Red Wine and WD40 are to be avoided for this purpose...
Anything other than grease will likely wash out very quickly.

The B'twin teflon oil - or would lithium grease be better?

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I believe different freehubs require different treatments.

For the vast majority of Shimano freehubs, which have sealed internal pawls and ratchets, I am with Park and Barnett, both specify light oil, and only a little. The same is true for Mavic.