New crankset: grease or not to grease?

[Jimmy Doug]

I've just ordered a new Shimano Alivio crankset, which uses a square taper bearing. I've been looking around on the Internet and have seen that the issue of what to grease and what not to grease seems hotly disputed. What are our resident experts' opinion on this?

 

[MontyVeda]

grease the bits you might want to take apart at a later date, i.e., pedal threads, the shafts on the BB the cranks fit on to, and the bolts which hold them in place.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

This corresponds to what I imagine - the debateable point seems to be the BB shafts: lot of people say that it shouldn't be greased. Not sure why not, though.

 

[User6179]

This corresponds to what I imagine - the debateable point seems to be the BB shafts: lot of people say that it shouldn't be greased. Not sure why not, though.

Mine clicks on my winter bike if i dont grease it!

 

[mickle]

Shimano cranks come with all the grease they'll need.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Shimano cranks come with all the grease they'll need.

So, no more grease at all then - even on the bolts? I have to say, before I really paid attention to what I was doing I never used to grease anything. I've never had difficulties removing anything.

 

[02GF74]

I put grea on square taper bottom brackets, what harm can it does? And reading many posts about mysterious creaks solved by just doing that, seems crazy not to,

 

[Drago]

Don't grease the square taper. It needs to be surgically clean. A film of grease even a fraction of a micron thick leaves room for movement, which will can lead to wear and the eventual opening of the socket on the crank.

 

[Tim Hall]

See, two points of view already. If you can't decide, grease only two of the faces of the taper, that way you've covered both options.

<insert emoticon of choice>

 

[GrumpyGregry]

alloy crank arms have a microscopic coating of ali oxide which should lube them a treat on a steel crank axle.

but then that nice Mr Shimano provides his crankarms ready greased.

I can see no harm in using grease or anti-sieze on crank bolts which are steel on steel.

 

[mickle]

In line with my training Ive never used grease and never had a problem either with my own bikes or with customer's bikes.

But, having said that, Shi**no cranks leave the factory with a dab of grease on each face of the taper.

If in doubt refer to the manufacturer's instructions!

 

[mickle]

Thanks Greg! :rollseyes:

 

[HovR]

When re-assembling cup and cone BB's on old racers or friends/families cheap bikes a bit of grease always tends to get on the square taper faces. I wipe the most of the excess off, but never get it "surgically clean" as described above, instead I leave a small amount to discourage corrosion.

Never had any issues with this method over the many bikes I've done it on. To be fair I think it makes hardly any difference what so ever whether you grease them or not - I just don't have time to clean the square taper faces perfectly free of oils and grease!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I did once have a creaky campag chainset. Just could not torque it to the required setting either.

The merest film of grease on the taper and a generous dollop of antisieze on the bolt threads and it torqued up and shut up. so as to speak.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Cheers guys. I won't grease anything, as Mickle says; but if it squeaks I'll take it apart and grease it. There we are - compromise!
Which leads me onto my next question: torque wrench or not to torque wrench. I don't have one. Should I invest in one?