Square taper, grease or not!!!!
- Thread starter dicoverybmw
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Once a week I work on the worst of the abandoned and unloved BSOs - the ones that get donated to cycle recycle charities - for 3-4 hours
never have i found any evidence of greased BB axles. Never have I found a crank with good threads that couldn't be removed. Hell, even the ones with bad threads yield to the 2-legged puller. This includes one bike, that judging from the BB and hubs had clearly been in a pond
I have greased the odd BB axle, but usually only if it's a creaker. Never had any issues with either method.
never have i found any evidence of greased BB axles. Never have I found a crank with good threads that couldn't be removed. Hell, even the ones with bad threads yield to the 2-legged puller. This includes one bike, that judging from the BB and hubs had clearly been in a pond
I have greased the odd BB axle, but usually only if it's a creaker. Never had any issues with either method.
I'm sure there is many if us out there who have purchased/acquired a bike that when we've come to strip it down has had parts seized solid? Lack of care usually the reason, in-frequent maint, abuse and so on. The result is the none standard methods of removal often resulting in further unavoidable damage to associated components and worse case scenario the bike frame itself. Corrosion, Cold-welding, Over-tightening, All preventable if people took the time to maintain and correctly assemble in the first instance.
Whilst we have some very knowledgable answers and explanations to the 'for's and against' of greasing components prior to fitment I don't think it will ever force those who don't grease to start, or those that do grease to stop. I work in Military Aviation, and work to high tolerances/torque loadings/complex assembly, and therefore the regime I adopt at work I continue on my bikes, it's a personal thing, I will continue to grease square tapers and threads, and torque load bolts correctly and i'm sure continue to have many years of trouble free cycling as I have done already
Whilst we have some very knowledgable answers and explanations to the 'for's and against' of greasing components prior to fitment I don't think it will ever force those who don't grease to start, or those that do grease to stop. I work in Military Aviation, and work to high tolerances/torque loadings/complex assembly, and therefore the regime I adopt at work I continue on my bikes, it's a personal thing, I will continue to grease square tapers and threads, and torque load bolts correctly and i'm sure continue to have many years of trouble free cycling as I have done already
hollister":2meqk16y said:Doesn't matter what field you're in, torqueing bolts down properly is always a good idea
But that's not why cranks get stuck on bikes either
Agreed and I'm not stating that my field of work paves the way for everyone to take heed, just that its what I'm used to doing at work and therefore I do the same with my bikes when at home
simples!!!
We_are_Stevo
Old School Grand Master
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hollister":3utfyxak said:
Well, that may have been more than a slight exaggeration on my part (
) but yes, over the years I have had a couple of crank sets bottom out on the tapers......let's face it, we're not talking about precision-machined components here; the whole point of square taper is that it is very 'forgiving' and allowed the mass production of die-cast alloy cranks for the masses. It stands to reason there are going to be variations in tolerances/quality.
I think also you need to appreciate the vast gulf that divides the climate in which our passtime takes place; prior to the jump in shipping rates I bought a lot of stuff from the USA, mostly from California.
I put a sprung Judy on my Kilauea before giving it to my daughter and you would have thought the fork was virtually new. I have never had a fork from the States that showed anything like the corrosion we have to contend with over here.
With regard to the 'yes/no' of the OP, on the one hand we've had some rational arguments 'for' backed up by compelling anecdotal/personal (and professional) experience, whilst on the other we have the (sucks teeth...) 'Ooh, you don't want to do it like that' response with no actual, factual, reasoning why not other than personal 'opinion...'
Also, in the context of the OP, the BB reference is the same.
Ok, you exaggerated. I figured it was something like thatWe_are_Stevo":3di49s9e said:hollister":3di49s9e said:
Well, that may have been more than a slight exaggeration on my part (
...let's face it, we're not talking about precision-machined components here; the whole point of square taper is that it is very 'forgiving' and allowed the mass production of die-cast alloy cranks for the masses. It stands to reason there are going to be variations in tolerances/quality.
I think also you need to appreciate the vast gulf that divides the climate in which our passtime takes place; prior to the jump in shipping rates I bought a lot of stuff from the USA, mostly from California.
I put a sprung Judy on my Kilauea before giving it to my daughter and you would have thought the fork was virtually new. I have never had a fork from the States that showed anything like the corrosion we have to contend with over here.
With regard to the 'yes/no' of the OP, on the one hand we've had some rational arguments 'for' backed up by compelling anecdotal/personal (and professional) experience, whilst on the other we have the (sucks teeth...) 'Ooh, you don't want to do it like that' response with no actual, factual, reasoning why not other than personal 'opinion...'
Also, in the context of the OP, the BB reference is the same.
Not quite sure what your trying to with the rest of your post though
Both sides have anecdotal evidence and something about a bb and the op? Could you clear it up a little, I wanna make sure I'm getting this right
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In 26 years of rebuilding bikes of all ages, I've never greased a taper.
When I was working in the bike shop, no chainsets were ever greased either. crank bolts were torqued up to 44Nm which seemed a bit much to me but thats what they wanted.
When I was working in the bike shop, no chainsets were ever greased either. crank bolts were torqued up to 44Nm which seemed a bit much to me but thats what they wanted.
