# A question on grease and pivot point lubing



## randum (May 17, 2016)

*Grease*:
do i need to buy bike specific grease, or can i source this from home depot/canadian tire and if so, what grease characteristics should i look for?
*
Lubing pivot points*:
what type of lube is appropriate for lubing the pivot points? wet, dry, wax? or are all okay?

i use wax lube for my bike chain. i am not sure if i should also apply this to pivot points.


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## pctloper (Jan 3, 2016)

If you mean suspension pivots these are all sealed bearings on my bikes so needs nothing---be helpful to know what bike so folks can be accurate for you as some brands may not be sealed and have bushings which I cannot comment on


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

As said, spraying/putting an oily/greasy lube anywhere that doesn't actually need it will only serve to attract dirt and grit and cause wear, the only place you should be putting lube is in actual moving places, i.e. in the actual bearings or on the axles going through the bearings. Knowing what bike you have would help.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

Things like derailleur pivots (8 points) should get an occasional drop of light/medium weight lube. I'll usually put a drop on the P and B knucles too. I also put a couple of drops on each side of the RD pulleys. They'll spin much more freely if you do. If you have V-brakes or cantilevers, the arm pivots receive a drop too. Add the lube, exercise the pivots, and wipe off any excess. 

As others have mentioned, pivots bolts get greased where they pass through bearings and often get Loctite on the threaded portion. The outside of cartridge bearings are greased when pressed in. Some will periodically remove a cartridge bearing seal and either add grease or clean out the old grease and regrease it. Once a pivot is assembled, you don't generally add any lube or anything else without disassembling it.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

randum said:


> *Grease*:
> do i need to buy bike specific grease, or can i source this from home depot/canadian tire and if so, what grease characteristics should i look for?


Depends on what you're greasing. For things like bolt threads and stuff you're pressing into place, or for general metal-metal contact, you don't need to be too picky, but a heavy, waterproof grease is a good choice here. Lots of folks use the same stuff for inside the bearings themselves because they're willing to sacrifice a bit of resistance for longevity.

Suspension service is a bit different, and the grease you use can make a huge difference in how your fork or shock feels. You have options, but it pays to be choosier here. Using a really light grease like Slick Honey will feel nice and smooth and give the suspension a more sensitive action, but that light grease needs to be replaced more frequently. RockShox specs a much heavier grease that lasts longer, but doesn't feel as nice. I've replaced it with Slick Honey.

So, long answer short - I have a couple different greases that I use for different things. The "general use" grease for bolt threads and pressed parts can be absolutely anything, but I prefer heavier waterproof stuff. For forks and shocks, I like light Slick Honey.



randum said:


> *Grease**
> Lubing pivot points*:
> what type of lube is appropriate for lubing the pivot points? wet, dry, wax? or are all okay?
> 
> i use wax lube for my bike chain. i am not sure if i should also apply this to pivot points.


I'm with others here - don't apply anything exterior to pivot points. It'll attract dirt and make things worse. Make sure your bearings are in good shape and well-lubricated INSIDE. Make sure any pressed interfaces have a light coating of grease to prevent seizing. If any of those interfaces are too loose, then use a bearing retaining compound.

If the rear suspension pivots use bushings instead of bearings, then put grease on the bushings but still make sure the exterior is clean and dry. But bushings on suspension are kinda rare these days. The only bushings that I regularly service on my bike are on my pedals. There are bushings on most rear shock eyelets, but they're mostly not a frequent maintenance item. Replace them when they're worn. They only cost a few bucks.

The only place chain lube belongs is on chains. And maybe clipless pedal bindings.


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