sram T3 hub bearing grease ?

[hoogerbooger]

Hi

Any experienced hub mechanics out there ?

Does it matter what grease is used on the sram T3 bearing races ?

I have a T3 on my Bromptons. On one the bearings are set too tight and on the other they are loose - so I need to venture into the hub. I've found an document on line - which suggests re-lubrication is likely to be unnecessary..... but as I need to open up the hub I though I better have the appropriate lube necessary. I will almost certainly avoid taking apart the the actual gear mechanism. For the bearings SRAM say use their grease (part no. 0369.001.015) This seems to be a barium based grease. seems to be used sparingly - presumably to avoid contaminating the gearing that used a different product.

Anyone know how important it is to use the SRAM bearing gease is ? recommend where this can be bought - or what other grease would be suitable ?? (e.g. the finish line teflon grease I use on other bearings ??)

[Brucey]

you can adjust the bearings on the LH side without taking anything apart if you want to. If you are happy with the bearing adjustment, you can remove the RH cone (and add grease to the RH bearings) without difficulty; the RH cone tightens against a shoulder on the axle in most SRAM IGHs so the bearing adjustment is not lost when the RH cone is disturbed.

If you are confident that the grease you add to any bearing isn't going to mix with other greases inside the hub, you won't have a compatibility problem. Almost any good quality bearing grease will be OK in the bearings.

BTW I would normally suggest a fairly runny semi-fluid grease for an IGH centre but SRAM hubs don't have a big lip inside the hubshell, thus don't retain lubes (that are fluid enough to get around the inside of the hub) very well. Some folk use a mixture of grease in some places, oils in others when they service such hubs. I think this is OK if it is repeated often enough.

The problem with the SRAM grease (indeed any thicker grease inside an IGH) is that it can be entirely displaced from where it is really needed (the pinion bushings being a case in point) and thereafter wear and corrosion can ensue locally. A more mobile lube avoids this, but as I said it might not stay in the hub in sufficient quantity to be useful in the long run.

cheers