Cycling UK Forum

Hi

Having spent an extremely frustrating Saturday dismantling one of our tandem rear wheels in order to re-build the wheel with new spokes, what do people think of, or has anyone used, zinc anti-seize grease? A search of the web, seems to suggest this grease is better than copper, for aluminium/steel points of contact (and copper grease does not like salt). Has anyone bought zinc grease and if so, from where?

i spent several hours trying to remove the screw-on freewheel. Despite having thoroughly greased the freewheel when it was last removed ~3 years ago, I could not budge it. Neither could the first bike shop, fracturing and wrecking their vice and a freewheel extractor. The second bike shop gave up after 15 mins of trying in their vice. Finally after soaking the outside of the freewheel and the spoke-side of the freewheel with Plus-Gas lubricant for a couple of hours, two burly lads and a huge vice in the third bike shop loosened it - success and relief! The two lads got the freewheel shifted without any damage to them, freewheel, vice, extractor and my precious hub that has served us well over 20 years.
I need to make sure this doesn't happen again. I also thought about screwing the freewheel up against a 2 mm spacer next time?

Advice gratefully received.

I dont know about Zinc, but I believe there is now an Aluminium version of Coppaslip. I would be using it myself if I didn't have a big tin of \copaslip to play with...

For some years I've been using Shimano's own anti-seize assembly compound. I don't know what the base is, but it's never yet failed - I now use it as a matter of course for all metal-to-metal contact points.

ps to last post -
that said, I'm not sure any anti-seize treatment will solve the problem you describe. Your anecdote about the tandem freewheel brought back in all its awful, vivid detail a twenty-year long nightmare which we had with exactly the same problem. Every time the freewheel had to come off (which was often, because we were always breaking pawls and otherwise wrecking the freewheels of that period, which were simply not up to the stresses on a tandem), exactly the same story. In the end I actually rigged up a purpose-built jig in the garage, which involved large quantities of concrete and scrap iron, but it didn't help much. The nightmare only ended when the other half thankfully decided she was fed up with sitting on a tandem. I suspect the torque is simply so great that there's no easy answer.

I think ChrisButch is right.

I think the one way forward is to use only freewheels with the Shimano or similar splined remover. Use a 1/2" drive socket to turn it. Get the longest 1/2" drive handle you can buy. (On an earlier post, somebody mentioned that their lbs had a length of scaffolding labelled 'Park Tool') Slacken off the freewheel regularly, even after every ride - if it doesn't get really driven on it should not be too difficult.

I think the main point is that two riders shifting all that weight, often in very low gears, can drive the freewheel on so hard over a period of time that it needs drastic solutions to remove it. I dont think corrosion is usually much of an issue because even if you keep everything clean, there is usually enough chain oil getting down the back of the freewheel to keep it at bay.

"Park Tool" was me. I used to loathe removing screw-on freewheels. Thank dog for cassettes!

thirdcrank wrote:Use a 1/2" drive socket to turn it. Get the longest 1/2" drive handle you can buy. (On an earlier post, somebody mentioned that their lbs had a length of scaffolding labelled 'Park Tool')

I say someone in the local bike shop use a long seat port, still with saddle attached, to provide the extra leverage. I'm not sure I would have wanted to have used the seat post for it's intended purpose afterward though.

In my experience there is really no need for anything but a good slather of grease.

The very best anti-sieze I've come across is nickel and glass based and used for oxygen sensors on car exhausts. Last time I bought some maybe 10 years ago it was over 20 quid for a tiny bottle - The only source I know of in the UK is from a Lotus dealer - part number A910E6966.

The second best and more practical for everyday extreme condition use is some I acquired about 25 years ago that is nickel and lead based - banned for years if I recall correctly but fantastic on exhaust studs.

But I've never needed to use anti-seize on a bike!