I have always greased the tapers when installing my crank arms, but these instructions say twice to NOT grease the tapers. Please advise. TIA.
by mrkb34
I have always greased the tapers when installing my crank arms, but these instructions say twice to NOT grease the tapers. Please advise. TIA.
by mrkb34
11 Comments
No. I don’t know of any situation where the spindle taper should be greased initially. Maybe a Ti spindle into an aluminum crank?
If it creaks or clicks you can try some grease, but this just covers up a QC problem with the taper interface, it doesn’t fix the problem. It probably makes it worse because now the relative movement between the crank and spindle is encouraged with lube.
I guess my point is that a clean, properly made and undamaged square taper interface should not need grease to provide secure, silent service
Relevant Sheldon Brown article (Jobst Brandt) https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/installing-cranks.html. Sounds like always grease is the recommendation there. TBH I’m probably about 50/50 when I install cranks, some get grease some don’t. I think I’ll grease more (not more grease, a thin film is enough) going forward.
Always.
I never greased them. Never had any problems. But I don’t think either is right or wrong.
I like the VERY LIGHTLY grease them. Just enough to prevent corrosion. Like get my fingers just damp and rub it on
I always thought steel in contact with alu = grease.
Well, if you want to grease it and not violate the instructions, you can grease the crank arm itself instead of the tapered ends… and if IRD has a problem with that, they’ll need to update their instructions to be more clear!
But seriously… I don’t grease the tapers. But I do not object to greasing the tapers either. I’ve never had any issue with galvanic corrosion here or a problem getting a crank arm back off because it wasn’t lubricated. When in doubt, I’d just follow manufacturer instruction; but I don’t think you’ll harm anything by ignoring them either. Sometimes it’s just a matter of preference. There are arguments for (corrosion) and against (excessive mounting force can warp the square cuts on the crankarm). You haven’t had an issue lubing them in the past so I doubt you’d have an issue this time either.
I’m like you and always grease. Never been told otherwise, never had a problem.
Started wrenching in a shop a year ago. Two other mechanics working there . One 20+ years in the industry, the other 15+. One swore by greasing every time, the other swore against it. 🤷♂️
It’s a tapered fit.
You grease tapers and the lube will allow the tightening of the crank bolt to force the aluminum crank farther onto the steel spindle.
30+years and never greased a taper. Granted, I don’t see them much anymore.
The only messed up square tapers I have seen were greased by someone at sometime.
I usually do a very thin layer of grease, on the idea that it helps the crank go on more smoothly/evenly. never caused any issues for me, but I also don’t know it helps.