Should you grease dropouts/hubs/axle?

Hi all!

This may make sound REALLY STUPID but is it normal practice to grease the threads of the hubs/axle where it makes contact with the dropouts?

Thanks --- still a beginner in bicycle building so forgive me if this sounds silly of me to ask...

Leslie

I’ve never personally done so and I’m pretty on it with greasing everything else. Never had an issue myself from not having this area greased but maybe I’m just lucky!

Not usually as the axle/dropout interface is a friction fit for QR hubs. For solid axles and through axles, I would grease the threads a little, if only to reduce the chances of seized thread in the future.

Hi Leslie.
There is no thread that doesn’t need some. Steel meets steel threads are worse when small, like bottle bosses and rack mounts, but no reason why threaded axles / wheel-nuts shouldn’t have a dab. I would avoid using lots as the nut and dropout may want to be grippy (fixed wheel on track ends or horizontal dropouts) , so only a tiny bit inside the nut threading not on the faces where they grip.

The interfaces to really be careful of are where alloy and steel meet and might stay there for a while, with no threading, such as seat posts /seattubes and quills / threaded steerers.

There is some debate about whether cranks and BB spindles should have grease. Otherwise, always grease.

Thanks Skully (with umlaut), Yoav and Qebrus!