Bicycle Mechanics - Lubricant - aluminum threads

Just started using a threadless fork and want to put some lubricant on the threads of the steel socket-head cap screws which clamp the handlebar on my threadless stem. Am using a Thomson stem and it uses four such screws and another one to lock the stem to the steerer tube. I use Phil Wood water proof grease on everything else, but was wondering about aluminum.

Any suggestions out there on what is a good choice? Thanks.

Any grease, or oil, will work well on that application. The Phil grease is tops, and handy, so use it.

I pretty much use Park grease for everything.

You didn't ask but, since you said you have a new Thompson stem, I'm going to give you my torque wrench speech. High end stems, especially ones that have 4 face plate bolts, are a real good place for using a torque wrench. Here's why:

If you don't get those four bolts tightened pretty evenly, the face plate will be skewed. When that happens, you have only a small edge holding your handlebar insted of the full surface of the face plate. When the handlebar starts to slip, what do you do? Most guys torque down the bolts a little more. Eventually you find the place where a steel bolt thread can handle the torque but a softer aluminum one can't. Bye bye expensive stem.

I seem to remember that the torque spec for all of the bolts on a Thompson stem works out to be about 9 ft/lbs. That's next to nothing! It's also enough to keep the Thompson stem and Kestrel bar on my bike both slip free.

To add to Spoke Wrench's sage advice, Thomson black stem bolts are susceptible to severe binding if over tightened. Thomson will cheerfully warranty an obvious mechanical screwup, but there is a lesson to be had in the twenty or so minutes of drilling out a very hard bolt. :)

I won't tell you how I know this.....

I'm convinced. Going down to remove my clamp bolts to lube as soon as I hit the "submit reply" key. Thanks for the tips.

Done! Now I feel better. Good sleep tonight and about 50 miles in the hills outside of Philadelphia tomorrow a.m.. First real ride on my newly built Scapin EOS3. I'm psych'd! Thanks, again.