Bicycle Mechanics - Grease or anti-seize compound for bottom bracket?

I'm replacing one sealed cartridge bottom bracket with another (Shimano UN-52 with a BB-6500) in a steel frame shell. Working from the Park website I removed the UN-52. Before installing the new bb they recommend (in this order) preparing the shell threads with:
1. a thread locker if "the frame shell is steel and the cups are either aluminum or steel lockrings"
2. grease or anti-seize compound
The BB-6500 has an aluminum lockring. I've never heard of a thread locker or asc. I checked the prices and found:
0.33oz (10ml) of Loctite 242 (the mentioned thread locker) is more than $10
4oz (120ml) of Park ASC-1 is about $10
3oz tube of Phil Wood waterproof grease is about $4.
I don't know how much gets used when applying it but 10ml of loctite sounds like it would do just one installation.

Are the other products that much better than grease?
Are they necessary if you avoid riding in the rain (but do get caught occasionally)?
Thanks

10ml is a good sized tube of blue Loctite. A little goes a long way. I haven't bothered with loctite on the bb threads. I just use grease.

I had that same bb on my Reynolds 853 steel LeMond Zurich. Replaced it once, and serviced it several times in 4 years (it rains a lot here in Florida). Never used anything other than a generous quantity of Park Polylube 1000 grease.

I do use anti-seize on my titanium Litespeed, tho.

Bob

I had that same bb on my Reynolds 853 steel LeMond Zurich. Replaced it once, and serviced it several times in 4 years (it rains a lot here in Florida). Never used anything other than a generous quantity of Park Polylube 1000 grease.

I do use anti-seize on my titanium Litespeed, tho.

Bob

Litespeed says grease is plenty adequate for threaded fittings for it's Ti frames but many of us use either anti-seize (get it at an auto parts store at 10% of the price of the same stuff from a bike dealer) or teflon plumbers tape on bottom bracket threads.

BTW, a 10 mm tube of Loctite will last most bike mechanics for years. You only use a couple of drops at a time.

I use anti-seize on my Ti frame, too. I figure: can't hurt, might help.

To get a bit more specific:

Metal Type of Anti-Seize
========== ===============
Stainless Steel -- Nickel
Brass against steel -- Nickel
Aluminum against steel -- Zinc
Monel, Inconel -- Nickel
Titanium -- Nickel
General purpose -- Aluminum-Graphite

http://www.sacskyranch.com/antiseize.htm
http://www.saftlok.com/safteze/antiseiz/nickel.htm

Litespeed says grease is plenty adequate for threaded fittings for it's Ti frames but many of us use either anti-seize (get it at an auto parts store at 10% of the price of the same stuff from a bike dealer) or teflon plumbers tape on bottom bracket threads.

+1


BTW, a 10 mm tube of Loctite will last most bike mechanics for years. You only use a couple of drops at a time.

I don't believe that the Loctite serves the same purpose as grease or anti-seize.

Bob

I don't believe that the Loctite serves the same purpose as grease or anti-seize.

Bob

It doesn't. My comment was in reply to the OP who noted that a 10 ml tube of Loctite cost $10 and might last only one installation. I wanted to assure him that it would last a lot longer.

I use anti-seize on my Ti frame, too. I figure: can't hurt, might help.

To get a bit more specific:

Metal Type of Anti-Seize
========== ===============
Stainless Steel -- Nickel
Brass against steel -- Nickel
Aluminum against steel -- Zinc
Monel, Inconel -- Nickel
Titanium -- Nickel
General purpose -- Aluminum-Graphite

http://www.sacskyranch.com/antiseize.htm
http://www.saftlok.com/safteze/antiseiz/nickel.htm

This is the only thing my LBS uses on Ti frames. Silver stuff from NAPA. The smallest jar of the stuff will last several lifetimes.

Anti-seize is generally made to withstand high temps, so you would use it on exhuast manifold bolts (on your car )
Grease on all bike threads, including BB threads (and freewheels) is your friend!:D

"Anti-seize" that is "copper grease" is also used to prevent seizing when steel is in contact with aliminium and does prevent the chemical process which causes binding. Alu bar stems and steel head tubes for example.

I wouldn't use thread locking compound, it could be very difficult to get it out in the future. Grease or anti-seize is fine.

I would also not use thread locking compound on the BB bearing as it can be difficult to get out even when grease has been used. Water and dirt can get in the BB and lock up the threads making it difficult to get the BB bearing out after a while.

Anyone use ONLY teflon plumbers tape with no grease?

Anyone use ONLY teflon plumbers tape with no grease?

Yes, I've done it a few times. It works just fine.

One caveat, if you remove the bb for inspection, be sure to brush all of the tape fragments out of the threads before replacing the tape and threading it back in.