Most types of grease are designed to provide lubrication and reduce friction between mechanical moving surfaces. They provide a surface boundary layer to reduce direct contact between moving parts, for example in the case of ball bearings, metal to metal contact.

Standard Vaseline is a very simple form of grease that consists of pure high viscosity petroleum. It has no additives to function under high heat or high pressure such as would be found in a rotating mechanical device. Also the volatile elements eventually break down or evaporate leaving a hardened residue.

Commercial lubrication greases have all kinds of additives for performance in specific applications and provide longer useful life.

Using little or no lubrication between the aluminum hub threads and steel freewheels can result in 1 or 2 issues that will make a FW hard to remove. One is galling during assembly. The soft aluminum smears onto the steel threads forming a bond. The second is over time electrolytic corrosion can happen between the steel and aluminum.

Anti-Seize compound are formulated to reduce or prevent galling plus protect against electrolytic corrosion. They can contain graphite, molybdenum disulfide, and/or micro powdered metal such as aluminum, copper or nickel. Copper and nickel are used for higher heat applications.

I've used Phil grease for years on freewheels but if the anti-seize compound is close at hand I use that. I use anti-seize on pedal threads too. The only draw back is any excess becomes a mess to clean up.

I'd never use white Campy grease on freewheels because it dries out. Some white automotive lithium grease might work better.

Over thinking a problem a while back, I was wondering if the high pressure additives in automotive/marine grease etc. might contribute to electrolytic corrosion when used on seatposts and stems.

I started trying Vaseline in those applications instead... Then I stopped thinking and went back to what I'd been doing for almost 50 years.

verktyg