OMG! This really opens up the discussion to some perverted scheiße when talking about giving one's chain a facial! :eek:

I just bought a tube of el-cheapo marine grease from S-mart for about $2.50. That's what I'm going to use to repack my hubs and headsets next time. Phooey on the high dollar stuff.

Where did the idea for Vaseline Petroleum Jelly come from?

You can use just about anything to lubricate a bearing, including your own mucus. However, lubrication isn't the only thing that substance does. In fact, grease is not as good of a lubricant as some other things, but it still makes a superior bearing lube. Why? Because it must resist loads for a long time. The compressive load and localized heating created when a bearing surface rubs will destroy most compounds in short order. Your snot-lubed bearings would run great until the snot broke down and dried up.

Your vaseline pedals will run fine, until the vaseline breaks down, and you damage your bearing surfaces.

Now, like I said before, vaseline is probably fine in an emergency, because it will work for a little while. But in the long run, it will not hold up. Unless it is an emergency, it makes sense to just buy a tube of grease, even from the auto parts store, which will last a lot longer. You don't need a gun or anything, just a tube. A tub works fine too, you just end up with more on your hands. Its just a few dollars, and will mean far more durable parts.

Anyway, do whatever you like to your own bike, but things like vaseline in your bearings is a false economy (and it is a big deal for me to say that, because I do a lot of things that people would see as 'cutting corners').

peace,
sam

Did you hear about the couple that didn't know the difference between Vaseline and window caulking?...

Their windows fell out

Yikes, moocher man! I was afraid of that punchline, but you let us down easy. ;)

Good reminder though, vaseline is good for just about nothing. It isn't even good for 'naughty' things because it destroys latex and can irritate skin. Use the right lube for the right job in all things, and you'll be a happier person, I ga-rauhn-tee.

peace,
sam

And what's the difference between and oral thermometer and a rectal one?

* You'll have to ask if you want to know the answer.

How about a dash of WD-40 :)

Lithium complex (not lithium soap) is near the top of the heap as far as thickeners go. Most of the high end automotive berring and chassis greases are lithium complex thickeners with base4 base lube oil (polyalp*****fin AKA real full synthetic) and of course a few secret extras that improve physical properties. Thats right grease is oil traped in a thickener(90-95% oil, 5-10% thickener usually), like adding starch to watery drippings to make gravy. Thickness grade affects lubrication only slightly but does affect things like water washout, drag, pumpability, cold weather thickness, and oil bleed(the oil in all greases will slowly separate over time thus really old grease is mostly thickener). NLGI grade #2 is the one in most auto part stores, I had to special order my light #1 and I've never tried #3, #0 is very very light for exreme cold, #00 or #000, depending on brand, are considered semi fluid(they do flow)

Lubriplate makes some kickass ball berring grease, cars use heavy roller berrings but both are antifriction type, friction type are two sliding surfaces.
http://www.lubriplate.com/products/greases.htm 100-130 series is for plain berrings like cams and slides, 630 is good ball berring grease, EMB is for highspeed electric motor berrings like in fans(water resistance is no concern).

Amsoil multi-purpose has a pretty juicy spec sheet too and has done well for me. the heavyduty is the same stuff with moly added for extreme pressure hits (we're talkin backhoe mounted jackhammer berrings and gears) amsoil runs on the light side (ie their #2 is in the official #2 range but right at the soft end) they make a #1.5 boat trailer grease I would like to try on a few things.

There is a lot of good grease out there actually

The color is just coloring, like food coloring, except for grease with Moly(molybidium disulfied) which darkens the grease a bit, it still can have coloring, but anything with moly says so as it's a selling point.

So few greasable berrings are left on bicycles these days that grease doesn't seem to be much of a factor anymore.

HAHAHAHAHAHA, I know what ur doin

I know a girl who thinks of ghosts
She'll make ya breakfast
She'll make ya toast
She don't use butter
She don't use cheese
She don't use jelly
Or any of these
She uses vaseline
Vaseline
Vaseline

THE FLAMING LIPS

Enjoy

Now you got that song stuck in my head! I was whistling it on my break, then I was like "Why tf am I even thinking of this... OH right. Vaseline." :B

Praise the forums!

Yes, that's correct. Lithium grease is wax based. It really does not hold up well and needs frequent replacement. It used to be preferred by fellows who loved to work on their bikes - the kind of dude who spent more time working on his bike than working in his saddle.

Anyway, as I understand it, almost all greases are petrolium jelly based (Vaseline) with other added components. I knew an old-timer bike mechanic who used Vaseline for all his bicycle grease needs and it seemed to serve him and his customers well.

Vaseline Man Can't Slip Cops
MAY 18--Meet Robert Chamberlain. The 44-year-old Virginia man was arrested earlier this month and charged with felony criminal mischief for damaging a Motel 6 room in upstate New York. But Chamberlain, who has spent time on the pipe, wasn't breaking windows or throwing the television off the balcony. He was nabbed for slathering Vaseline on every single thing in Room 205--mattresses, pillows, sheets, furniture, carpeting, blankets, the TV, etc. A motel clerk discovered the damage after Chamberlain checked out and called the Broome County Sheriff's Office. When Deputy Kevin Smith arrived, the greasy m.o. rang a bell--a couple of weeks earlier a room at a nearby Super 8 was also apparently slimed by Chamberlain (though the owner declined at the time to press charges). A check of Room 205's trash turned up 14 empty containers of Vaseline, drug paraphernalia, cocaine residue, and porno magazines, "which also were slathered/smeared with Vaseline," according to a sheriff's report. Shortly after the Motel 6 damage was found on May 9, Chamberlain was arrested at--big surprise here--a nearby Econo Lodge. The arrestee, of course, was "smeared from head to foot with Vaseline." Ewww.

I came across the following just now:

Petroleum Jelly Formula


2001315

name Amélie L.
status student
age 15

Question - Hi,
I am doing a research I need to know the petroleum jelly molecular
formula. I can have it either in French or English.
------------------------------------------------
Petroleum jelly isn't a single compound. It is a mixture of many different
compounds. Most of the components are members of the alkane series
CnH(2n+2). According to my Merck Index, petroleum jelly "is a colloidal
system of nonstraight-chain solid hydrocarbons and high-boiling liquid
hydrocarbons, in which most of the liquid hydrocarbons are held inside the
micelles."

Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Director
PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois

The mineral oil you get at the pharmacy is the liquid oil traped in petroleum jelly.

vaseline
 

The original question in this post asked for an opinion about using vaseline as wheel bearing grease.

My question is can anyone let us know their experience (good or bad) with using vaseline for lubricating non-moving parts like seat posts, handlebar stems and screw threads.

thanks.

You do realize this thread is from 2005, yes?

Back in 2005 I probably would have said yes to using Vaseline. But I have since decided it is a silly thing to do. I still do, however, use Chapstick on all my cables before using them.

Vaseline is for use in your crotch to prevent saddle sores. Use real grease on bike parts. Oh yeah, me thinks a troll.

The one benefit of white grease is that it is very obvious when it is contaminated. I haven't had problems with white grease breaking down -- been using it for decades.

I had a tub of Penzoil #705 last me for over a decade. You just need to keep the lid on it when you're not using it.

Phils' good grease, but a little thick for some purposes (like when it's -20F outside).

You can sub vaseline for bearing grease....but you can't sub bearing grease for vaseline.....


anymore questions?

Phil Wood for hubs. Teflon-based grease for BB's. No Vaseline.

We used to use Vaseline in internal engine parts, it breaks down very quickly with heat or friction.

All I can say is I once packed a bottom bracket with Crisco on a dare. Don't worry, it was the kind with no trans-fats. It did spin...but it started smelling funny rather quickly, I would not suggest doing at home, although if you happen to break down in the middle of a pie bake off and need something to repack your bearings (I can't imagine why), it will work.

The real lesson, stop listening to dares...