When properly tightened to the recommended torque, all those parts should stay put just fine, the grease is there (and recommended) to prevent parts from seizing together and to a lesser extent, to keep them from creaking, to prevent possible corrosion, minimize galvanic reactIons between dissimilar metals, etc. You may also see some people use antiseize paste too for the same purpose (although this is way messier than grease). Since you can use a lot of grease too, it can sometimes act as a seal or barrier to prevent water or debris from getting into something, whereas with loctite, you only use a few drops. A lot of people don't service their bikes very frequently and expose them to very harsh conditions... Last thing you want to happen is having to throw away a frame because you can't remove this or that part.

I only personally only use locktite on my bike on a few small suspension pivot bolts and just because it's recommended for those spots by the manufacturer.


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When properly tightened to the recommended torque, all those parts should stay put just fine, the grease is there (and recommended) to prevent parts from seizing together and to a lesser extent, to keep them from creaking, to prevent possible corrosion, minimize galvanic reactIons between dissimilar metals, etc. You may also see some people use antiseize paste too for the same purpose (although this is way messier than grease). Since you can use a lot of grease too, it can sometimes act as a seal or barrier to prevent water or debris from getting into something, whereas with loctite, you only use a few drops. A lot of people don't service their bikes very frequently and expose them to very harsh conditions... Last thing you want to happen is having to throw away a frame because you can't remove this or that part.

I only personally only use locktite on my bike on a few small suspension pivot bolts and just because it's recommended for those spots by the manufacturer.

All of the above and I'll add that greasing fasteners minimises friction which can add a considerable amount to the torque value and result in an under tensioned fastener.

I've noted Shimano recommend inspecting through axles every ride so covering their rears to that degree there's probably something in it.

 

Dissimilar metals like aluminum and steel.

 

The trigger for my question is that my rear thru-axle has loosened after ca. 1000 km (and almost caused me to crash at high speed) despite correct torque. It was greased. Should I consider loctite?

 

You mean it was correctly torqued 1000km ago? You should check critical components like that with a bit more frequency. It's not that hard to just go through all the important bolts on your bike every few months.

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You should be checking thru axle more frequently than every 1000 km.

 

LOL! ain't that the truth!

 

well, I did check it - after the bike started wobbling all across the trail (and that was before I had ingested a few beers...).

 

I do a pre-ride torque check before every other ride. I grab my 4,5,6mm triangle hex head tool thingie and start at the front of my bike, work my way through the linkage, cranks and chainring and finish off with the RD. Then I check each Maxel (although I orientate the levers in such a way that a visual inspection is enough).

Sounds hard, but the whole thing takes under 60 seconds............... I have never been 'that guy' on a group ride that has a bolt fall out, stops the group and needs help just to keep going - Never have, never will.

 

Locktite is generally for small parts that can't be torqued sufficiently: rotor bolts, derailleur hanger. Often caliper bolts come with locktite (lots of vibration there)

 

Now this sounds entirely plausible. An amorphous binder is needed to obtain a defined tension. And a thread locker (loctite blue?) is more reliable than grease. Am i reading you right?

 

An amorphous binder is needed to obtain a defined tension. And a thread locker (loctite blue?) is more reliable than grease.

No, thread locker is only required where things like rotation, vibration, thermal expansion and contraction and combinations of them can cause the fastener to lose tension.

 

One thing to consider when torquing bolts . is the quality of the bolt. cheaper offshore bolts will stretch and fatigue over time. sometimes it pays to inspect and replace bolts that somehow come loose over time.

I will use loctite on most small bolts. I usually put anti seize on larger fine threads and torque them down. ie threaded derailleurs or bottom brackets that get allot of water and mud exposed to them.

 

1k KM and the OP hadn't re-checked his bike bolts etc Lucky as hell something more/worse didn't happen. I grease most everything, stops bolts binding when torquing and allows you to torque to proper tension and stops seizing of differing metals/alloys, sometimes use anti seize on certain parts/bolts, never had a bolt come loosse because of it.

 

Mea culpa! However it takes me less than a month to accumulate 1000 km.

 

Frankly, it seems to me that the old quick-release were safer than the current thru-axles. In the old System, the bolt had some machined contour that would help keeping things in place despite vibrations, thermal Deformation, etc. At least in my thru-axle, it's just a threaded screw. No wonder it gets loose - particularly if greased. From the viewpoint of tightness, methinks it's a step backwards.

 

Your own negligence does not mean that a 142x12mm axle is incapable of doing the job.

 

I use medium strength loctite on my Lefty axle bolt. I have a friend who uses it on his rear thru axle. No harm. Don't use high strength!

 

I would say your axle is ok, I would also say give your bike a "going over" every 500kms, the more the better

 

Thank you guys. I am glad to have given you an opportunity to feel superior. Please go on and insult me more, if that makes you feel g good

 

It's called humor, pumpkin, hence the . Sorry to offend your delicate sensibilities.

 

Policing the Internet and chastising those deemed inferior is always very gratifying. Particularly if one does not have much else to be happy about in life.

 

Aah sorry i hadn't see the emoticon. That changes everything of course! Well then thank you for the humorous (and technically very competent) help!

 

Now this sounds entirely logical and agreeable. It's not like I do not do any once-over: I ride 600 vertical meters/day (and often 2x600), and I check brake pads daily, and rotor thickness monthly. The front brake pad (the Shimano metal with heatsink) lasts for ca. 20'000 vertical meters, the rear pad a bit longer (25-30'000m).

It did not occur to me to check the thru-axle as frequently - mostly because the old axle never required that. But I now understand that that thru-axle (and her friends) may have taken offense at my glib remarks, and apologize meekly to her.

 

But I now understand that that thru-axle (and her friends) may have taken offense at my glib remarks, and apologize meekly to her.

A literal lol from me

 

ParkTool pays him extra beer to use one tube a day.