Stem Bolts- grease or Loctite?

robusto

robusto

Member
Hi guys,
Just wanted to check out what you guys thought. My Thomson stem instructions say to grease the bolts, but I have always used the blue Loctite on them. Is there a reason that you would use one over the other? Can I use either one, or will the Loctite hurt the stem?

Thanks for enduring my dumb questions
 
I grease mine...'just to make sure that corrosion doesn't mess up getting them out in the future and nothing binds up when "torquing".

I've never had stem bolts come loose, so I don't see much cause to use loctite. In fact, I don't use loctite on anything but the crank bolt for my FSA Team Issue carbon cranks. Everything else gets a dab of silicone grease.
 
I had my stem bolts vibrate loose before while riding..... wasn't fun ride.

So... blue loctite on the stem bolts for me
 
I use grease only. As long as you regularly check the bolts with a torque wrench, you should not have the risk of them coming loose due to vibration. I don't think that Loctite is necessary.
 
I had my stem bolts vibrate loose before while riding..... wasn't fun ride.
So... blue loctite on the stem bolts for me
Click to expand...

THis was the reason that I Loctited my stem bolts... One bad experience with your bars spinning in the stem and Loctite begins to seem very necessary. Since then I've never had it happen- but it seems like most manufacturers are saying to grease the bolts...
 
Grease all the way. I ride diablo like 40 times all season and never had anything come loose.
 
Use what the manufacturer recommends. They set their torque values based on the lube they specify.
 
Alrighty guys...

Grease it is!

I just ordered my torque wrench, so hopefully that was the problem last time- bolts not tight enough. I'll pick up some assembly lube too. I guess you can never have too much lube around. :D
 
Grease vs Assembly Lube

JMO, but after 30 years of wrenching on my race bikes [mx] assembly lube has never let me down.
Grease attracts dirt also breaks down w/heat, AL does not also a little goes a long ways. Accurate torque values no t-wrench jumping at all. Also less messy than grease. I have had a bottle of Bel Ray for prolly 25 years as it doesn't go bad. Use what you will and good luck!
 
Ok got my RaceFace carbon Next bars and my Thompson Elite X4 stem and it says to grease the bolts and torque the stem bolts. So I read this topic(good info) and now need a torque wrench, Any suggestions on what brand I should buy and from where ??
 
Robusto, thanks dude, just bought the Pedro's off that link that Skyrokz put up. I can't stand paying somebody else for stuff I can do lol. The treefort stuff looks good too.
 
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