# Normal Grease or Ti-Prep(Anti-Seize)grease when installing Ti Seatpost?



## chanhoward (Feb 10, 2003)

Hi, I have a Titanium frame and will get a Titanium seatpost soon. Question: Do I use Normal Grease or Ti-Prep(Anti-Seize)grease when installing Ti Seatpost into the frame?
Please advise
Thanks
Howard Chan


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## Juanmoretime (Nov 24, 2001)

*I use anti-seize.*

I bought a small can of it with an application brush about 14 years ago when I first started playing with SRP titanium bolts and I think it's still about 1/2 full. A little goes a long way. On the positive side, I've never had any part seize.


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## russw19 (Nov 27, 2002)

chanhoward said:


> Hi, I have a Titanium frame and will get a Titanium seatpost soon. Question: Do I use Normal Grease or Ti-Prep(Anti-Seize)grease when installing Ti Seatpost into the frame?
> Please advise
> Thanks
> Howard Chan


Ti post in a steel or aluminium frame, grease would be fine.. but Ti in a Ti frame, I would definately use Ti prep. 

Russ


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## Steve Young (May 6, 2003)

*More information Please ..*

Can you elaborate a little.

I've been riding and wrenching my own bike for quite a few years now but am relatively new to the Ti "scene" having recently purchased a Seven Axiom (which has always been my dream bike - that and a Seven Sola).

There hasn't been any need to do anything but take care of the drivechain (lube and adjust) in the 1200 mile ssince I bought it. However I'm wondering what new things I need to know when I eventually need to mess about with Ti bits (hopefully not soon).

What is it about Ti that makes it necessary to be so careful about seizing (I thought the beauty of Ti was that it didn't corrode/oxidize at normal temperatures.

What is different about Ti/Ti junctions cf Ti/other metal junctions that specifically makes it more desirable to use Ti prep with Ti/Ti joints (I would have thought that they would be less susceptible to electro (whatsitcalled) effects.

Thanks in advance.

Steve


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Another country heard from - grease is just fine*

For 6 years and 60K miles I've been using grease exclusively (per Litespeed's recommendation) on my Ti post and Ti stem in my Ti frame. Absolutely no problems whatsoever and no indications that there is any threat of galling or corrosion. Grease works just fine. Ti prep works just fine too.


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## Rusty Coggs (Jan 28, 2004)

*Yeah*



Kerry Irons said:


> I've been using grease exclusively (per Litespeed's recommendation) on my Ti post and Ti stem in my Ti frame. Absolutely no problems whatsoever and no indications that there is any threat of galling or corrosion. Grease works just fine. Ti prep works just fine too.


Except Ti prep is a hell of a lot messier when it gets where you don't want it.Best use of Ti prep I believe, is threaded stuff,especially Ti to Ti.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Grease on threads*

Forgot to mention that I use grease on all the Ti bolts too (major example = rear derailleur bolt) and have had no issues with Ti bolts in a Ti frame. Grease works fine.


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## russw19 (Nov 27, 2002)

Steve Young said:


> Can you elaborate a little.
> 
> What is different about Ti/Ti junctions cf Ti/other metal junctions that specifically makes it more desirable to use Ti prep with Ti/Ti joints (I would have thought that they would be less susceptible to electro (whatsitcalled) effects.
> 
> Steve


Steve, titanium will bond with other titanium parts. It's called galling. Galling occurs (someone with a stronger chemistry or metalurgy background, please correct me if I am wrong) when the oxidiation coating of any metal is broken down due to friction with another surface. When that oxidation coating is regenerated naturally on the metal, it can cause the surface of the metal to form an alloy or bond with another metal surface it is in contact with. Titanium is a relatively reactive metal with a strong alloying tendency. It is best to create some form of barrier between it and any other surface metal or the friction between the two will break down the oxidation layer between them. When that layer reforms, it will bond the two metals to each other. Grease will work to help prevent Ti galling as it lowers the friction between the metals so the oxidation layer remains intact, but Ti prep compound is actually a type of 'paint' that coats the surface of the titanium to seal the oxidation layer so it can not break down.

Again, if I am way off, someone please correct this.

Russ


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Off, but not way off*

You can get galling with or without surface oxidation. It just means that the adhesion/friction at the interface with the next material is stronger than the bonds holding the material together, and the material peels off as you move one surface against the other. Ti prep's properties come from the carrier (a GREASE-like material) and the metal flakes suspended in it, which combine to provide a lubricating and barrier system JUST LIKE GREASE. If I were using Ti in an aggressive environment (heat, high loads, chemistry, solvents) or needed to protect the threads/surfaces for a long time, I would certainly be using Ti prep. Given the very mild conditions of use in cycling and the fact that I am overhauling the bike annually (WAY before the grease would ever start to break down), grease serves the purpose in every respect. Like I said, when I got my Litespeed, I asked them specifically, and they said to use grease. Ti prep is pretty messy, more expensive, not really needed, and one more thing to have around the shop. I just don't see the need.


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## chanhoward (Feb 10, 2003)

*Thank you*

Dear All,
Thanks for all your input and useful information. I sure learn alot here. Thanks!
When I bought my Titanium seatpost in my local bike shop the other day, I asked the shop owner and he said that for installing Titanium seatpost to a Titanium Frame, normal grease works fine, though Ti-Prep can also be use to be 100 % safe.
Defitenitely Ti-Prep for threaded areas like BB shell, Ti bolts, Rear Derailuer area etc.(Grease is also ok, but it is good practice to strip them one or two time per year(depending on riding condition) to clean and reapply new grease, if grease is use)
I guess I will use normal grease for my Titanium seatpost, anyway, I always do an overall regrease of my bike about twice a year(which is a good practice/habit too), so I am ok to regrease them then. Ti-prep just too messy for me to use on the seatpost area. Off course I will still stick to Ti-prep for the threaded areas.
Thanks again! Happy riding
Howard Chan


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## russw19 (Nov 27, 2002)

Thanks Kerry, for clearing that up for me.

Russ


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