# grease freehub body before installing cassette?



## Bob Ross (Apr 18, 2006)

I recall being told that you should apply a thin film of grease to the outside of the freehub body before installing a new cassette...but now I can't actually find any authoritative confirmation of this!

Did I confabulate this, or is it standard practice (aka A Good Idea™)?


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## swuzzlebubble (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes that is OK.
Just don't put any inside the palls or they can stick closed.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Bob Ross said:


> I recall being told that *you should apply a thin film of grease to the outside of the freehub body before installing a new cassette...*but now I can't actually find any authoritative confirmation of this!
> 
> Did I confabulate this, or is it standard practice (aka A Good Idea™)?


You have it exactly right. The only thing I'd add is that the thin film of grease should be applied to the freehub body after cleaning and/ or before installing cassettes, new or not so new.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

swuzzlebubble said:


> Yes that is OK.
> Just don't put any inside the palls or they can stick closed.




uh, the "palls" are not on the outside of the freehub body...


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

FatTireFred said:


> uh, the "palls" are not on the outside of the freehub body...


Maybe it's just the _pawls_ that are on the inside of the freehub body.


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## -dustin (Jan 11, 2009)

There's no reason to grease the freehub body.


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

Not exactly sure of the reason to grease the outside of a freehub body?
It doesn't help with assembly, and certainly can attract dirt.
Is it to prevent corrosion and sticking?
Does it run smoother and quieter?


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## Puchnuts (Oct 9, 2008)

jmlapoint said:


> Does it run smoother and quieter?


It might if you got grease inside it - just before the palls got stuck. Then it would really be quiet. I see no reason to grease the body. I've never had a problem removing a cassette, unlike a freewheel.


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

Puchnuts said:


> It might if you got grease inside it - just before the palls got stuck. Then it would really be quiet. I see no reason to grease the body. I've never had a problem removing a cassette, unlike a freewheel.


I agree completely.
I try to keep my freewheel bodies as clean as I can.
I work the slots over with a toothbrush and a mild solvent/OMS before putting cassette cogs back on.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*General principle*



-dustin said:


> There's no reason to grease the freehub body.


Some mechanics, who have been working on bikes for decades, find that greasing all metal-to-metal surfaces is a generally good practice. In the case of the freehub body, grease may serve to reduce noises.


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

I certainly agree with that where threads or corrosion is a concern.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

You only need to lube the threads of the lockring.....


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