# grease or oil on campy pawls



## tjjm36m3 (Mar 4, 2008)

For the hub bearings I was told a light oil would be better than grease. How about the pawls? And what kind of oil should I use? thanks.


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## BlueMasi1 (Oct 9, 2002)

*Here's what I use*

I use a Phil Wood Grease for the bearings and Phil Wood Tenacious Oil on the pawls. I have been using this combination on my campy wheels since 1998.


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## FrenchNago (Jan 1, 2011)

*campy grease*

I use a light coat of campy grease all over, light as in lighty greasy fingers........and very slight pack in bearings same stuff.

Morgan Blue campy grease


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

Some wheel makers do provide more details than Campy. 

Eg, Zipp specifically suggests a light oil (10-30 or similar) on the pawls. 

Zipp specifically recommend against Phils Tenacious Oil & other "tackifying" oils , as it can make pawls stick. 

IMHO, unless you're frequently riding in extremely wet conditions, I'd think 30W engine oil would be fine on pawls.

Some fully ceramic-based ball bearings & races work fine with just oil, due to the extreme hardness of the materials. You'll see that recommended on Campy Super Record bottom brackets, for exmpl.

But for 'normal' metal hub bearings, grease (not oil) is indicated. I prefer to use the Park Tool, general purpose, blue-green grease. Definitely don't use car chassis grease! Too thick.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I use Finish Line teflon grease in my hubs and chainsaw bar oil on the pawls. I have bar oil because I live in the PNW and own two chainsaws. Otherwise, a light gear oil. No oil on the bearings, there's really nothing to keep the oil around the bearings and they need more than a coating to keep them lubricated and cool. It's hard to overpack a bearing, the excess will just squeeze out on the first ride.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Gear oil for the pawls. Grease mulls that wonderful Campagnolo ratcheting sound. We cannot have that.


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## Sablotny (Aug 15, 2002)

Older thread, but same question: when I first received my Fulcrum Racing 1's, the ratchet was near silent when freewheeling. One year later, I swapped to Campy and put a Campy freehub on the rear. While I was 'in there' I wiped out a pretty healthy dose of white grease, which was just starting to go black from wear. I reassembled with generic-ish white waterproof grease - a light coat, not nearly as much as was used by the factory. Now the ratchet is VERY LOUD, like Chris King hub loud. 

I was hoping this factory video would help, but at 3:50 on the attached, I don't see any grease being applied. 

Fulcrum Racing 1, Racing 0, Racing 3 Wheels - Complete hub overhaul - YouTube

Anyone else have experience on this? Are other folks Racing 1's and Shamals, et al, near silent or pretty loud?


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## FrenchNago (Jan 1, 2011)

Morgan Blue "campy type" grease on pawls and bearings, overhauled once a year, dry riding conditions, used ultra sparingly on the pawls and more liberally in bearings. Pawls are a wonder to listen to clicking away like a fine piece of timework...........


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