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New Departure rear hub discs

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ou mention using liberal amounts of grease. I only use a lightweight motor oil on the discs. no grease. If you greased the discs that would be your source of resistance. grease on the bearings is fine, try lubricating the discs in a coating of oil only.
Thanks, Tim. Could grease really cause such resistance? Anyway, I also suspect you're right. I initially used Phil's Tenacious Bicycle lube, which is pretty viscous. It caused resistance. So, I took it back apart, cleaned and tried grease. No difference. I'll do it again with a lightweight oil or teflon-based lube. By the way, did you put a light coat of grease on spline on which the discs are placed, or the light oil, or just dry?
 
put some grease on the spline, but oil only on the discs. I put a small amount of oil (30 wt or 10/40 will work) in a sandwich bag, drop the discs in and coat them that way. also make sure your bearing cones are not too tight.
 
The heavier weight oil (hypoid gear) is much more lubricating than grease but sticks to the discs better than lighter weight oils like 10W. The problem with the lighter weight oils is that they tend to work their way through the grease in the bearings over time and make a mess on the outside of the hub. This is especially true here in AZ when it’s 110F outside. :p
 
Tim when it's 110 in WA you need to stay inside. :)

The other good thing about the gear oil is that it's designed for high stress applications like getting squeezed at high pressure between a bunch of spinning and stationary discs. But I'd guess ALL modern motor oils are made to endure much more stressful applications than a coaster brake will typically cause...
 
put some grease on the spline, but oil only on the discs. I put a small amount of oil (30 wt or 10/40 will work) in a sandwich bag, drop the discs in and coat them that way. also make sure your bearing cones are not too tight.
Thanks, Tim. I'm gonna pull it out again, clean the discs and use some lightweight oil/lube. The bearing cone adjustment will be done correctly.....and with these old bikes, that means leaving quite a bit of play, most of which is then eliminated when the wheel is mounted tightly in the frame!
 
The heavier weight oil (hypoid gear) is much more lubricating than grease but sticks to the discs better than lighter weight oils like 10W. The problem with the lighter weight oils is that they tend to work their way through the grease in the bearings over time and make a mess on the outside of the hub. This is especially true here in AZ when it’s 110F outside. :p
Miq, here in MI we don't have much concern about performance at 110°...but your point is well taken. Whatever oil I use, I don't plan on have a lot of excess on the discs, but just enough to coat them....kind like the strategy for chain lube. Just one thing...how will in work on a -20° day here in MI??? :p
 
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I don’t know, it’s not just the temp if you ask me. I drip oil into the oiler port every so often, so it’s more than just an extra thin coating. It‘s made to be regularly lubricated with oil. The drag you are feeling with the grease is exactly why the generous coating of oil is necessary. There are sets of discs constantly rubbing against each other, even when you are not braking. A little more oil is better, unless it gets so much that it leaks out...which is why you want to use the heavier oil. :)
 
.which is why you want to use the heavier oil.
Miq, that comment about -20° was just a joke...I love to ride the vintage bikes, but not on those days! Anyway, I apologize if paying too much attention to a subject that doesn't warrant it, but you seem to know your oils/lubes. So, another question. Have you ever heard of Phil's Tenacious Oil, sold in bike shops? It's a viscous oil used by some mechanics for chains subjected to lots of wet conditions or to minimal maintenance (i.e. kids bikes). Before putting grease on my current discs, I tried the hub assembly with this Tenacious Oil. It also produced resistance that I wasn't expecting. In any case, before the weekend I'm going to pick up a bottle of Master Pro Gear Oil you recommend. Thanks for all the info!
 
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