What grease for my bendix 70? Did I wreck my hub?

[geobikes]

I have used something called "super-lithium EP moly grease", the last few years over 7000 miles and at speeds close to 40 miles per hour. So I have a lot of experience with extreme Bendix coaster brake use. My regular daily ride route sees me going down one long fast hill over 30mph every time, and I have had to stop in the middle of it when a deer ran into the road and stopped in front of me, and let me tell you it was quite a trick. Have also got the brake so hot down long hills that when I threw snow on it at the bottom it turned it into steam.

After abuse like that, I am amazed the inside of the brake looks better than new in yearly tear-downs. This is why I know that nobody needs to worry about what sort of grease they put in a coaster hub, because those who do not subject their coaster to extreme abuse as I have will ever wear it out as long as it has been cleaned and greased, and even if you do abuse it badly it won't hurt it if you clean and re-pack it once a year.

This won't stop me from trying a different grease now and then, as when you do hit the brake hard when going downhill over 30mph you have to be very careful as the grease turns to liquid where the shoes contact the inside of the shell and then the grease is either squeezed out or vaporizes, the effect being the brake then tends to lock up, which may not be what you want when trying to keep control at such high speeds. Some people bevel the edges of the shoes so that they may keep more grease between the shoe and hub during braking, but I have tried it and it does not seem to make any real difference in that situation. It would be nice to find a grease that keeps the rear wheel from locking up at high speed and high temps, and at the same time does not create a lot of drag, but maybe that would have to be magic grease. For now the lithium/moly EP grease I have in the rear hub, which does not actually say it is high-temp, works as well as anything I have tried and it has very low drag, almost zero drag, in normal daily riding. Lately I have been braking early before fast hills and slowing down before I get to them so I am not going 30-40mph down them and instead staying in the teens or twenties of mph, much safer and easier on the brake too, but it always easy to get carried away and lost in the moment, so maybe I will hit a deer yet, or a car, or a tree.........

Maybe you should try parktool hpg-1! It’s expensive, at $15 a tube but it has a drop point of 540F and promises better adhesion, bearing life, and water resistance. They suggest this grease for coaster brakes in their tutorial. So far parktool is working fine for my bendix.

 

[Eatontkd]

Since we're talking grease: wht's the general impression of this one....?

 

[geobikes]

Never tried it, it would probably work but I would opt for a better known grease, parktool works great for me

 

[sm2501]

Since we're talking grease: wht's the general impression of this one....?

View attachment 2381634

Finish Line grease is top notch.

 

[The Colonel]

I use valvoline bearing red high temp grease for everything

 

[geobikes]

Finish Line grease is top notch.

Noice! Thanks for the tip but for now I’m good. I’ll see you next year! Hahaha

 

[SirMike1983]

Since we're talking grease: wht's the general impression of this one....?

View attachment 2381634

No problem - finish Line bike grease is perfectly fine. It's a durable grease that is water-resistant. The down side is you'll pay more - 16 oz MSRP is about $30, versus about $12 - $15 or so for 16 oz of Lucas green heavy duty, or roughly $12 - $15 for Lucas Marine blue grease.

 

[Eatontkd]

Thanks gang for the information. I appreciate you.

 

[The Colonel]

valvoline - red high temp for my bearings & hubs..

thank Eddie Bernays, Cale Yarborough & NASCAR...

 

[nortonguy]

I have used something called "super-lithium EP moly grease", the last few years over 7000 miles and at speeds close to 40 miles per hour. So I have a lot of experience with extreme Bendix coaster brake use. My regular daily ride route sees me going down one long fast hill over 30mph every time, and I have had to stop in the middle of it when a deer ran into the road and stopped in front of me, and let me tell you it was quite a trick. Have also got the brake so hot down long hills that when I threw snow on it at the bottom it turned it into steam.

After abuse like that, I am amazed the inside of the brake looks better than new in yearly tear-downs. This is why I know that nobody needs to worry about what sort of grease they put in a coaster hub, because those who do not subject their coaster to extreme abuse as I have will ever wear it out as long as it has been cleaned and greased, and even if you do abuse it badly it won't hurt it if you clean and re-pack it once a year.

This won't stop me from trying a different grease now and then, as when you do hit the brake hard when going downhill over 30mph you have to be very careful as the grease turns to liquid where the shoes contact the inside of the shell and then the grease is either squeezed out or vaporizes, the effect being the brake then tends to lock up, which may not be what you want when trying to keep control at such high speeds. Some people bevel the edges of the shoes so that they may keep more grease between the shoe and hub during braking, but I have tried it and it does not seem to make any real difference in that situation. It would be nice to find a grease that keeps the rear wheel from locking up at high speed and high temps, and at the same time does not create a lot of drag, but maybe that would have to be magic grease. For now the lithium/moly EP grease I have in the rear hub, which does not actually say it is high-temp, works as well as anything I have tried and it has very low drag, almost zero drag, in normal daily riding. Lately I have been braking early before fast hills and slowing down before I get to them so I am not going 30-40mph down them and instead staying in the teens or twenties of mph, much safer and easier on the brake too, but it always easy to get carried away and lost in the moment, so maybe I will hit a deer yet, or a car, or a tree.........