Why no Moly on rear axle?

rtbmrgl

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Location
Roseville, ca
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‘03 ST1300a
Hello, i just read and followed Chucks rear wheel install instruction's, great write up btw. It says not to used Moly grease on the axle, i didn't but there was no explanation not to, just wondered why.

 
I suspect that means not to use "moly paste" on the axle.

I've been using moly grease on my bike axles for about 45 years now without any issues, so I can't imagine why moly grease wouldn't be usable. Chuck refers to "axle grease" in the generic sense, and moly grease is just one option for axle grease.

he refers to "Honda moly" for the paste, even though the word "paste" isn't there.
 
I've been using the same 'moly' (proper Loctite stuff when I couldn't get the proper Honda stuff) I used on the splines on the axles for over 1/2 million miles between four ST1100s.
If there's an issue with doing it, I haven't encountered it yet but then I might just be lucky ... ;)
 
I've been using the same 'moly' (proper Loctite stuff when I couldn't get the proper Honda stuff) I used on the splines on the axles for over 1/2 million miles between four ST1100s.
If there's an issue with doing it, I haven't encountered it yet but then I might just be lucky ... ;)
Good info on tested Loctite moly... :thumbsup:
 
There is nothing wrong with putting Moly on the rear axle as far as I am concerned. The axle needs to be greased - thin smear - only to prevent corrosion. So any waterproof grease is ok. After applying the paste to the splines with gloved fingers I grease the axle with whatever is left on the gloves. Some may argue that it might allow the bearings to spin on the axle. That would be most unlikely - the inner races are clamped together very firmly against the distance tube, the shoulder on the axle on one side and the fork on the other - when the axle bolt is tightened.

Front axle - I would not put moly on the ends where the forks clamp by tightening the pinch bolts. Moly is designed to allow parts to move against each other under extreme pressure. Think about it .
 
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