The old mechanic at my shop in Boise told me to stop greasing freehub pawls, and he was dead right

Henry Martinez · 2026-10-08T11:50:03.583635+00:00

I was packing my freehub pawls with heavy marine grease for a couple years. Figured more grease meant better protection. An old mechanic named Ray at the shop in Boise watched me do it one slow Tuesday and said, 'You are gonna make that thing drag and skip.' I ignored him for a bit. Then a customer came back twice in 3 weeks with a hub that would not engage right on cold mornings. Took it apart, grease had gotten thick and sticky. Cleaned it out, used a light oil like Ray said, never had the problem again. Curious what you all run in pawls and ratchet rings, because I know some of you swear by that fancy pink stuff.

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The old mechanic at my shop in Boise told me to stop greasing freehub pawls, and he was dead right | Bicycle Mechanics - Talk Freely