The debate on greasing pedal threads before installation

I read a post last week where a guy swore you should always grease pedal threads to prevent seizing, but my old shop mechanic said it can cause the pedals to loosen over time on aluminum cranks. I've been greasing them for years with no issues, but now I'm second-guessing myself. What's your take on this?

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samw472mo ago

Read a mechanic's blog recently where he tested this on aluminum cranks and found that grease actually stops the pedal from fully tightening because it acts like a lubricant between the threads. He said the real fix for seizing is just using a tiny bit of anti-seize compound instead of grease, since it prevents corrosion without making things too slippery. I've been greasing pedals for years too and never had one come loose, but now I'm wondering if I've just been lucky with my crank material. The guy in that blog pointed out that most pedal loosening stories come from people who overtighten to compensate for grease, not from the grease itself. Honestly, I'm probably gonna switch to a DRY install or just a smear of anti-seize for my next set, just to play it safe with my carbon cranks.

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roses692mo ago

My 2005 vintage Shimano XT cranks would beg to differ @samw47 I put grease on everything and never had a pedal come off. The whole "grease makes things too slippery" thing sounds like mechanic lore tbh. If your pedals are backing off from grease you either didnt tighten them enough or your crank threads are toast.

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