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Ludwig Speed King pedal overhaul - minimal grease

Posts: 304 Threads: 57

Hi all, I finally got around to doing something I've been thinking about for a couple years...disassemble, clean, re-lube, and reassemble my 1976 Speed King. It was still functional, but slow.

I watched all the youtube "how to" videos, and read past threads on this forum, and they all helped make the job easy. Thank you! However I question Ludwig's original use of, and the modern guidance of packing that thing with so much grease. I think that is totally unnecessary. We know that wheel bearings on vehicles must be packed tight with grease, but they are subject to far more stress, pressure, speed and temperature than I can generate with my bass drum foot!

I couldn't help but relate my experience with military firearms, both semi-automatic and full-automatic (machine guns). Generally speaking, only a light film of CLP oil (commercial name is Break Free) is necessary. Where you have high-stress contact between two steel parts, a light application of Lubriplate-type grease can be used.

So, when I reassembled my Speed King, I put a light film of Home Depot's "Blaster PB-50 Multi-Purpose Lubricant with Teflon" on all parts, with a generous spray into the two bearings. I then put a thin film of Lubriplate on the top of the two pushrods, where they interact steel-on-steel with the "cam shafts." That's it. And that pedal FLIES! I plan to open up that Speed King again in a year, and see how my "minimalist" recipe worked. It'll sure be an easy job, not dealing with all that grease!

I welcome comments from others with more experience than I have. I will post my disassembly technique in a separate post.

Regards, MB

Posted on 6 years ago
#1
Posts: 444 Threads: 82

Thanks for the info. I need to tackle this on a couple of Speed Kings myself one of these days.

Posted on 6 years ago
#2
Posts: 621 Threads: 41

ditto......marko

Posted on 6 years ago
#3
Posts: 6524 Threads: 37

From Marty Black

Hi all, I finally got around to doing something I've been thinking about for a couple years...disassemble, clean, re-lube, and reassemble my 1976 Speed King. It was still functional, but slow.I watched all the youtube "how to" videos, and read past threads on this forum, and they all helped make the job easy. Thank you! However I question Ludwig's original use of, and the modern guidance of packing that thing with so much grease. I think that is totally unnecessary. We know that wheel bearings on vehicles must be packed tight with grease, but they are subject to far more stress, pressure, speed and temperature than I can generate with my bass drum foot! I couldn't help but relate my experience with military firearms, both semi-automatic and full-automatic (machine guns). Generally speaking, only a light film of CLP oil (commercial name is Break Free) is necessary. Where you have high-stress contact between two steel parts, a light application of Lubriplate-type grease can be used.So, when I reassembled my Speed King, I put a light film of Home Depot's "Blaster PB-50 Multi-Purpose Lubricant with Teflon" on all parts, with a generous spray into the two bearings. I then put a thin film of Lubriplate on the top of the two pushrods, where they interact steel-on-steel with the "cam shafts." That's it. And that pedal FLIES! I plan to open up that Speed King again in a year, and see how my "minimalist" recipe worked. It'll sure be an easy job, not dealing with all that grease!I welcome comments from others with more experience than I have. I will post my disassembly technique in a separate post.Regards, MB

Wheel bearing grease has nowhere to go. the bearings in your pedal will drop the grease. There should be plenty of grease in there.

It`s a drum,.....Hit It !!

.....76/#XK9207 Phonic Sound Machine D454/D-505 snares !i
Posted on 6 years ago
#4
Posts: 6524 Threads: 37

It keeps it very quiet too. A floating pedal with quiet mechanics is the Speed King way.

It`s a drum,.....Hit It !!

.....76/#XK9207 Phonic Sound Machine D454/D-505 snares !i
Posted on 6 years ago
#5
Posts: 304 Threads: 57

Thanks Oddball...you are correct that my oil-only, no-grease on the Speed King bearings is very slightly noisy, but it's barely audible. You can only hear the bearings if you press the grease cap against your ear, while working the rocker.

From a foot away, there is no difference in sound (there is no sound at all) between my no-grease pedal and two greased Speed Kings that I have. And I'm so pleased with the "float" of the pedal, that I'm gonna leave it as-is (no grease), and inspect/re-evaluate in 6 months or more.

Regards, MB

Posted on 6 years ago
#6
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