Wheel Bearing Greasing - A Modern Perspective

[timkoenig]

So I did my bearings today. Rig is about a year old and towed 17,000 miles. All the bearings looked like new so I did not replace them. They were well greased but the grease had turned black in the bearings. There was a lot of grease in the cavity between the bearings. I had never used the grease fittings and bought it new, either the factory or the dealer had used the fittings though with so much grease in there. No grease at all leaked thru onto the brakes and all the brakes looked like they have been working. After reassembly I pumped some grease in thru the fittings but not enough to make it push out the front.

[pauldridge]

So I did my bearings today. Rig is about a year old and towed 17,000 miles. All the bearings looked like new so I did not replace them. They were well greased but the grease had turned black in the bearings. There was a lot of grease in the cavity between the bearings. I had never used the grease fittings and bought it new, either the factory or the dealer had used the fittings though with so much grease in there. No grease at all leaked thru onto the brakes and all the brakes looked like they have been working. After reassembly I pumped some grease in thru the fittings but not enough to make it push out the front.

That is as I would have expected. While, yes, I do appreciate the value of removing the drum, inspecting the shoes and bearing races, I am more and more convinced that when the task is merely insuring that the bearings are sufficient lubricated, the grease fittings provided by the manufacturer serve their purpose just fine when used as directed:

1) jack up my axle, allowing free rotation of the wheel,
2) remove center cap from wheel (no need to remove wheel
3) Remove the rubber cap inside to allow access to the grease fitting
4) While slowing turning the wheel to aid in grease distribution, pump grease through the fitting.. there will be very minimal pressure required with the grease gun pump (if there is, then further investigation would be required to make sure you don't force the seal out
5) Continue pumping while rotating the tire, until a good bit of grease comes out the outer end (NO.. don't just timidly "pump a few strokes".. that will do nothing to insure complete lubrication through the bearing rollers). If you use a good appropriate red grease, and the old grease is discolored, just keep pumping until the old grease is expelled until new fresh grease appears at the outer axle)
6) clean up all the excess grease that overflowed from the axle end
7) replace the rubber "plug" in the axle end and opening
8) replace the metal wheel cover for looks

[minnow101]

I guess if filling the hub with new grease to the point there’s enough pressure to push grease out the hub works for you have at it.

For me cleaning and repacking the bearings by tearing down the hubs and inspecting every component the old fashion way has worked well me for 35 years.