white90 Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Well after running grease in the axle for 2yrs here's my findings: on the short side of the axle I have replaced x2 CV's and always replaced the grease with fresh on the rebuild.the grease still requiring removal to rebuild. the long side has been untouched till yesterday when I dismantled it to fit the new Ashcroft CV's to my suprise there was next to no grease in the swivel! it had migrated to the diff and mixed with the EP90 in there... the swivel/axle seal was brand new and intact. so from now on the grease is to be abandoned for EP90 in the whole axle. that way it is far easier to maintain and check the levels/replace as required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Isn't EP90 (being thinner than the grease) going to get into the axle quicker? Strange it did that though if the seal is ok. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted November 1, 2005 Author Share Posted November 1, 2005 possibly but I can check it easier, I guess it moved when the 90 has been on its side at some time in the past. I have alwasy advocated grease but have change my opinion on my findings. luckily i found it before I destroyed the CV etc running dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_T Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Point noted. EP 90 is, however, not an option for those of us with TD5 swivels on the grounds that there are no drain or level plugs. My TD5 is now 6 years old and last time I had a poke around the grease was still where it is supposed to be. I guess you did have a seal problem of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 I have never liked grease but that is because I have emptied watery oil out of swivels in the past and 1) you can't easily change grease 2) I figure by the time grease is leaking out, lots of water might have leaked in a dodgy seal Very odd symptoms that you have there! I would put oil in my swivels but no drain bung and I can't be bothered with all the faffing around to pull it to bits and drill/tap drain holes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Brock Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Oil every time for me, you can see when its leaking out and if EP90 leaking out water's getting in ! nuff said, respect to the massive, safe....... God i've been listening to the appentices for to long.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 I had decided to run EP90 in my swivels so this just reinforces that decision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 IIRC Wolfs are all run with grease and no premature CV wear with them, and thats fleet wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Wightman Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Oil for me. If oil leaks out then water can get in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Oil for my 110, simply because that what the swivels are built for, must change the swivel seals soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Oil for me too ! I did a post on the "Old darek Side" which explained how some axles have to be converted to oil (dowty seal RR etc). When I get a mo I'll see if I can find it and repost here, its a simple case of cutting off rubbers and changing hub seals to RTC 3511s.... Late stuff also which has either no fillers or teflon coated swivels won't really work with oil, everything else is better. What to know the condition inside the swivels at any time ? Drain oil, inspect and replace, the oil, colour, bits water ingress etc etc all show up Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted November 1, 2005 Author Share Posted November 1, 2005 Pray tell why a teflon swivel won't work with oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 no level plugs etc.... Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted November 1, 2005 Author Share Posted November 1, 2005 Nige the oil fill/check and drain plugs are in the housing not the Teflon swivel. I fitted teflon swivels when one of my chrome ones started leaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 AFAIK the genuine swivels are now only the black coated ones, no silver chromed ones available any more (s/s part number I think) so they must do for all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 <sigh>, sorry posted too fast to be clear.. A axle that has teflon / black coting is tricky to convert as the fillers / drains are not there (on the housings), whereas chriome swivels have housings that have the in and out holes so that you can convert to oil, aklthough they will have been built to contain grease, but used oil type housings ?... .its not the swivels as such its the housings, and as a quick guide chrome = high poss you can convert telflon / black = low chance, unless its a "Bitza" axle... Hope thats clearer Nige <sigh>, sorry posted too fast to be clear.. A axle that has teflon / black coting is tricky to convert as the fillers / drains are not there (on the housings), whereas chriome swivels have housings that have the in and out holes so that you can convert to oil, aklthough they will have been built to contain grease, but used oil type housings ?... .its not the swivels as such its the housings, and as a quick guide chrome = high poss you can convert telflon / black = low chance, unless its a "Bitza" axle... Hope thats clearer Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Nige, I really don't think you should drink before you post Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Drink ? ...I wish at the mo More likely the 12-14 hour days I'm doing ....and no, I don't get overtime Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Just changing the subject slightly - is the teflon finish better than chrome? Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 NO Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 to my suprise there was next to no grease in the swivel! it had migrated to the diff and mixed with the EP90 in there... Hello, Just curious - you mean there was a mixture of lubricants in the swivel or no lubricant at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAttrill Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 I have noticed that my front diff is always slightly over-full, so the EP90 must be migrating from the swivels (unless I have a concealed oil refinery in there ) I changed one swivel seal at 190k (kms) and at 220k the other is going. I need to do the swivel preloads anyway. When I run out of shims to remove I suppose it is time to change the bearing? I stick to the EP90 - apart from anything else the LR grease (like any other 'genuine part') is ridiculously expensive - one tube of grease = 20l EP90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonk Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 NONige care to explain why chrome is better nige? i always use oil in my swivels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted November 2, 2005 Author Share Posted November 2, 2005 Roman there was very little in the swivel the grease had move/mixed with th EP90 in the Diff Nige teflon is the way to go my axle has teflon swivels and oil fill/drain/check plugs. when you replace chrome ones you'll get a teflon one as the chrome ones are no more unless you find old stock. I had to replace one so I changed both for teflon and replaced all the seals/bearings while I was there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 I have always used oil for excatly the reason Paul mentioned. About a year ago I was thinking of changing to grease having had to change three swivel seals in about two months - I even bought the grease. But all the benefits fo oil outway grease. I now change the swivel oil bi-monthly or when it starts getting emulsified (which happens with or without good swivel seals) I know both my axle end seals are tired so I always have a slightly over filled diff, which isn't a bad thing in the long run. I made a swivel filler from a Hozelock sprayer with a modified end for ease of use and speed of filling As Bhudda once said "Parts are expensive, Oil and grease are cheap) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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