landroversforever Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Changing some wheel bearings yesterday reminded me what a tedious job it is to cram the bearings with grease. Is there an easier method than just massaging it in with your fingers? What's the best method you've come across? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Don't cram them, I find it takes less time No real need to, as the grease warms up it will move around nicely, I have never taken a bearing I put in apart and thought 'I should have put more greare in there!', so I can't be doing much wrong A good application inside the hub/outer race and splodged over the inner race and rubbed in a bit before fitting is fine IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I like the feeling of greese between my fingers... rock on the old fashioned way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinv8 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I put as much in as I can be bothered to do, and for some reason it's much nicer now I use the blue JCB grease. Perhaps it's the pretty colour it makes on my T-shirt when I wipe my hands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 What is the advantage of the JCB blue over the Castrol LM I use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinv8 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 The blue stuff is waterproof so I'm told but then I would of thought all grease would be? Haven't been using it long enough yet to assertain whether it's worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 It's pretty colour Couple of quid a tube, pretty good value, and being JCB it's probably alright stuff http://www.truckandplantonline.com/details.php?id=8095 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Waterproof grease is just grease plus clay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big tim Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I use one of these works a treat http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNIVERSAL-GREASE-BEARING-PACKER-TOOL-/180686753919?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2a11c5107f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Woodward Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I've got one of theseSnap-On packer. Cant fault it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I use the same pump as used for greasing the U-joints, a couple of pumps and it's nicely packed and not overly greasy hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSheds Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Not all grease is waterproof - in fact not many are. I have been told by a normally reliable source that coating a bit of freshly sand-blasted steel with thin stripes of various greases and leaving it out in the rain for a few days will show that rust forms under the normal grease as air and water make it through. I was also told that waterproof grease is generally not as good as normal at the business of lubrication, although I would be surprised if it has clay in it... I use normal (moly) for lubrication where it is expected to stay dry, but waterproof for things like threads, door locks etc which are exposed. The JCB grease looks interesting - might be the best of both worlds... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 I dont use grease on landrover wheelbearings anymore. I used to run grease in the fronts and oil in the rears. I've had to replace the fronts a few times, but never the rears. So I now removed the seals to the CV's and run oil in the fronts too. Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 My only worry with that was the fact its not that easy for the oil to get in there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 The oil will get in OK, there's no doubt about that. This method is only any good if your stub axle seal lands (where the hub seals run) are in perfect nick. Mine aren't, and the hub seals only last a month or two before the axle oil makes it's way out. I'm going to revert to greased bearings on the front now, to match the rear, and just re-grease the bearings once or twice a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 I think the reason that the seal lands wear is because the grease is less likely to lubricate them than oil. so the seal is more likely to run dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Ian Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 Hi On our Force9 hubs, which we expect to be abused, we evolved a simple method of greasing/oiling the wheel brgs. In the Force9 we have 10 drive member bolts but you could do similar with a 5 bolt fitting. With the hub removed and stripped two of the M10 bolt holes, at 180deg, are extended towards the center of the hub using a 5mm or similar drill. Two holes are then drill radially crossing the end of the extended M5 holes, to form a gallery coming out between the two bearings. The outer part of the radial hole is then plugged leaving a gallery down the M10 hole into the center of the hub between the bearings. When necessary to re oil or grease the hub, remove two opposing bolts pump grease into one untill it comes out of the other , then replace the fixing bolts (fit the last bolt slowly to avoid blowing the seal out!!. It is recommended this is done after each event to push out water/crud that has entered via the seal. Ian Ashcroft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiopepe Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Grease is made out of oil and clay, that's all it is. The different viscositys are based on different ratios of oil to clay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStu Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I have a method which seems to work well. Using an old pan and a camping stove - unless you're single and can get away with doing it in the kitchen - warm some grease so its reasonably runny, drop bearings in, stir and remove from the heat. Allow to cool, remove and hey presto, a nicely packed bearing. Stu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fender1234 Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 I drilled and tapped the drive flange, fitted a grease nipple, i was unsure as to whether it would work but had very good results, and had a noticable increase in wheel bearing life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Frimodt Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Hi On our Force9 hubs, which we expect to be abused, we evolved a simple method of greasing/oiling the wheel brgs. In the Force9 we have 10 drive member bolts but you could do similar with a 5 bolt fitting. With the hub removed and stripped two of the M10 bolt holes, at 180deg, are extended towards the center of the hub using a 5mm or similar drill. Two holes are then drill radially crossing the end of the extended M5 holes, to form a gallery coming out between the two bearings. The outer part of the radial hole is then plugged leaving a gallery down the M10 hole into the center of the hub between the bearings. When necessary to re oil or grease the hub, remove two opposing bolts pump grease into one untill it comes out of the other , then replace the fixing bolts (fit the last bolt slowly to avoid blowing the seal out!!. It is recommended this is done after each event to push out water/crud that has entered via the seal. Ian Ashcroft Just the other day I actually noticed that a series hub is made similar to that! One of the bolts has a hole going directly into the gallery between the two bearings, so I'll simply drill through a bolt and fit a grease point and screw in that bolt when I have to grease up the bearings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatbloke Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 This is the stuff I use. http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-824-silkolene-pro-rg2-racing-grease.aspx Had it in for about 3 years and it's still the same now as when I put it in. No probs with bearing wear or water washing it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Grease is made out of oil and clay, that's all it is Soap as well . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I have a 50ml syringe that has a spout which is a perfect fit between the outer cage and the inner race. I push grease between every roller and one syringe fill will easily grease 2 bearings. It only takes a minute to do each bearing - easy. I would always advise greasing new or reused bearings. Hub seals (and their running surfaces) in good condition keep the water out fairly well. Always grease the seal lips before fitting the hub to the stub axle. Even if you plan to use oil to lubricate the bearings, a dry seal will destroy itself before any oil has got that far. If the stub axle faces are worn/corroded the best solution is to replace them. A new seal won't last 5 minutes on a surface like that. Series axles had the wearing surface as a replaceable part. The old ring could be cut/split off and the new one heated up in an oven and fitted to the stub (a shrink on fit). I have one in the garage However newer axles don't have this luxury. My normal practice (as the owner of a lathe) is to spin the stub and polish the grooved area. I have even turned a small amount off the diameter if the corrosion is bad and repolished the surface. A new seal has a good deal of stretch over the stub, so there is a little to play with here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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