My wheel bearing grease was beyond it's usefull life.

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Rene T

Rene T

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Joined
May 20, 2011
Posts
22,415
Location
Farmington NH
I decided ton inspect my brake shoes and bearings today. When I removed the drums, I found the grease has started to get a little liquidy if that's a word. This grease had about 9000 miles on it. It's a good thing I decided to pull them apart. I packed the bearings with new grease and replaced the seals. Now we're good to go again.
 
Not a difficult job, but not lots of fun either. How long did it take to get it done?
 
It is usually recommended that the brakes and wheel bearings are inspected once a year. This helps to avoid a grease seal failure, which then means a brake failure.  Good job catching it.
 
HappyWanderer said:
Not a difficult job, but not lots of fun either. How long did it take to get it done?
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In all about 8 hours which included taking all the parts to a former employers shop to use their parts cleaner. Tomorrow, I just need to adjust the shoes and mount the wheels.
 
Yeah, I remember that it took a big chunk out of a weekend to get it done.

BTW, we'll be in the great state of New Hampshire in a couple of weeks for a rally, just south of Keene. Hope the weather holds.
 
HappyWanderer said:
Yeah, I remember that it took a big chunk out of a weekend to get it done.

BTW, we'll be in the great state of New Hampshire in a couple of weeks for a rally, just south of Keene. Hope the weather holds.
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It seems that most of the storms go through the south western part of NH which is in the Keene area.  :'(  I'll put in a good word for you.
 
Read all of the above posts with great interest......especially the link to Timken's article on lubricant shelf life.

Background:  Daughter just recently returned from a 2500 mile trip all over the desert SW with the grandkids in my Class C.  When she pulled in, I noted huge grease "spiders" on the front Alcoas......worst was the driver's side.  The whole wheel cove area seemed unusually hot so I shot the hubs with  my el cheapo Harbor Freight IR gun.........driver's side was 220 to 240 degees.....pass side about 180 degrees.  So off to Rush Ford Truck Center in Denver I went, where they told me that 100 degrees above ambient air was generally the max acceptable upper limit and most overheating is a result of improper bearing adjustment.  Wheels repacked and new seals installed.  No more hot hubs....and I even noticed some handling improvement!

Reading these posts, I believe the lube was w-a-y overdue for change out.  I am the 3rd owner; I suspect the last time the wheels were packed was probably when the original owner had a (front only) brake job done about 5 years ago.  Wow! Live and learn as they say.  Thanks forum members.
 
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