Workhorse Wheel Bearing Fill

[drisley]

Pardon what is no doubt a newbie question, but...

Workhorse chassis with oil filled bearings on front. One of them is leaking, and I don't have time to fix it before a one week trip.

It has a red center plug as well as a black cap on top. What's the difference?
How to put in oil?
And what kind? Not standard motor oil, I'm sure.

Id like to put a little lube in there for the trip so I don't have to think about it.

 

[driftless shifter]

Don't know for sure, but most I've had experience with use differential gear oil. If the red cap is on a hard transparent plastic cover there will be two circular lines, they are the add and full lines. Fill to the line closest to the fill hole. If the red plug is in a metal cover fill to where you can easily stick your finger in the hole and feel the level. If you have the hard plastic cover be gentle removing and replacing the red plug, the plastic gets brittle with age.

The leak may be because the vent hole in the center of the red plug is plugged, clear it with a paper clip.

Have no idea about a black cap on top. What is top? The hub rotates.

Bill

 

[driftless shifter]

By the way where is it leaking? Font or back? An observant truck cop may park you if he/she sees the telltale streaks of oil on your rim and wheel if it's leaking from the out side. if the wheel seal on back is leaking, it may be contaminating your brakes with oil.

Bill

 

[drisley]

Attached is the pic of it. You can see the black plug on top of it (I understand it rotates, but I'm just differentiating it from the center).

Didn't know what the purposes of the two plugs are. I'm guessing I put the oil in the red one and perhaps the black is for draining.

As for oil, something like this, then?
http://www.motosport.com/product?psreferrer=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F&pssource=true&segment=badger&key=Lucas-Oil-Synthetic-Gear-And-Transmission-Oil&cc=us&adpos=1o2&creative=93575775025&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CJW7gYGZtMsCFdgMgQodov0FBw

 

[driftless shifter]

Since it's leaking, why spend the money on synthetic? Put dino 80/90 weight, or heavier, if you are in a hot climate. GL 4 or 5 i would guess. Try searching exactly what oil is recommended, may take some digging but a cross compatible GL 4-5 is probably safer. Someone else may chime in with the Workhorse specs.

Bill

 

[BoomerD]

The proper lubricant will depend on the actual chassis.

From the Workhorse Manual:
http://deserttruckservice.com/pdf%20folder/workhorse_chassis.guide.pdf

P Series Chassis Only-Wheel bearing lubricate meeting requirements of NLGI #2, Category LB or GC-LB (P/N 1051344 or equivalent)
W Series Chassis-SAE 90W GL-5 gear oil (P/N 1052227)

(NLGI #2 is chassis grease, not gear oil)

It sounds from the description like the OP has a W series chassis...so a GOOD QUALITY 90 w GL-5 gear oil would be required.

 

[drisley]

I'm almost positive this is a W22 chassis.

There is a leak, but I have no idea how fast it is. I just bought this coach recently, and just discovered the leak a week ago when we took the wheel off to put on new tires. So, I have no idea as to the speed of the leak yet. It wasn't spraying all over the side, but there was oil inside the wheel hub, visible after we took off the hubcap. But, will need to monitor to see how bad the leak is. Could be the gasket right behind the hub.

 

[John From Detroit]

Theory is the black plus is the drain plug to drain it and refill with fresh oil.. However I'd fill via the black hole

Fill to the bottom of the innermost circle scribed in the plastic (the circle nearest the red plug).

 

[BoomerD]

This may help:

 

[drisley]

Cool, that nails it. So, will pick up some 90 w GL-5 gear oil and throw some in there before we take off. Will monitor it to see how fast the leak is.

 

[Utclmjmpr]

Lucas makes a very fine gear oil specific for this purpose, I have used it for years and like it.>>>Dan (Available at wall mart)

 

[Bushbunny62]

Hi Guys,
Not sure I agree with some of the posts on here, to me I would think the black plug is for filling and draining and the red is there for the level.remove both plugs...fill at the black and when oil leaks out the red hole it's full...Just my 2cents.

Bush

 

[WILDEBILL308]

The proper oil for your hubs is a 75-90 synthetic gear oil  only. Like the Lucas someone posted above.
Bill