Front hub bearing grease repacking

[Bob_Spidell]

Usually, you are admonished to only pack the bearing, but in a Healey hub, esp. with wires, the temptation is great to stuff the hub. I did it once, but recently heard a logical explanation as to why you shouldn't: it traps heat. And, as you mentioned, it doesn't do anything (and may lead to some/more grease oozing from the hub). Maybe if we knew what the OT vehicle is? A Jeep or other 'off road' type, maybe, where the grease may help keep water and dirt out?

 

[HealeyRick]

Usually, you are admonished to only pack the bearing, but in a Healey hub, esp. with wires, the temptation is great to stuff the hub. I did it once, but recently heard a logical explanation as to why you shouldn't: it traps heat. And, as you mentioned, it doesn't do anything (and may lead to some/more grease oozing from the hub). Maybe if we knew what the OT vehicle is? A Jeep or other 'off road' type, maybe, where the grease may help keep water and dirt out?

It's an 82 BMW 320i. I misstated. The instructions were not in the workshop manual but from an online how-to. I agree, I don't think it does anything and may cause more trouble than help.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

... The instructions were not in the workshop manual but from an online how-to. ...

Ahem.

OT: I was watching one of the 'forensic' TV crime shows, about a mother who poisoned her husband and several of her kids with antifreeze. One of the 'expert' commentators explained that 'antifreeze is put in gasoline.' One needs a very skeptical eye these days.

 

[HealeyRick]

Ahem.

OT: I was watching one of the 'forensic' TV crime shows, about a mother who poisoned her husband and several of her kids with antifreeze. One of the 'expert' commentators explained that 'antifreeze is put in gasoline.' One needs a very skeptical eye these days.

You're right, I should know better. (Hangs his head in shame) Unless you packed the hub to the gunwales, the grease would probably just stick in a blob to the outside of the hub, not even being in contact with a bearing surface or the spindle. I've also heard of people putting grease in the dust cap. As you said, the only logical thing would be to keep moisture away from the bearings, but the rear seal would take care of that as would the dust cap, unless you were fording streams.

 

[vette]

The old time mechanics, and I do mean "Old Time" like back when I was a preteen (by the time I got to high school the practice had been largely abandoned) again the old timers would put a swatch of grease in the dust cap when ever they REPLACED BEARINGS this was done because in the early cars the bearing hub and the brake drum were all one piece and when you needed to inspect the brakes for a typical biannual inspection you had to pull and disturb the bearing. When the old timers did this they would take a finger tip of grease from the dust cap and smear it on the bearing rollers in an effort to keep the bearing greased. This saved time because they didn't have to go open up a can of grease....... One theory on packing a bearing hub full of grease is that a packed hub will help to keep grease in contact with the bearings and the grease that is on the rollers will not have an empty void to be centrifically flung out into. If your seals are good this extra grease in the hub will not contribute to grease getting past the seal. I'm pretty sure that many shop manuals will explicitly state to pack the hubs.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Once the outer bearing is removed, how do you clean the old grease out, before repacking it with new grease?

 

[roscoe]

You can wipe away as much grease as possible but then you use a degreasing solvent and a bristle brush to clean out the rest. You can't really inspect a bearing unless you get all the grease out. Most shops have a solvent tank that is filled with any number of different commercially available solvents. Mineral spirits will work as will gasoline in a pinch. A little diesel fuel...what ever grease cutter pleases you. When the grease is washed out you can blow them out with compressed air but don't let the bearing spin up. Cleaning out old grease is a nasty job. Disposing of dirty solvent can be an issue as the oil recyclers will not accept solvent contaminated oil if they can avoid it. Check out Youtube videos to see how to hand pack bearings, you don't just smear grease on them.

 

[vette]

Once the outer bearing is removed, how do you clean the old grease out, before repacking it with new grease?

I believe you might be referring to the video that shows John Twist of University Motors. I have not watched that video in a long time but I believe he is showing to remove the outer bearing and then not removing the hub and inner bearing. I personally do not agree with him. I believe the bearings, both inner and outer, should be removed and inspected at certain periods. To inspect, clean and repack your bearing you must remove the hub from the spindle and then the bearings from the hub.

 

[roscoe]

Of course I was assuming both bearings were actually in your hand and you were repacking and inspecting both of them. In referring to a video about hand packing I just meant something that would show a blob of grease on your palm and drawing the large side of the bearing cage across your hand so as to force grease into the recesses of the bearing. Not specific to any particular greaseable bearing, just the basic technique.