I would like to know if a certain grease is better to pack wheel bearings in? How do you know when you have packed it with enough grease? I am putting back on my front hubs now that the wheel cylinders arrived. I will also be putting on the rear ones as well. Thanks Kevin

 

I prefer a synthetic wheel bearing grease rated for disk brake use if there is no old grease to contaminate it. If repacking already greased bearings then use a Dino based wheel bearing grease. If cleaning used bearings, never spin them with compressed air to dry them! To pack bearings put the smaller end into the palm of your hand and cup it snugly. Now scoop up a generous dollop of the grease with two fingers of the other hand and pace it into the center of the bearing. Force the grease thru the bearing with your fingers adding more grease as necessary until you cannot pack any more into it. run a finger around the inside wiping any remaining grease into and around the center. pick the bearing up out of the palm with the two grease coated finger in the bore, examine the outside of the bearing to see that it is completely full and wipe the excess grease from your palm over the outside of the bearing like a layer of frosting, and install the bearing. It is important to completely fill all the spaces in the bearing, and nearly impossible to put in too much, the excess will squeeze out when you install the bearing. Kinda takes you back to your childhood when you used to make mud pies and feel the mud squeeze thru your fingers!

 

thanks ax I will be doing it tuesday

 

You can buy a bearing packing for under $10 that works with a grease gun. Less mess, less waster.

 

And a whole lot less FUN! You don't get to stick your hands in the bucket of grease...

 

Hey, Ax, it's also kinda like when Mom used to mix up the meatloaf by hand. Oh, man, those were the days.


Thanks for the memory.

 

Anybody see the episode of Dirty Jobs where they were packing the wheel bearings on a big 2 1/2 ton rig? The grease they used was in a 5 gallon bucket and they called it "peanut butter". And it looked exactly like it too. That was a heavy gloppy grease but it looked tasty.

 

The grease we used at the service station was real fiberous feeling and appearing like it was mixed with cotton. It really wasn't, just looked and felt that way.

 

I am partial to Amsoils synthetic bearing and chassis grease. Its red and smells terrific!!!!!