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Forum Index : Other Stuff : Wheel bearing grease....
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9037 |
Today I pulled apart the front-left wheel on my wee Morris 1300, as the bearings were making noises, and the normal wriggle test for worn bearings was indicating they were worn, so out with the hub, and out with the bearings. I found the bearings had been packed with black graphite grease NOT wheel bearing grease as they should have in there. My question is what would be the result of using graphite grease in there when it should be wheel bearing grease? Would the wrong grease result in premature bearing wear? I think it probably would, but I would like some other opinions. I already have new bearings to install on both front wheel hubs, and I will be using the correct wheel bearing grease, naturally.  Can't say I have ever seen this before. Any other hubs I have pulled to bits, always had the correct brown wheel bearing grease in them. Never seen hubs packed with graphite grease before. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Davo99 Guru  Joined: 03/06/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1577 |
The only thing I think I know about wheel bearing grease it is supposed to withstand higher Temps so it does not melt out. May not be relevant on your car but it's not just the bearing that can cause heat, there can be a Lot transferred into the hub from disk brakes especially. I always make sure to use bearing grease in any bearing that matter. I did run out recently and use some normal grease in wheel bearings but that was just on the yard trailer I put Car hubs on so I don't see a whole load of heat being generated in 150M @ under 20 KMH. :0) |
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| noneyabussiness Guru Joined: 31/07/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 506 |
grease comparison Depends what it actually is, if graphite based, they usually actually better than htb for wheel bearings, higher temp handling, longer life etc etc... but more expensive... As dave said, a LOT of heat is both transferred and generated by wheel bearings... also think how hot it gets under heavy braking, while most of that heat is dissipated by the very fast moving wheel still a lot... so higher temp toleration is always beneficial... I think it works !! |
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| johnmc Senior Member  Joined: 21/01/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 282 |
Good day all Wheel bearings should not be overpacked with grease( friction of the grease causing overheating). Just sufficient grease to lubricate the bearing. note excessive amount of Molybdenum Disulfide added to the grease can cause the bearing to skate instead of rolling and this causes overheating of the bearing. Some morris vehicles had deeep groove ball roller bearings and a spacer in the hub to maintain load on the bearings and no adjustment for wear. Nearly all modern vehicles use servicable adustable angular tapered wheel bearings, or angular contact roller bearings that are not adjustable and sealed for life, with a small amount of grease for lubrication cheers john johnmc |
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| zeitfest Guru Joined: 31/07/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 375 |
IIRC some cars of the era used lithium grease (white), for front wheel bearings in high temperature use with disk brakes |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9037 |
Interesting replies, thanks chums.  Yes, that is exactly what I have here. An inner and an outer bearing, with a spacer between them in the middle of the hub, with seals on both sides. When you do up the driveshaft main nut tight, it squeezes the bearings and spacer together, and there is no further adjustment. Any serious play in the bearings, means you have to replace them, you cannot adjust them. Although, one chum of mine here HAS adjusted them before, by turning a few thou off the spacer in a lathe, then putting them back in. That allows the bearings to be squeezed up a little more, and take up the play. The brand new bearings are interesting, in that they come with 'Half a spacer' as part of the inner race, and you install them back-to-back in the hub and do up the driveshaft nut, and that squeezes them together. But there is no 'Floating' spacer, half of the spacer is on the inner bearing, the other half on the outer. Clever. EDIT: Photos.   New bearing with 'Half-spacer' on the left, old one on the right. Edited 2021-05-06 10:34 by Grogster Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| johnmc Senior Member Joined: 21/01/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 282 |
Also they are made that way because, they are angular contact ball roller bearings and should be fitted only one way. cheers john johnmc |
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| johnmc Senior Member Joined: 21/01/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 282 |
Just in case I did not explain myself clearly  bearing fitted > < angle of ball bearing contact to bearing tracks opposing each other. cheers john johnmc |
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