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greasable wheel hubs?

S

snake711

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I have a problem with getting water and mud in to my hubs. I have cleaned the seal surface and replaced the seals and I still get some in there. I have been thinking of drilling a hole thru the hub between the inner and outer bearings. Tapping it to use a Zerk fitting. This will allow me to pump grease into the hub assembly and bearings without removing the hub.

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First, that would fill the hub with a ridiculous amount of grease and second that won't remove any water or mud that made it's way in.

What does the seal surface on the spindle look like? You may need to replace the spindle or put a speedi-sleeve on that surface to get it to seal right.
 
The grease will still need a place to go. If not it will blow out the rear seal and your problems will be worse. That rear seal is not designed for it. On top of that, if you did find a proper seal, the grease would push out the back and then when you drive down the street it will end up all over the rotor and brake pads.

In the end, there is too much open space inside the hub between the bearings. As you push in new grease it will eventually find the path of least resistance and not push out the contaminated grease you are trying to get rid of, at least not all of it.

They do make better grease for vehicles that may see frequent water crossings. It's green or blueish green in color.
 
Also, make sure that the spacer and seal are on good shape on the back side of the stub axle. There is a flat plastic washer and small rubber seal that seals the stub shaft to the back side of the spindle and keeps water from traveling between the axle shaft and spindle right into the hub. I have seen many a truck with the spacer completely missing and the seal trashed. They rarly get serviced as you need to remove the spindle from the knuckle to get to it.

X10 in not installing a Zerk. that would result in bad JuJu as others have said.

Cheers,

Rufus
 
Thanks for the replies,

I make a lot of water crossings and sloppy mud. I have cleaned and polished the rear seal surface. new locking hubs. New seals betweent the spindle and the axle shaft. But I think that is my weak link. I thought that if i pumped more grease in the water wouldnt have the ability to get into the bearings. I dont want to over pack them. Just enough to fill the gap between and the bearings. I dont intend on packing them to the point of pumping thru the seal. I figured if any where it will travel thru the opening for the axle shaft.
 
One other thing to consider is that packing grease in with a grease gun to the point of forcing it out between the stub shaft and spindle would also force it into your locking hubs which would render them useless. Locking hubs don't like to unlock when they are full of grease.

Also, I really think that if you were to use enough force to push the grease out of the small gap between the stub shaft and the spindle I would still put my $ on the rear hub seal pushing out. It has a lot of surface area and will act just like a pneumatic cylinder. POP!

But, these are just my opinions and you know what opinions are like :D.

If you do want to go through with it I don't see any reason a small hole in the side of the hub would weaken things enough to cause a problem. It will require you to most likely remove the Zerk to get your wheel on an off each time. Well, you know the risks others have mentioned. Keep your eyes open for them and give it a try. Realy watch to make sure grease does not get on the breaks..that could be life threatening.

Rufus
 
Hang on, I may be able to help you out.

My vehicles live in deep water and mud all during hunting season. When you go through the places I do daily, you will never keep all the mud out. But you can slow it down.
The mud is almost certainly coming in through the spindle bearings if you have checked all the other seals.
There is a seal there, but its pretty useless.

What I am going to suggest, works on my Ford. I don't know if they make one for your truck, but if they don't, it should not be hard to get one made.
I bet someone here could do it.

Now to describe it.
Its called a spindle bearing grease tool. Its a hollow aluminum cylinder closed at one end with a Zerk fitting. Its deep enough that the stub axle will not bottom out in it.
The open end is turned out and threaded the same as the outside axle nut.
There is a lip inside just past the threads with an O ring in it.
To use it, you take off the hub, and the first axle nut.
Thread this on where the nut was, hand tight.
Start pumping a good waterproof grease into the end of it.
The first time, will take a LOT of grease, since it has to fill the tool.
Then, it will force grease around the end of the axle, into the spindle, filling it around the axle stub, and finally all the dirt, water, rust, and old grease will come out the back side of the spindle.

When you see clean grease, wipe off the excess and the bad stuff. Unscrew the tool, and either put it in a strong ziplock bag, or do something to protect the grease left in it.
Wipe the axle down up to the end of the spindle.

Reassemble the axle and do the other side.

By packing the spindle full of grease, you create a dam that blocks the bad stuff from making its way into your hub and wheelbearings.

The axle stub spinning in the grease will cause a very small amount to work out. If you wiped the stub down, it should not be enough to bother the locking hub.

Works for me.

J.
 
Now that sounds like a sweet tool and probably the best bet to reduce the water intrusion. Where did you get the tool? any links? if it works on a Ford axle i bet it will work on a Chevy just fine.

Rufus
 
Yep, thats her. Mine was not as pretty, it was just solid black. If that is the axle you have it should work.
If it has been a while since you have seen your spindle bearings, you might want to consider pulling everything apart and checking them. Otherwise, order the greaser, buy a couple of tubes of waterproof grease and have at it.

You might try NAPA, something in the back of my mind says I got mine from them.

Also, if you can find it, Sta-Lube boat trailer wheel bearing grease ignores water like you would not believe.

Just, remember, you are greasing the spindle bearings, and not affecting the wheel bearings, so you will still have to do maintenance on them. But if this keeps the mud and water out like it should, then they will go longer between repacking as well.

Also, not only are you filling the tool up the first time, also the spindles, so buy a tube more than you think you will need.
The next times you will not need as much.

J.
 
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