Is there such a thing as......

[Big Blzn]

too much bearing grease on my new 14bff wheel hub bearings? I understand that the hub bearings are lubed by the diff gear oil but before I knew this I packed the hell out of the bearing with a good quality grease. Anything to worry about? Sould I take the hubs off and scrape out some of the excess grease?
Hoby

 

[rdn2blazer]

did you pack the entire cavity of the hub? if so thats just a waste of grease, if you just packed the bearing really, really good, dont wort about it.

 

[Big Blzn]

No not the entire hub cavity. Just the bearings well and then when the bearings were in I got some healthy fingers full of grease and wiped them off on the inside edges of the bearings like I was wiping a turd off my hands. Cool, then I should be good. Thanks
Hoby

 

[GotBoykins]

I asked this question before and came to the conclusion that you should not pack the bearings with grease. The bearings are lubed with the gear oil, and the oil with grease mixes into a frothy mess.

 

[rdn2blazer]

I asked this question before and came to the conclusion that you should not pack the bearings with grease. The bearings are lubed with the gear oil, and the oil with grease mixes into a frothy mess.

are you sure on this?? if thats the case my bad, sorry for giving incorrect info, I just assumed all wheel bearings get the grease. if this is correct, its a good thing I have not packed mine yet. you can clean out the grease with carb cleaner, just dont blow out the bearings with hi pressure air, is can spin and score the bearings.

 

[GotBoykins]

are you sure on this?? if thats the case my bad, sorry for giving incorrect info, I just assumed all wheel bearings get the grease. if this is correct, its a good thing I have not packed mine yet. you can clean out the grease with carb cleaner, just dont blow out the bearings with hi pressure air, is can spin and score the bearings.

I removed all the grease from mine after asking the same question. The grease had turned into a mucky type substance that didn't look healthy. My 14B was a brand new CUCV axle, and it only had a light coating of grease on the bearings when I initially purchased it. I've read the manual on it and it says Grease in the consumables listing, just not how much.

 

[86454K30]

2cents

We have a local tire store who doesn't beleive in greasing full floaters. I think they have purchased 4 housing including a Dana 70HD from my dads truck that literally came apart like it was a c-clip axle. I would recommend packing the bearings but, not filling the cavity with grease.

 

[lectric80]

It is recommended to pack the bearings in grease mainly because it takes time for the oil to warm up enough to move down the axle tubes and lubricate the bearings. A little grease won't hurt, but filling the cavity would be bad.

 

[Big Blzn]

Thanks for all the replies. Before I started this thread I did a search and it was about 50/50 as to pack or not to pack. My new bearings are already packed so I should be good. BTW, when I took the hubs off the axle the bearings were originally packed with grease, so we will see. Thanks fellas.

 

[mechted]

it takes time for the oil to warm up enough to move down the axle tubes and lubricate the bearings.

Or you can add enough oil that the bearings are always in a bath of oil (5 or 6 qts) Ideally with the tubes about 50% filled

Also, make sure you tilt the axle once you get it sealed up so that oil does flow into the hubs on both sides, there is an area between the two bearings that acts as a reservoir, PRIOR to moving the vehicle

 

[mr.smartass]

Just went through the same deal, I remembered seeing the debate so I did some research, I ended up just wiping grease all over the bearings but not packing them, it'll be aight. And if you're that worried, take it easy for a little while and then change the fluid.

 

[Cowboy_80]

For those of you still waiting to pack the bearings... A great way to do it w/o filling your palm full of grease is to use those vacuum bags for food, and the vacuum pump. Works wonders and is much cleaner/quicker.

 

[6.2Blazer]

There is absolutely no reason you need to pack the bearings with grease on this setup. If some shop was screwing up housings, it's not simply because they weren't packing them with grease. If you put new bearings in a oil bath setup you need to pre-lube them somehow...just like an engine, you don't rebuild it and then just start it up dry. If you put dry bearings in a dry hub and then take off down the highway there is a good chance you will burn them up.

When doing new bearings on mine I always soak them in gear oil real good, install them in the hub and squirt some more oil in there, and then make sure to top off the diff. I've never had problems with this setup.

 

[gerber boy]

well the way it's done on semi-trucks is to lube up the bearing with oil and install. fill the axle to it's capacity then jack up one side so the oil runs down and fill's the hub. let it sit for 5 min then lower it back down. fill up the axle again and do it to the other side.
doing it this way insures that you have enough lubrication from the start.

 

[K5Greek]

from what i remember my teacher telling me when i was doing my 14b was that once the truck gets moving for a while the grease will liquify anyway and mix with the diff oil. so you should be ok