Wheel bearings and grease

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3A-C Power
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Post by 3A-C Power »

Has anyone changed or greased their front wheel bearings? I've done it 3 times, and now for the 3rd time one of my bearings is bad again. I noticed when changing the transmission that the seal on the inner side was busted leaving only the driveshaft seal to keep dirt out. I must have wrecked the seal while putting it in.

I would like to know what is the best grease to use for wheel bearings, and for that matter, CV joints. I installed 2 rebuilt CV joints that came with the new tranny and I want them to last. Any ideas?
Lateer
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Post by Lateer »

I've heard about all singing all dancing greases that last for years.

It doesn't really matter all that much. ;)

I use a lithium-molybdenum grease. Works a treat. :D
I've just got to be careful not to mix it with other greases, especially the red ones.
If you do, they react and form a nice, fine abrasive. <_<

Goodbye bearings <_< :angry:
1983 Tercel SR5 with 185/75R14 tyres, 32/36 DGAV Weber carburetor, lumpy cam and upgraded Pioneer sound system. Veteran of several fire seasons (with the scars to show it) and known as "The Racing Turtle"
simon1
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Post by simon1 »

I heard that if you replace cv shafts in the front with remanufactured ones it can cause problems with the dust seal for the bearings. The shafts are sandblasted and not a machined surface where they slot into the dust seal on the inner side of the wheel bearing. So you don't get a good seal and then the bearings get contaminated and wear out.
arbskynxnex
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Post by arbskynxnex »

I know that you are supposed to use a high-temp grease for the CV joints. Maybe you need to use the same on the wheel bearings? I've changed the front bearings once in my old tercel, at 200k miles and the ran with no problems for 100k more. But I used regular white lithium grease. I do know its important to use high quality parts (NAPA, Parts Plus, etc) for the bearings and seals. I had a Cut Rate Auto Parts (CRAP, seriously they have bumper stickers "This car powered by CRAP" truth in advertising at least) bearings and seals put on my rear axles and within 2 weeks they had failed and it cost me $250 to get it fixed, new bearings, seals, clean out all the grease, and replace the brakes since they were ruined.
Pandas: Eats, shoots and leaves.
takza
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Post by takza »

CV joint grease is a special more liquid grease...not supposed to use anything else in one.

Don't know about the wheel bearings...but I'd use at least a synth blend grease...Valvoline?
Give a boy a gun-give a biatch a cell phone-and pretty soon you almost got yourself a police state.

Orwell said: War is peace! Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength...

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Lateer
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Post by Lateer »

The general purpose Valvoline Val Plex M grease I use is able to be used in CV joints.

Most greases are a semi-solid when you put them in. You know, all squidgy and stiff.
Give them a little while being used and pummeled by the parts and they soon loosen up and liquefy. The combination of the heat of friction and the heat transmitted through the metal parts helps too.

Can you give me a link to peek at, Takza, and I'll check out the composition of the grease involved.
1983 Tercel SR5 with 185/75R14 tyres, 32/36 DGAV Weber carburetor, lumpy cam and upgraded Pioneer sound system. Veteran of several fire seasons (with the scars to show it) and known as "The Racing Turtle"
takza
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Post by takza »

This is all I've got...from a writeup somewhere:

"JOINT LUBRICATION

CV joints require a special type of high temperature, high pressure grease. Ordinary chassis grease or multipurpose grease should never be used in a CV joint.

The condition of the grease as well as the amount of grease in the joint will determine how long the joint lasts. One of the purposes of the boot that surrounds the CV joint is to keep dirt and moisture out. The other is to keep the grease in. If a boot is torn, cracked, punctured or comes loose, dirt and water can contaminate the grease in the joint causing accelerated wear which will eventually lead to joint failure. Loss of grease can also occur which will further shorten the life of the joint. So the boots must be in good condition to protect the joint.

Boots often become brittle with age and exposure to heat. Boots can also be damaged by road hazards and the careless use of j-hooks by a tow truck operator. Old boots should never be reused if a CV joint is being replaced. That’s why most new CV joints come with a new boot."

I haven't seen this special grease sold over the counter very much...need a prescription? ;)

A lot of info and links here:

<a href='http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php' target='_blank'>http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php</a>

Maybe an oil company website?
Give a boy a gun-give a biatch a cell phone-and pretty soon you almost got yourself a police state.

Orwell said: War is peace! Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength...

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Gasoline Fumes
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Post by Gasoline Fumes »

When I rebuilt the axles on my parents' 1985 Accord, I just used cheap bearing grease. I reused the inner boots too. :D After driving it a couple of years, they're still fine (now the car is parked due to severe rust).
Lateer
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Post by Lateer »

The major thing in that spiel of Takza's is the fact that most boots get damaged by other forces and all the grease sprays out.

That's what happened to mine. Some little bugger slit them with a Stanley knife.
I've also seen them staked with sticks during four wheel driving and cracked due to sheer old age.

And Val Plex M is a marine grade high temperature grease, able to be used in damn near anything, from CV's to wheel bearings. I figured I'd get one grease and pay a little more as opposed to getting one for there, one for here and a third for that.

On the matter of the grease needing to be liquid, once the grease heats up (and this doesn't take long in an engine bay) it's nice and liquid. When it's solid, it provides just as much friction protection. Grease sticks to the metal surfaces and slickens them up real good.

In short, so long as *some* grease is present, the CV should be fine. Like all metal-to-metal contacts, if there isn't some, it gets horribly nasty real quick.
1983 Tercel SR5 with 185/75R14 tyres, 32/36 DGAV Weber carburetor, lumpy cam and upgraded Pioneer sound system. Veteran of several fire seasons (with the scars to show it) and known as "The Racing Turtle"
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