Hub BearingGrease

[ETurner]

Can someone who has done putting grease in the abs sensor walk me thru how it is done. I had to replace 2 hub bearings so far. I want to see if I can make them last longer. Thanks.

 

[jelag]

I've done this several times on a group of trucks I owned... I first pressed apart a hub to see how the hub was assembled and wanted to be sure that the grease added through the abs senor hole would work as suggested by several members on this board... the grease in fact will migrate to both bearings... .

We found that if you pulled the caliper, rotor and removed the abs sensor you could use a needle style tool for your grease gun, or a small tube to insert grease into the hub... . We used only a full synthetic grease with a drop point of over 450*, we than found that inserting about 1 - 1 1/2 table spoons of grease seemed to add enough grease to do the job... this amount is about 50% more than the grease that was installed when the hub was made. .

The grease suggested above is a superior grease to the stock product and fully comparable with it... it has better film strength and other properties that help extend the life of the hub...

The grease will not effect the function of the abs sensor as the current grease will migrate to the sensor and when you remove it will have some grease on it... .

Once we've added the full synthetic grease as mentioned above, we than would add back only a 1/2 - 3/4 table spoon or so each time we did brakes on the truck... I kept my trucks 450-500K miles and found we did brakes about every 125 - 150K miles with the use of an exhaust brake...

I'm now retired so the other trucks are gone... but my current truck has had the grease installed... one hub is the factory hub and the other hub was replaced at 50K when it failed. . the truck currently has 140K miles...

I've shared this practice before here on this board and was quoted in the current TDR... If you have other questions please share them and I'll try and answer them... I hope this covers your question...

 

[goodguys75]

someone will find the link to it... . pictures and all... dont know who wrote it... . but it will come up soon... .

 

[Prairie Dog]

In an experiment I filled a failed hub with water to find out how much it would hold. Only took 20 cc's to fill it so it doesn't take much.

 

[ETurner]

Thanks for all if the replys.

 

[sag2]

Special tool made to make the process a little easier. You can also use a rubber tipped grease gun tip, but that isn't as much fun.

 

[ETurner]

sag2,did you make that tool?If not where did you buy it?Thanks for posting pictures. I was going to use a needle fitting. Hope to do it this saturday.

 

[ETurner]

sag2 I tried to send you a pm but your box is full.

 

[sag2]

Yes I made it. Just a couple of minutes on the lathe.

 

[sag2]

Yes I made it. Just a couple of minutes on the lathe.

Oops, it is full, sorry don't have time tonight to clear it out.

 

[pjorlando]

Sag2, are you open to making a couple of these to sell to us members here. I'd be real interested in one for sure.

 

[Prairie Dog]

It's a nice tool but why not just use a needle type adapter, stick it way down in there and pump some grease in?

 

[goodguys75]

more wear on the tooling than what it is worth..... to make several of them... . a needle would work just fine...

 

[goodguys75]

does anyone have the link of the person who posted the step by step instructions on how to do this??? I know i read it at one time. , not too long ago

 

[S.Morris]

I drilled a hole completely through the hold down bolt. I then welded a grease fitting (tig) onto bolt. You can now grease with out removing sensor and risking breaking it.

 

[jelag]

goodguys75 ---- if your referring to the process to lube the hub I posted part of the step by step procedure and I was quoted in the last issue of the TDR with the steps required to grease these hubs... I've given a good overview earlier in this thread. . where is it vague and I will try and fill in the gaps...

 

[Prairie Dog]

I drilled a hole completely through the hold down bolt. I then welded a grease fitting (tig) onto bolt. You can now grease with out removing sensor and risking breaking it.

But if the hub is sealed up and you force grease into it, where does the pressure escape?
Or for those who keep adding more, where is it going?

 

[timelessconstructionllc]

Not trying to hijack the thread but I've got 186k miles on my original hubs and bearings just started noticing a very faint grinding coming from the drivers side wheel well at very slow (almost stopped ) speeds. Also notice a slight pulsating along with it when braking at very low speeds. Does this sound like a hub bearing to y'all.