Axle bearing grease fitting
- Thread starter oneowner
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Cornpatch MO
Well-Known Member
Danger of greasing to often , and getting grease on your brake shoes...............MO
Ironbuilt
Well-Known Member
Agree with the above posters. There is a reason that it wasn't produced that way. On top of that, I have had many vehicles with an 8 3/4 rear, and never had an outer bearing failure. Keep gear oil levels full and the oil fresh and clean and you won't have any issues.
Big Bad Dad
Well-Known Member
Ditto on the complete lack of a problem. The bearings are lubes with the gear oil, NOT with grease. Sounds like you are creating a different problem. The seal is designed to retain gear oil. Grease under pressure will probably just squeeze out past the seal and onto the brakes.
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Sorry Big Bad Dad, but the outer taper bearing is packed with grease on assembly. There is an inner and outer seal (each side of said bearing) so the gear oil doesn't get there and the grease stays in there. I always thought they were "wet lubed" myself, but that is only the case once your seals let go. As for the grease zert.. zero need. I removed perfectly good 52 year old bearings during my rear axle rebuild.
Bad Sport
Deceased, But not forgotton
The axle bearings get zero lubrication from the diff gear oil.
If the inner axle seal is intact and not leaking, the diff lube never makes it to the axle bearings.
If the inner axle seal is intact and not leaking, the diff lube never makes it to the axle bearings.
Big Bad Dad
Well-Known Member
You guys are right. IDK what I was thinking about this morning. I lost a rear wheel bearing in a different axle on an old truck many years ago, and got a brain fog....
Cornpatch MO
Well-Known Member
Yes, Ma Mopar had a little different way of thinking than a lot of the others. ie: left hand threads on wheel studs etc. As per the factory service manual, the grease packed wheel bearings should be cleaned and re packed with axle bearing grease on a certain mileage basis. That is on tapered axles, and I think even on the 1965 and later model axles as well. The sealed "Green Bearing" conversion can be done, but there is a difference of opinion as to their suitability...MO
oneowner
Member
Gear oil level does not come into play here because of inner wheel bearing seal.Worked at several Chrysler dealers during the 60's and early 70's and replaced several hundred rear axle bearings in that time. One would never use a power grease gun in a situation like this only maybe a pump or two once a year depending how many miles one travels.
1KoolBee
Well-Known Member
I realize this post is old but, fysa: Growing up in the 60’s with all mopars in the family, the rear axle bearing grease in the 8-3/4 (and therefore Dana 60) would go away at around 75k miles and kill the bearings shortly thereafter. Original “no fling” grease not available any more, which prevented “lubed” rear brake shoes that you’d get from using regular wheel bearing grease in rear axle bearings. Not sure if red “tacky” grease is a good “no-fling” option. Once my dad figured this out, he’d lube them every 50k miles with no issues. Ran two cars (‘68 polara, ‘70 imperial to ~165k) miles on same rear axle bearings.
1KoolBee
Well-Known Member
Wrong!!!! The bearings are greased... There is a seal inboard of the bearing to keep gear oil out of the bearing... And a seal outboard of the bearing to keep grease in & dirt out..
Without adding a vent location there is potential to damage the seals.. Personally during restoration Or any time I'm doing axle maintenance I pull the axles & used a grease needle to inject new grease & flush out the old grease...
Demonic
Well-Known Member
I'll add an here a few years later. - Just had an experience with a Dana 44 in a pre-cousin Jeep, '71 vintage. the axle vent was clogged w rust/crud. Symptom was - it was fine on a short local cruise, but a longer trip that would build heat in the diff would cause gear oil to push past the inner seal, wrecking the outer seal and brake shoes. Similar setup to the 8 3/4 - inner and outer axle seals.
Original Post-er hasn't been on in a couple of years, hope he's OK.
Original Post-er hasn't been on in a couple of years, hope he's OK.
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Exactly what I said here FOUR years ago...
Big Bad Dad
Well-Known Member
Yes. I have it in my trailer axles as well as the new front wheel bearings in my 64 Fury. NOW, you can't get it any more, and the other greases are not compatible to mix with it. I even contacted Lucas, and they were no help. Supply chain issues and a refinery plant fire knocked the Xtra HD grease out of production, and they didn't know when it would be available again...
My thread about it>
What is best grease for wheel bearings? Recommendations, please.
And you were right four years ago.. LOL... The thread popped up today, I didn't notice the date but saw Big Bad Dads comment & there was a advertisement between it & the next post... I thought that was the end of the posts...Exactly what I said here FOUR years ago...
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