Wheel bearing maintenance; repack or replace?

[Supercharged111]

You can add a little grease through the ABS sensor holes. I did that to the Timken I re-used when I had my truck apart. It probably had 100K miles on it, at the time. I was doing brakes, including rotors, so my hubs had to come off (8-lug).

I say "a little" since you don't want too much grease in a bearing, as it will over heat.

I'm curious to see which hub will go out first, the old Timken or the newer Advance Auto Driveworks.

My money is on the Advance hub. They last a year, maybe two tops back home in da UP.

 

[454cid]

You can't pack a 4x4 bearing. You can pre-emptively replace it or wait for it to die and then replace it.

Ever try to press one apart? If I ever get a press, I'm doing it.... I'd like to see if I can actually replace just the bearings. They're put together, so they have to come apart somehow. The only thing I can think of that would stop me, would be if there is metal forming that takes place during the original assembly process..... maybe if something gets peened over?

 

[Supercharged111]

I did press one apart on my Corolla in Japan to swap dust shields.

 

[Schurkey]

WHY is this in Engine Performance + Maintenance instead of Axles + Brakes, or even Stock Suspension?

1. "Adding" grease to an existing bearing is like Russian Roulette. Is the grease you're adding compatible with the grease that's already in there? If not, you're creating potential problems. There's charts on the internet showing the compatibility of various kinds of grease--about a dozen chemical variations, and some mixtures turn evil when combined. The shortest possible story is that some greases are based on clay. They take special, purified clay, mix it with oil, and sell it as "grease". Another popular kind is based on soap. They take special, lithium or calcium soap and mix it with oil, and call it "grease". What do you suppose happens when you apply soap to clay?

For example:
https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1865/grease-compatibility

2. Sure, you can press the hub apart, and maybe even replace the two bearings and races, along with the inner and outer seal. I did, on the '72 Toronado steering knuckles that I used as a disc-brake conversion for my '66 Toro. Problem is, individually the wheel bearings with races are dirt-cheap Maybe seven bucks each. As a matched-pair with spacer, they're expensive--even the "discount" price is forty or fifty bucks. The individual bearings have to be precision-measured, and then supplied with a spacer that goes between them to provide proper end-play. Mix and match bearings, without providing the precision measurements and the specific spacer needed, may or may not get you appropriate bearing clearance once assembled and torqued. You're trusting that the manufacturer is making bearing assemblies that are perfect and uniform to closer than a thousandth of an inch. Good luck.

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3. No way in hell would I replace GM original-equipment bearings with typical aftermarket junk bearings "just because". I'd rather have used-but-usable original equipment parts than bottom-feeder Made In China garbage. If the original bearings feel rough, fine...go to a salvage yard and get used, original bearings that aren't rough. At minimum, buy brand-name bearings and look to see where they're made before shoving the credit card in the reader.

 

[Pinger]

1. "Adding" grease to an existing bearing is like Russian Roulette. Is the grease you're adding compatible with the grease that's already in there? If not, you're creating potential problems. There's charts on the internet showing the compatibility of various kinds of grease--about a dozen chemical variations, and some mixtures turn evil when combined. The shortest possible story is that some greases are based on clay. They take special, purified clay, mix it with oil, and sell it as "grease". Another popular kind is based on soap. They take special, lithium or calcium soap and mix it with oil, and call it "grease". What do you suppose happens when you apply soap to clay?

For example:
https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1865/grease-compatibility

.

Well said that man!
You are one of the few (and the only one on the internet I have encountered) who gets this. It is shocking that so many (who should) are unaware of it.
To anyone who has seen what was supposedly a 'good' grease melt and run out of the bearing - now you know why.

 

[brian c lindsey]

on a 98 your bearings are sealed in front hub assembly, so they do not need repacking, when they go bad you replace whole assembly.

 

[victor II]

I repack every spring during yearly brake checks and repack and replace if needed.

 

[SuperTramp]

Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to share your knowledge!

Schurkey, It seems I can rarely determine and/or find the proper place to add my posts. You may want to add me to your list of charity cases.

1. Great info on grease. Will you recommend the best based on your experience?

2. Regarding my 1998 k2500 5.7, 8 lug, rear drum and front disc, do I understand correctly that...
A. Since mixing grease is bad, if bearings and racings are in good shape, is it a good practice to just wipe off old grease and repack with new.
B. If either bearing or racing are bad, replace both? Do not attempt to match old with new.
C. Rock Auto offers bearings/racings or the complete hub assembly for both front and back wheels. HOWEVER, are bearings interchangeable bet 2x2 vs. 4x4? A member indicated there might be a difference.
Thanks

 

[Supercharged111]

Yeah, there's a huge difference. 2wd uses replaceable bearings, 4wd uses a bolt on throw away hub assembly.

 

[SuperTramp]

Ok. That makes things simple and more expensive. Rock Auto is 4 x $150!!! Like buying tires!


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