Bearing Question

[Angus1]

I have to replace the wheels seals on my rear ,rear on the deuce.Now I understand these bearings are packed with grease. They get an inner and outer seal plus cork in the key way. my question is. Could I leave the outer seal out and let the bearings lube from the gear lube that runs down the axle, Like civi tractor trailers. Would this work?

 

[cattlerepairman]

It is my understanding that the seals are not only there to keep stuff in, but also to keep stuff out. Also, gear oil is considerably thinner than bearing grease and, if mixed, the thinned down sludge may not work so well in bearings designed to be greased.

I believe that, in a Rockwell axle, this practice amounts to shade tree mechanics and the set up should be as per TM. Others may beg to differ.

 

[Angus1]

What I meant was. Not pack the bearings, Let the gear lube that runs down the axle shaft lube the wheel bearings. This is how the bearings are lubed on tractor trailers. They are oil bath instead of packed.

 

[FMJ]

I pulled a rear hub on one of my trucks the other day because I thought I had a bad wheel cylinder, turned out it was the inner grease seal leaking. It had both inner, outter, and the keyway seal in place. But what I saw in the bearings was a mixture of grease and oil I think. Not sure if this was caused by a bad outer seal or not, but I am replacing both and repacking. I also had the same thought as you regarding the lubrication of the bearings......

Ed

 

[DanMartin]

Gear oil is not heavy enough for the bearings in the rockwell axles. They need to be greased and kept greased.

See the following PS mag articles

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index....er_valves&name=gallery&include=view_photo.php
(bottom of page 39)

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index....cork_seal&name=gallery&include=view_photo.php

 

[bottleworks]

What I meant was. Not pack the bearings, Let the gear lube that runs down the axle shaft lube the wheel bearings. This is how the bearings are lubed on tractor trailers. They are oil bath instead of packed.

IMO, I wouldn't do that. The axle wasn't designed for that style of lubrication....some non-powered axles are like that. For the bearings to be lubed by the gear oil, it needs, as you say, a bath of oil. It wouldn't get enough gear lube to the bearings. Many modern axle designs require the bearings to be packed. It just goes with the territory.

 

[m-35tom]

90 wt oil from the axle is fine for the bearings. just because someone 60 years ago designed something doesn't mean it was the best way or the only way. now you must consider the inner grease seal will not work for oil so you will have to find one that is and maybe redesign the hub/axle tube. it is easier in the long run just to stick with the original design.

 

[rosco]

Commercial highway trucks run the wheel bearings with gear lube all the time. When the internal seal fails, gear lube enters the wheel bearing areas. The important thing is to keep it in there and not let it contaminate the brakes. When I do the brakes, I will look for a modern seal.

Lee in Alaska

 

[saddamsnightmare]

February 24th., 2008.

Gentlemen:

I concur with Dan Martin and Bottleworks above. The Rockwell Top Loader axle is almost nothing like a modern highway truck axle, as it was designed with WWII experience and technology (mettallurgy, lubrication and engineering limitations) in it's basic design. In some ways it's a much tougher axle unit then a lot of the newer units out there today, but without a major reengineering and redesign, you may well be risking the lives of others and yourself on a possible axle failure.
Most of us seem to forget that the Deuce was designed for about 80% off road, low speed, bad terrain loaded operation, and about 20% highway speed (30-45 MPH) operation (most civillian trucks designed in 1949-1951 couldn't do much over 45 on level ground with a load on the road (normal road speeds for that time)), so the deuce is unexceptional that way.
BUT MOST MODERN CUCV trucks are designed for about 10-20% off road work at relatively light loads and easy terrain conditions, the rest of the time they're intended for road speed operation on PAVED roads. A very close cousin to the Deuce in design and intended useage are the S ad U series UNIMOGS, and they suffer the same low speed nature and design limitations, BUT they'll go where even an HMMWV can't go.

Just my , but this is reminiscent of the guy a month or so back that just wanted his deuce to do 70 on the road- It ain' going to happen with the original axles, brakes, tires, and stability factored in.

Regards,

Kyle F. McGrogan

1963 Mercedes Benz S404.114 Unimog (Swiss) Army race truck, can do 61 MPH!
1971 Kaiser Jeep M35A2 Wo/W "Saddam's Nightmare" Vietnam and Desert Storm Veteran Deuce Truck, had it's day at the Iraqi "Highway of Death" 150 in 1991.

 

[rdixiemiller]

Stick with the original grease setup. You don't want to lubricate your brakes or burn off a rear spindle.

 

[WillWagner]

I agree with Kyle. Leave it like it is supposed to be/as it was designed. If not for your safety, for the others around you. After all, it could my family next to you.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The biggest factor is the one Tom eluded to, the inner seal is not designed to retain gear oil. All too often rear inner seals are replaced when there is in fact, nothing wrong with them. Just because it's leaking gear oil doesn't mean its bad. Shouldn't be any gear oil in there to begin with.

 

[Angus1]

If gear oil can get out, then water and dirt can get in. If it leaks its bad.