Grease fitting for Bearings on Rear Hubs?

[Wildchild467]

Would it be a good idea or bad idea to drill the rear hub and install a grease fitting so you can grease the wheel bearings without taking it fully apart? My idea is to drill and tap (maybe 1/8NPT and between the two bearing races) the rear hub so a grease fitting could be in installed and grease the bearings similar to how the “EZ Lube” axles are on the civy trailers. They are designed to squirt grease between the wheel seal, past the inner bearing and out the outer bearing, then out the dust cap which would “pack” the bearings. On the deuce there is no where really for air to escape and the grease would not pass through either of the bearings unless it was full, correct? Maybe if the grease got warmed up and centrifugal force would make the grease lube the bearings? Maybe pull the axle shaft out some to make sure the grease it not squirting past the seal, or not remove it and take a wild guess how much grease you put in. then remove the grease fitting and install a flush mount plug so you can remove the tires if you have to later.

So is that a good idea or not? How often do you grease those bearings anyway? Maybe it’s not worth it if you hardly ever grease them.

 

[Varyag]

Doesn't too much grease actually cause them to heat up? I could be wrong.

 

[m-35tom]

if it was a good idea, it would already be done. as to how often, what does the manual say? i do mine every 20,000 miles.

tom

 

[Wildchild467]

if it was a good idea, it would already be done. as to how often, what does the manual say? i do mine every 20,000 miles.

tom

true. then again, 20,000 miles a brake check does not hurt either when you pull the hub.

 

[Barrman]

The only place to put a Zerk fitting is where it would interfere with the tires going on and off.

Basically, if you have good inner and outter seals. The grease in the bearings should last a long time.

 

[m-35tom]

the brakes can be checked without pulling drum, thats what the inspection plate is for. there is a way to install a zerk fitting by drilling a axle flange bolt and drilling from inside of hub to bottom of bolt hole. for the effort involved i would change the hubs to wet with a seal upgrade.

tom

 

[jwaller]

if you make it to the 20k miles without having some other kind f issue first then you would be the first.

You'll repack your bearings way more than you ever should, between the wheel cylinder problems and gear oil leaks, I bet you'll change that grease pretty often.

 

[Wildchild467]

yes, there is the inspection cover. but i mean to look at other things in there, springs and such. i know you can still see the springs from the inspection cover, but maybe to inspect for leaky wheel cylinders or something.

what do you mean convert to wet? where gear oil is used to lube the bearings? is that posible with these rear axles?

 

[m-35tom]

yes, wet would be with axle oil for lube and the propper type of seal for the hub. i see no need to inspect inside the drum any more often, i built the truck with all new parts and everything should go several years before it needs any attention. the problem comes when people buy a used truck and never inspect anything. it's sad how many buy a truck and then ask where the brake fluid goes for instance. everyone should read over all the manuals at least briefly, just to have some sense of what they are faced with. most problems come from age and most of these are 40+ years old and have been sitting with contamination in many of the systems.

tom