Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Just looking thru the Les Andrews Mechanic's Handbook on reinstalling the brake drums and there is no mention of packing the rear wheel bearings with W/B grease, as is instructed on the front bearings & hubs, I have always packed the rears the same as the front, is this an oversight in the book or am I incorrect on this procedure?

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Pack the bearings. You can add a shot of grease using the zirk on the end of the housing once in a blue moon also but don't overdo it.

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Yep, pack 'em.

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

OK, Thanx !

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

DON'T use that grease fitting!!!! It's like dealing with a FICKLE WOMAN!!!! It was later deleted, along with the FICKLE WOMAN.
Bill Cautious

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

What Bill says is right. A lot of guys install that inner seal facing the center section, this is backwards because that seal is meant to direct the grease from the zerk into the wheel bearing. Just pack it now, and again in a couple of years.

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Thanx guys, will pack them upon installation this weekend. Grease seal with the writing visible from inside the drum, not turned into the bearing area.

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

use a heavy fibre wheel bearing grease. the thinner modern disc brake greases will run out and be useless fairly quickly. I like the Sta lube extra heavy duty wheel bearing grease. It comes in a green can. Can be found at many NAPA stores
I use this in the rear wheel bearings 28-48. Fronts I use std wheel bearing lube
Larry

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

I use that Mystic JT6 red/pink grease that Tom likes. Sure is some stringy stuff and clings to everything. Comes in standard 1 lb can or in standard sized tubes. Each side of my AA's rear bearings I jammed about 3/4-1 can of grease in.

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

A buddy had a '55 Studebaker that needed to have the rear bearings packed just like the fronts, and he didn't realize this. There was no grease zerk.

On the way home from a trip to Burlington, Iowa one of them overheated and toasted on him, seized up, stopping him about one block from home after a 100 mile round trip! Yeah I'd pack 'em good and then make them part of your regular servicing like Ford says to do. I don't know if they pre-packed them at the factory I assume they probably did. Can't hurt.

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Thanx for the tip on the heavy fiber wheel bearing grease. I'll pick some up at Napa and put it to use.

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Here is the Napa number. The fibers pull the grease under the straight rollers.

https://www.napaonline.com/p/SLRSL3131

John

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Excellent thanks John for posting the can image and link
Larry

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Prior to putting it together run some grease through the "zerks" to ensure they function or must be replaced.

Re: Rear Wheel Bearings
 

Good call on that grease...Amazon sells it too.