Wheel Bearing Grease Best?

[BRIAN]

Just curious what some are using in high perfromance applications. Just used some Valvoline Synpower? on wifes car and just was blown away on how much it failed in 20k. I usually use the cheapo stuff with zero problems.

What is everybody using with REAL results not just because the package looks good or it is a cool color.

[ntsqd]

I tried CV joint grease (Redline in my case) after being told by a Cup car fab guy that they had gone to it in an effort to keep the outer RF bearing alive for a 500 miler. It's a tiny bearing given the loads. Ultimately they moved on to a Krytox based grease, but I've been extremely happy with the Redline. Can't claim any racing mileage, but my tow/play '67 Ranchero had it from the first in it's disc brake conversion. No issues beyond the day I sold the car.

[chicane67]

Schaeffers #238 MOLY (http://www.schaefferoil.com/238_moly_grease.html) is the best stuff I have ever used.

With the RedLine and NEO in a VERY close second.

[CarlC]

From a posting I wrote early last year on camaros.net:

OK, my 2-cents worth.

As a basic rule of thumb for grease lubricated bearings systems is for the bearings to be packed full and for the void spaces to be filled 1/3 - 1/2 full. Why?

First, what is grease, and why are its properties important for particular applications? Grease is roughly 90% oil, 5% thickener, and 5% additive packages (EP, R&O, etc). The thickener in grease acts the same as a sponge. Squeeze it, and the oil releases. This is the mechanical release of the lubricating oil from the thickener. Very little grease in or around the bearing is subjected to mechanical working. The other release method is temperature rise, of which all of the grease in most housings is subjected to. It is the release of the lubricating oil and how it travels in the housing that must be evaluated.

After the bearing is packed full, installed, and run a bit the bulk of the grease is channeled out of the bearing. In effect, the bearing will purge what it does not need. This is important since too much lubricant can cause overheating. Think of it like walking on the beach. Is it easier to walk in a thin film of water or water up to your hips? Your feet are still cool in either case. Excess heat generation can occur if too much grease is used and churns in the housing. Most sealed bearings are 1/3 - 1/2 full of grease. High-speed machine tool spindles with grease lubricated bearings only have a 15% fill (that 15% of the available space inside the bearing) of grease, with almost all purged during break in (less than 5% effective.)

On the other side of the coin, if sufficient grease is not available we all know what will happen.

For our applications, the grease can only go two ways after purge, either outboard toward the cap/seal, or inboard toward the hub with the large void space.

Here's where temperature and housing design come into play. If the housing temperature is high, and the hub is spinning fast, and the void space is empty, the purged grease/oil may fling itself into the void space and not ever run back into the bearing.

For many of us packing the bearing full, filling the outboard cap, filling the void space between the cup/cone/washer, and filling the space between the seal and inner bearing cone will be sufficient. Enough additional oil will be released from this excess grease for most normal driving situations. I would however smear grease on the hub interior and hub shaft. This will help to reduce the chances of corrosion and the resultant rust particles from contaminating the bearings. It wont hurt anything to put a large dab in the hub void.

For those of us that push a bit harder, I'd recommend the same as above except to fill the hub void space a 1/3 full. This will allow for additional oil to be available to the bearings during high-heat conditions. I have been running this setup for four years using Pennzoil 707L Red Grease with good results.

Most late-model cars now use integrated hub units where the bearings are integral to the hub. These permanently sealed units are 1/3 - 1/2 full of grease.
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[BRIAN]

Carl, good read. I use a Benz (make of car) manual which gets into grams when packing bearings and surrounding voids. Looks low when used to the 1/2 -1/3 but I always throw in a but extra. Old habbit.

Thanks

[NOT A TA]

I've been using AMSOIL for several years now in everything I own when I do work to them requiring grease. No problems

[CarlC]

Carl, good read. I use a Benz (make of car) manual which gets into grams when packing bearings and surrounding voids. Looks low when used to the 1/2 -1/3 but I always throw in a but extra. Old habbit.

Thanks

Yup, that's the technical way to do it. Calculate the void space and multiply accordingly. Grease weighs aproximately 1g/cc which makes the calcs easy. All tapered roller bearings need to have the cone fully packed regardless of what the grease fill callout is. The chances of damaging the bearing due to insufficient grease on the inner ring during startup is much greater than potential damage occuring due to overfilling.

Overgreasing only comes into play when the speeds get high enough. For 99.99% of our applications guestimating 1/3 - 1/2 of the void space is fine and overgreasing will not be a problem. I've never weighed out the amount for a front hub, just guestimate. Filling to just below the bottom of the axle shaft is easy enough to figure out.

[HarleyR]

I like to use a small syrenge to pack bearings rather than the old palm of grease...I have had good real world race tested experence with Chevron Ulti Plex EP...

[MonzaRacer]

I have used the Unilube from Autozone (the one in silver can) with moly in it for decades it seems. WE use the Chevron Black Pearle at work, and I have quite a bit of Kendall Super Blue.
The key to installing wheel bearing grease is to get a decent amount inside the hub too. most will clean it out and only pack the bearings but there has to be some grease pushing it back into the bearings as they do get warm and the grease will push out and then you have little or no lubrication.
I have always packed the hubs nearlyu full and never had bearing failures. It dsame as changing oil, a car runs on a quart and a half but its not enough. Any good wheel bearing grease that carries a Fords rating(as Ford has always calledfor higher spec lubes) is betterthan the gold can (talking about the Unilube brand).
nothing wrong with any brand name grease, after packing the bearings and the hub space(not too full but it should push some out as you install the rotor and bearings with little space remainingas grease doesnt expande as much as you think) then torque your wheel bearings till no more nut move ment but rotor still spins, then back off till the resistance on the nut is released then snug it back up (just snug), never tighten or loosen more than 1/2 flat to get cotter pin in. If the hub rocks loose on bearings after adjusting then you may need new bearings and races.
I have done THOUSANDS of bearing this way and my truck was done this way 3 1/2 yrs ago and I drive about 80 -90 miles a day 5 days a week or better,and I just had to swap out brake pads after 3 1/2 yrs ago.
If oyou are in doubt leave them a flat loosed it wont hurt aas much as being too tight.
And remember to use a new seal every time.