Greasing Wheel Bearings

[Anthony]

Just packing my new wheel bearings ready for fitment

I've seen mention of greasing the stub axles, and filling the inside of the hubs with grease too

I imagine packing the inside of the hubs is a bit if a waste isn't it?
The grease can't be  doing anything inside the hubs can it?


I was planning on packing the bearings, and applying a smear of grease on and around the races just to prevent anything getting in/on/under them

That's about right isn't it?

[Nick Jones]

I do it the way you describe, working plenty of grease into the bearing cage, a generous smear on the races - and that's it.  

I've seen it written in many places that the inside of the hub and dust cap should be packed too, but in normal use it just sits there doing nothing and has to be messily dug out and disposed of at the next bearing service.  Cook your brakes and it melts and runs out over the wheel and sometimes onto the brakes so I see no reason to put it there and two good reasons not to.

Nick

[Jonny-Jimbo]

I'm sure I've seen somewhere not to pack the inside of the hubs as the hub needs the air inside or it can overheat... probably complete codswallop.

[piman]

Hello Jonny,

not codswallop, all bearing housings need some room in them, otherwise they overheat.

Alec

[oil_on_the_carpet]

Too much grease is as bad as too little.

[dazzer]

In my opinion its favourable to slap a bit of grease around as well as pack the bearing. Don't over pack it but put a blob in the hub and in the cap will stop ingress of water and cause no problems. I've packed bearings for years (BL apprenticeship) and never had any problems. My rally 2000 is seven years in now with the same bearings and I've been pretty generous with LM grease.

Adjustments important though. I come across so many taper roller bearings that are over tight. New you'll need to re visit them anyway so just nip them up lightly, then back them off slightly, then very lightly, no more than you could apply with a pair of pliers, keep thumping the wheel and gradually    tightening until the play just disappears, go the next flat to get the split pin in if necessary but there are usually a couple of drillings on the stub axle to find a perfect position. Oh and the split pin, use one that fits not these loose thin things which people bend around the stub. Good fit split pin, side snip the rear prong short and bend slightly into the castelated nut or cover and leave the outer prong a reasonable length and bend up against the end of the stub facing you.

[Stuart Wilson]

When I started in the trade was always told to put grease in the hub and in the cap