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‘A little dab’ implies that the grease will stay in the bearing, Mark - it won’t; replenishment from a reservoir of grease is required…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Well I guess I should’ve quantified the “little dab will do ya” I put a liberal (about 1/8 cup) amount of grease and coat the inside of the hub, and the same amount gets pushed through the grease fitting to hopefully coat the spindle or
at least fall on it. I don’t fill the whole hub with grease, In the past on my XJ-S, I filled the cavity with grease. I’m not sure how the cavity is supposed to be a reservoir. The stuff I use is Lucas super tacky synthetic wheel bearing grease. I use it
on my trailer, and I also pumped it full of grease. When I took it apart last spring, the grease didn’t appear to leach into the brearings, it was pretty much globbed where The grease closest to the bearings was black (from the bearings) but the majority was
red. Like the grease.
So maybe I’m using the wrong grease. Maybe general wheel bearing grease which does break down with heat should be used. Hmmm… Too late now. I’m not taking the carrier assemblies apart to swap out the grease.
Thanks for keeping me honest Frank
Sincerely,
Mark
I’ve watched several YouTube videos trying to decide if I should consider the tacky RED grease. While it might stay put better, it does Not look like it will migrate well… So I compromised on the black lithium grease for Ford, Lincoln (Valvoline) that I’ve used for years… It seems quite pliable, maybe even more so than the amber grease from days of old.
Back in the day those front wheel hubs had a zerk fitting on them. My '83 did. If you connect up a grease gun and start pumping, you’re filling that cavity. If it started out empty – grease only within the bearings themselves – you’d have to pump a lot before any of that new grease actually reached the bearings.
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The god book prescribes ‘multipurpose Lithium grease, consistency #2’ for all grease points, Mark - likely for a reason…
For bearings it is important to maintain a grease film between the cage and the cup - which requires a re-supply, unless the bearing is a sealed unit. As the bearings tends to heat up a certain viscosity is required to maintain the film - but too high will restrict resupply.
Too much grease may force the seals - and in the case of the front bearings; heat expansion may blow off the end cap. Apart from that; I’ll go for a lot of grease…
Frank
xk6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Too much is definitely better than too little.
Understand that you don’t want to disassemble the hubs, but IIRC the rear hubs have a large fill hole (capped). From time to time, I would use a wooden dowel down the hole, to stir the mess of tacky red, as best I could…
Well, this isn’t really what I wanted to read, nor is it good news… I really don’t want to take the whole thing apart, and replace the grease. OMG!
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The hub grease is more about bearing manufacturers specs, Mark - indeed not really Jaguar specific. Whether ‘Lucas Red grease’ fits the bill, I don’t really know - so check other sources for (in)compatibility before you get your hands dirty…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Well, when I was studying all the choices of grease at the parts store, with Lucas tacky red on the top most rack, I was immediately suspicious. (Prime shelf space always carries a caveat emptor Warning Label for me). Not only were the Uber high temperatures raising red flags (if our European Luxury sedan’s hubs ever saw these temps??), but it actually was the GM specs that really made me put the all the Red grease tubes back on the shelf and dive for the bottom rack. FWIW, I did ponder the synthetics… But there it was, after much digging - buried behind Syn lubes, the last remaining tube of Valvoline #2 lithium, for Lincoln, Ford, Mercury. IMHO, the only place Tacky Red might be effective is when there is a spring loaded expanding rubber gator covering the works, Like a ball joint, n’est pas?
Wellllll…
Though I’ve not tried the Lucas product specifically, I’ve used the red stuff from other various suppliers (Valvoline, etc) for years and years and if something bad is supposed to happen, I’ve never seen it, heard it, or felt it
I also have a tub of grey bearing grease (can’t remember the brand at the moment) that has “Ford-Lincoln-Mercury specification” on the label. Same result.
If any of the common present day offerings are particularly wrong or bad, I have to wonder how long a person would have to wait until negative consequences manifest themselves.
Another thought…
Cleaning and repacking bearings has long been one of the most commonly neglected routine services. Neglect (or fastidiousness) in this area may mask the consequences of choosing a right or wrong grease.
Cheers
DD
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… and a nifty special tool!
Can’t find a pic, but will snap one of mine, when I get home.
As promised.
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Ditto: used in any number of bearings, no fail.
Yet.
Don’t borrow trouble: if the bearings were properly packed, Robert is your father’s brother!
The bearings are properly packed. Check out my video
assembling a Jaguar IRS Carrier Hub. hahaha
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In the beginning, my employer and mentor taught us how to properly pack front wheel bearings. A TEXACO station. We used Marfak long fibre grease for the bearings. A different product from the one used in the grease guns for the chassis and U joints. No grease in the space between the inner and outter bearings. The TEXACO tech taught that method as well. Oh, it cost two bucks then!!
I’ve watched two YOU tube pro mechanics use that technique. And now note with RED grease, A NAPA branded container. Source ??
None of the many I have packed have failed???
Carl
Carl, I bet that the same grease as their Heavy Duty # 2 that I use for removing pilot bearing bushings. I’ve a large can that goes back at least 50 years that was a gift from a good, now departed, friend who was a Texaco dealer in Denver.
Dumb question: When I hear the term “red grease” I think of the stuff designed specifically for use with rubber products. Am I to presume that’s not what’s being discussed here?
Heh, I know. It’s all so silly. I had no idea about Red grease… until this week …… I think it’s a GM thing, for their moderns. But then I have no idea what uses grease (via a zerk fitting) on a modern car…
No… different grease.