Underdog Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I am in the process of swapping steer axles on my F 600 and I am curious to hear any opinions about wheel bearing lubrication. Do I retain the grease packed bearings or switch to oil lube? IMHO grease provides superior lubrication (except maybe in extreme cold) so then why did the entire industry switch over to oil hubs? Easier maintenance is the only advantage I can see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickfarms Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I am in the process of swapping steer axles on my F 600 and I am curious to hear any opinions about wheel bearing lubrication. Do I retain the grease packed bearings or switch to oil lube? IMHO grease provides superior lubrication (except maybe in extreme cold) so then why did the entire industry switch over to oil hubs? Easier maintenance is the only advantage I can see.This is a long standing debate.Grease is only better if you are going to submerge the bearings .Oil actually provides better lubrication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Thanks for the input, Quickfarms. My donor axle has oil hubcaps, so I have the parts to go either way. Just have to buy new seals. Swapping axles but keeping my original hubs spokes with the chrome Mack hubcaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j hancock Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Grease in a hobby truck is very reasonable. Quote JimIt doesn't cost anything to pay attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHfred Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Underdog, it is good to see you on here again. I hope all is well with you and 2015 will be good to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearhead204 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I would say if the truck isn't used often I would grease pack the brgs. I see less condensation damage with grease filled hubs than with oil. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
br549 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I would pack bearing with the semi grease like they use on trailer axles, works good in cold weather too, not your father's grease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gmerrill0516 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 My B-815 has oil and the see through covers (that you can't see through any more) on it now but I've got the old "Mack" covers to change it back to grease. Are the bearings the same or do they need to be changed "back" for use with the grease? It will never see lots of use. I want it to look like it is factory but don't know the facts surrounding oil vs grease and if the bearings are the same or not.ThanksGreg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearhead204 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 AS FAR AS I KNOW NO DIFFERANCE EXCEPT GREASE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmyb Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Good topic. Off the top of my head here are a few things I can think of. You don't have have to pack oil bearings. I just squirt some moreys/Lucus oil stabiliser in it before installing. Grease bearings don't do this to your brakes if a seal goes.I reckon the bearings would be the same, just different seals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gmerrill0516 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Yuck. I don't imagine oiled brakes work very well...I figured bearings are the same but want to be sure..Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Lots of good input, thanks guys. The bearings are the same, just need to thoroughly clean all old lubricant before changing over. Whatever your choice oil or grease, never mix them together. I decided to go with the grease based on gearhead204's comments regarding condensation. Makes sense for a hobby truck occasional use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomastractorsvc Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Good topic. Off the top of my head here are a few things I can think of.You don't have have to pack oil bearings. I just squirt some moreys/Lucus oil stabiliser in it before installing.Grease bearings don't do this to your brakes if a seal goes.I reckon the bearings would be the same, just different seals.Just the seals need to be changed make sure that if you use oil you get the oil seals, if grease either seal works, I pack all the bearings with grease and then add oil and run the truck/trailer for a few miles and then check and top off. Works great, especially on rears with draining and flushing of diffs, obviously you cant check at the hub but you know with packed bearings they will be okay until the oil can migrate to the ends of the axle. 1 Quote Robert"I reject your reality and substitute my own." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Underdog, it is good to see you on here again. I hope all is well with you and 2015 will be good to you.Thanks,Fred good to be back. Still don't have a PC, but recently got this here newfangled smartphone so I can at least get online lol. Been through some changes for sure but on the way back up now, better every day. Looking ahead not back.Gregg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Fellow on ATHS that is restoring a K100. The debate was going on about what is better. Even to the fact I mentioned building a special "faux" oil cap and fill it with oil to simulate ail bearing(so it looks period correct) even though it is grease packed. Again, it was a hobby truck and the thought was the oil seal might fail from lack of use. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 I have put trucks in service that have been sitting for awhile and that's exactly what happens... As soon as you start running them after sitting for several years every seal starts to leak wheel bearings transmission seals engine front and rear etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 I wonder why then did the entire trucking industry convert over to oil hubs... Probably for ease of maintenance since grease bearings have to be repacked periodically. I notice too now for steer axles and trailers the trend is back to a sealed unit with grease on the wheel bearings so that tells me grease is a superior lubricant. I'm sure the technology has changed in 50 years as well any type of grease or oil that you can buy now is far better than 50 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superdog Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I wonder why then did the entire trucking industry convert over to oil hubs... Probably for ease of maintenance since grease bearings have to be repacked periodically. I notice too now for steer axles and trailers the trend is back to a sealed unit with grease on the wheel bearings so that tells me grease is a superior lubricant. I'm sure the technology has changed in 50 years as well any type of grease or oil that you can buy now is far better than 50 years ago.I don't know which is better,for me in a hobby truck packed bearings are fine,but I still prefer oil bath in my working trucks. I think the main reason they are going to the sealed hubs is because of todays new breed of steering wheel holders,they are either too damn lazy or too dumb to check oil levels in the hubs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 I always ran Lucas hub oil and CR seals in steer and trailer in my working truck with good results. My new transporter at Brothers Auto came through with sealed hubs on the trailer, Hendrickson axles. I have seen freightliner use a lot on steer axles too. Last I remember around $600 for parts to replace . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmyb Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I reckon that with tapered bearings (larger inner/smaller outer) you need to keep putting grease in the smaller outer bearing. But with oil, and with an oil cap, you can fill it a lot higher so more lube gets to the smaller bearing. With the advent of parallel bearings I'm not sure if that's an issue. We have a trailer with k hitch axles (parallel bearing) and they come with a 1 million km warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
41chevy Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I really think most has to do with time and money. The new tech synthetic greases last a long time and with the PTFE and other additives there is no lube issues over time. Take the time to lay up , disassemble, repack bearings, new seals and reassemble. Big dollars when you figure the Time and materials, than add in the dollars lost with the truck sitting.You don't need a a tech to look at the level, pop the plug and add oil. I also imaging the time and money saved on the assembly line building the truck. Figure of the wall a .50 cents cost per wheel times say 10,000 trucks. The manufacturer save $30,000 to add to the profit margin on the truck on those trucks and most likely eliminated 6 or 8 workers per shift. Paul Quote "OPERTUNITY IS MISSED BY MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS DRESSED IN OVERALLS AND LOOKS LIKE WORK" Thomas Edison “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit, what a ride!’” P.T.CHESHIRE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezrider Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 grease hubs should have the bearings re-packed periodically. i always run oil. a guy that i know who is very knowledgeable and has more time under his belt than i do runs the Lucas hub oil. i was giving him a hand with one of his trailers one day and when I filled the hubs. it was very thick liquid almost grease like but did flow. kinda the best of both worlds i would run that stuff in my trucks but i always have some bottles of 80/90 around and just grab and use that every time i need some. i should get a few bottles to put on my shelf but never think to grab some and always keep 80/90 on hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 You can mix Lucas with your regular hub oil but I ran it straight for many years in my own truck with good results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatcity Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Lucas hub oil in the steer and tag for me Quote Success is only a stones throw away.................................................................for a Palestinian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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