throwing grease

[redneck joe]

new hubs / axles / all of it maybe two years and 500 miles ago. Only one doing this out the weep hole. Did small squeeze out first couple trips, not like this tho' Fresh water only. If i remember I got Dexter that pumps grease thru the spindle to the back of the bearings or something like that. And yes I did pack the bearing and juice them up. Temp is pretty warm to the touch, but equal to the others by hand at least, didn't have my gun. I'm fairly confident I did not over pack - and there is nothing coming out the backside. Any thoughts?

 

[wrvond]

Are you allowing the bearings time to cool down before dunking them in the water at the ramp?

 

[gm280]

I can't honestly tell you what is happening. But obviously heat expansion with the grease is pushing it out. Can't say if it will continue or stop once it gets the excess out. :noidea:

But look on the bright side, at least your rims won't rust now.

 

[bajaunderground]

I would say it needs to be taken apart and inspected. If there's excessive heat it means something is awry...might be too tightly set, might be a mal-aligned race/bearing. Could be just a bad bearing? I assume it's water resistant/proof grease?

 

[robert graham]

Maybe a pinhole in that rubber cap....I slide bearing buddy bras on over the entire metal cap....protects that black rubber cap from UV sunlight damage, prevents grease from slinging out onto wheel....gives a double water seal on the outside of hub(rubber cap and bra cap).....reliability through dedundancy....

 

[Alumarine]

Maybe a pinhole in that rubber cap....I slide bearing buddy bras on over the entire metal cap....protects that black rubber cap from UV sunlight damage, prevents grease from slinging out onto wheel....gives a double water seal on the outside of hub(rubber cap and bra cap).....reliability through dedundancy....

Good idea, belt with suspenders!

 

[alldodge]

Have had that style cap for years and have never seen a pin hole in the rubber cap that hasn't been damaged. If I saw that color grease coming out of my hubs I would think water got in. The bad part of these hubs is water can get trapped in the rear. Unless you pump long enough to move most all the grease from the rear to the front it may still have a bit of water in it. Once its been cycled thru, take your finger or stick and dig out all the grease in front. This gives room for expansion

 

[bruceb58]

I have a trailer with this type of axle. Has more problems than the one with Bearing Buddys because water can get in. I would be pulling that hub. You also need to regularly change those rubber caps. They only last a few years. I have a bunch of spares for mine.

 

[dingbat]

I have the same spindles. I've never seen that problem before. Didn't know they have a weep hole.

What is the drop temp of your grease? Disc or Drum?

 

[TyeeMan]

Maybe the little ball in the grease zerk didn't seat and it's letting grease back flow. Kind of like greasing ball joints and the grease back flows out the zerk if the ball doesn't shut off.

 

[dingbat]

Maybe the little ball in the grease zerk didn't seat and it's letting grease back flow. Kind of like greasing ball joints and the grease back flows out the zerk if the ball doesn't shut off.

It wouldn't matter. The bearing cavity is open behind the plug

 

[MH Hawker]

i have had the same hub system for 6 years now and mine did the same thing the first 2 years, then i started scooping out the front part of the hub and now no problems

 

[redneck joe]

Ok lots of questions to answer and this is a really boring conference call I?m on.

Wrvond ? normal time. 1-15 min prepping to launch. Uusally a 30 mile drive averaging 45 mph. Remember, only one wheel is having issues (of four)


gm280 ? yeah and it?s a new rim; like to have them pretty


bajaunderground ? I plan to pull apart, wanting to know what I?m looking for. Yes, marine grease. Heat not much more than a couple degrees from the others and not too hot to touch.


robert graham ? it is a pinhole, all four have it, well more of a pressure cap seems that it is designed to do what it is doing. I like redundancy but that would have covered up the problem for longer.


AllDodge ? I both pumped long enough and prepacked. In my rehab thread someone warned me about not putting in enough, and for putting in too much. I haven?t pumped since it started happening a trip or two ago.

bruceb58 ? how does water get in more than a bearing buddy?


Dingbat ? not sure what drop temp means. And drum, but minimal breaking all highway or back roads going slow.

 

[bruceb58]

bruceb58 – how does water get in more than a bearing buddy?

The hub is not pressurized like a Bearing Buddy

 

[dingbat]

Grease is not a consumable in a sealed housing. You should not need to add grease after the initial installation.

I purge my hubs at the beginning of the year then do nothing but pop the rubber cap out every couple of months to check for contamination.

The drop temperature is the temperature the grease liquifies. The higher the drop temp the better. I use 450 degree grease in mine.

I have to question the weep holes in the rubber plugs. OEM Dexter plugs don't have weep holes

 

[alldodge]

All I can say is wow, I need to know where you buy seals

 

[Thundra]

Mine used to do the same thing until, like this thread, I had read what the problem was.

1. The rubber caps, over time, lose the ability to seal from time and the wear from pulling them off and putting them back on. Thankfully they are cheap to replace.

2. Like was suggested, wiping out the cavity in the dust-cap means there is not much grease to be slung past the rubber plug and all over the wheel.


I had replaced all my dust caps this past summer with S/S ones and with the new rubber caps so, between that and the new rubber caps that were nice and tight to get seated into the caps, I have no more leaking seals, for now.

I do plan on getting 4 dust seal caps like this: http://www.kodiaktrailerbrakes.com/T...ion_p_640.html

as they are cheap and will most definitely keep more water out and all the grease in.

 

[robert graham]

My rubber caps don't have weep holes.....but UV can crack the rubber causing leaks....reason for bearing buddy bras....

 

[MH Hawker]

i went ahead and got some bras for mine just because i dont like the mess and it adds a bit more water proofing

 

[bruceb58]

Just make sure you take them off after dunking because water gets pass them too.