Can you, or Should you, grease "Sealed" Wheel Bearings ?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 มี.ค. 2024
- Q:- Is it safe or prudent to open and re-pack those new sealed bearings?
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100% correct! I have been in the bearing business sales and technical support for close to 30 years now and had these discussions so many times. Sealed wheel bearings are a safety item and should not be opened nor regreased. Not worth trying saving a few quids, when you are guaranteed premature failure or worse. Thank you for giving such good explanations to this issue!
Most welcome mate, it's great to get the approval of the professionals, the thing that makes the most logical sense is the contents of the bearing swimming through thick grease if it's packed too tight, possibly leading to the balls sliding, rather than rolling, leading to the obvious destruction... I think the common confusion is with head race bearings, they do a 1/4 turn at slow speed now and again, nothing like wheel bearings spinning at 100 miles an hour! Plus, of course, the inherent weight bearing down on those races!
Good point about too much grease INCREASING friction. I have a lawn mower with greasable spindles on the cutting deck and give the bearings a good greasing through the Alemite fittings, forcing the old grease past the seals, thereby pushing out any grit that makes its way into the spindle, along with any moisture from cutting wet grass. I was having some trouble with my grease gun, and had a zerk fitting that I had to replace on one of the outside spindles, so when I got to the center blade's spindle, I went to pumping away, cursing both my ancient grease gun, as well as one more potential zerk fitting to replace.... Zero old sludgy grease coming past the seals... Pump some more. Then some more... Long story short, I actually hydrolocked the spindle with grease to the point that I couldn't turn the deck spindle with a 24 inch breaker bar! Turns out, both the grease gun AND the zerk were working fine, and the seal just wouldn't let ANYTHING slip past, even under severe pressure! I had to take an air impact to the spindle and release the pressure, and grease went EVERYWHERE! Half a grease gun's worth of brand new grease went all over me, my mower deck, and the floor of my shed!
If going through the trouble of pulling them out,,,just replace them.
Yes, which i said.. but a common question is 'do you open the NEW ones and pack them?...
As someone that thinks that there's entirely too much waste in the world, this comment and rebuttal has me in quite the pickle. Gotta go through the trouble of changing the tires, jobs half done, might as well change the wheel bearings while I'm there. Change the wheel bearings too often maybe ruin the wheel itself. Waiting until the bearings fail may also ruin the wheel. Then if I wait for the bearings to fail and have to replace them, got wheel off might as well put some fresh tires on.
But yeah, never open up sealed bearings save for curiosity before trashing them. At least that way you can see what exactly your parts provider has supplied you with.
Like I said,
Quite the pickle indeed.
In many cases, water is the primary source of bearing failure. The low/no pressure water one gets while fording, for example, usually won't do any damage. It's the pressure washer you have to watch out for. If the full force of the washer spray is directed at the seals, they will leak and you now have a compromised bearing. So be careful. Same goes for electrical connectors. Pressure washers are not the friends of bearings or electricals..
Absolutely couldn't agree more, very well said!
I always check and add high temp grease to them, there's been times where I've bought wheel bearings and found them next to dry...
Thinks - Whoever invented the home jet-washer, probably owned a sealed bearing factory too.
Have to admit though, the effect those things can have on ear-wax is pretty mind blowing : )xx
No Background music or Complex editing shots...Simple and Straight to the point..clear and cut...Thank you !!!
Most welcome mate, glad you enjoyed it.
It drives me mad that people play background music, I want listen to what presenter to say; not be forced to listen to their stupid music.
One interesting thing is some “roller bearings” has no grease at all. In times, I don’t feel comfortable if no grease when they are designed 🤷🏼♂️. Secondly, if decided to repack sealed bearings, use needle grease gun just right amount. Make darn sure the seal’s locked in good…. I’ve seen too many failures this way.. simply just replace them and be worry free!! LOL unless factory skipped one have no grease. Unpacked ones ? Return for exchange 🤷🏼♂️
If I'm ever tempted to open a sealed bearing and repack it, it's time to buy a whole new bearing. I've seen the results of sealed bearing that were repacked, and they almost invariably damage the seal during the extraction or reinstallation. Additionally, the heat of turning through too much grease will frequently lead to the grease expanding and the seal itself being pushed out of its place leading to the certain destruction of the bearing as a result of an avenue for foreign material entering the bearing. Grease, when combined with dirt and dust becomes a rather effective abrasive compound.
Hi Penny and Del - very good and thought-provoking video. When I did the driveline service on my Bandit in October of 2021 I found the hub bearing needed replacement and I opted for a sealed unit. It didn't occur to me to open it to check the amount of grease; I figured it was sealed for a reason. And that appears to be the case, so I'm glad I didn't! Thanks for all you do, dear friends. Take care, be well, ride safe and have a great weekend!
Yeah, exactly, leave well along, you'll shorten the life of the seals and once water gets in, they wont last another year.. Have a great weekend too and thank you as always for your awesome support. take care, D&Pxx
Sound and common sense advice.
How many discussions have I seen from people who must be very bored, trying to come up with ways to ‘improve’ basic servicing of their bikes in various different ways, because the very clever engineers who designed them and wrote the service manuals, can’t be right, can they?
Personally, I follow mr Honda’s advice. Unsurprisingly, my bike runs great as a result 😁
Yeah, pretty much solid advice, service manuals can be vague at times, and often leave out pertinant information all together..(depends on the brand) but ive never found one to be actually wrong..!
Completely agree Del. More is not always better. Biggest problem with bearings or any parts these days is finding quality pieces and dodging the knock offs that are EVERYWHERE. Thanks Del and Penny for putting good information out there always. Happy weekend to you both. ❤👍👍
Thanks Rick, you're so right, adds for cheap parts and equipment are literally showered on us through social media, and it's made far too easy to click and buy, when sourcing and aquiring the best quality parts is often more work and more involved.. it's no wonder they're Everywhere.. i guess all we can rely on is trusted brands and make sure they're the real thing and not knock-off copies.. These bearings were replaced with Timken, and i had to order them through a local machine bearing supplier and wait a week.. well worth it in my view. Take care and have a wonderful weekend buddy.. D&Pxx
Good info!
Thanks Harold, have a great weekend!
Good to know, thanks mate. I've always left seal bearings alone, but that was sheer luck it seems. Have a wonderful weekend, Günter/Nürnberg
Thanks mate👍, me too. Have a great weekend and stay safe.
For what they cost replace them,my front ones on my BMW R1100 rs has lasted more than 200,000 Miles?
Your right , once touch water does the rest pal.
Excellent, Del, thank you......and for what it's worth, I always stop the video long enough to read every one of the quotes you post on the white board, they are always worth the read!🤘
Thank you so much Allen, that's good to know.. just a little thought for the day and we load it that way so it's not boring or intrusive for those who like videos to get directly to the action.. We hope you're keeping safe and well over there, and spring is making it possible to get out on the bike.. Take care my friend and stay in touch.. D&Pxx
Just the last two days has it been nice enough to start riding again, although the shaded corners may still have ice so one has to be very careful! Hopefully tomorrow!!@@Moonfleet41
When I rebuilt my Genesis chassis I greased everything. Original bearings too.
Saved a fortune and with a Hagon rear shock transformed and stiffened up the handling like a Nun when approached by a Cardinal
Ha ah, joke of the day..lol! and yeah, Hagon have a great reputation..
@@Moonfleet41 your early for the bus job Dell 😬
@@veeken777Lost me there mate..!!??
@@Moonfleet41 ahh soz bro, i forgot you dont work on the buses any more. Pitty as i got loads of Blakey gags
Great advice Dell!
Thanks Shaun.
Very informative as I've come to expect from Del's videos - as an educator I'm impressed
Thank you so much for your kind words.
Hey Del and Penny, hope all is well with you both. Nice video mate with good solid info, you are 100% correct, don't open them up, just replace them. Hope that weather is getting better over there, it's starting to cool down over this side 30C today. Penny and you have a great relaxing weekend and take care. Cheers
Aha.. that's why it's 10 degrees warmer now and only raining..lol! well at least it washes the salt away and cleans the roads ready for tomfoolery..!!! The message on the bearings was to those who question why i don't open up NEW ones before fitting them and add grease?... naturally they're disposable and should always be replaced.. but Never open new ones either becasue those seals never go back right.! Have a great Sunday mate, and enjoy the warm weather..!
Hi Delboy, agree with you 100%. Wheel bearings should be replaced not repacked. On another scenario I worked and retired from a large power tool company and to save the customer money if the bearings were good we would repack them. we never had any issues. But there is a huge difference between power tool bearings and wheel bearings. As usual thanks for a great video. Best regards Frank from Florida.
Exactly that Frank, wheel bearings spin fast under heavy load, too much grease can build up heat, melting the grease and forcing it out... there's also the possibility that the rollers don't roll, they just slide instead, and obviously that would destroy them in no time at all.. Thanks for sharing your experience Frank, much appreciated.
Well said Del.
Thanks for this video! I've wondered this for awhile, lol, after popping that seal and not seeing much grease. Thanks for your great videos!!
Yeah, like i said, It's popping the seal that does the damage, as you saw, it get's kinked and never fits back in securely as it was before...so more chance to let water in and rust them out.. if in doubt, just replace them.. !
A friend of mine had one his rear wheel bearings on his Buell actually "disintegrate" on him while we were riding, and that was a sealed bearing. Old and/or neglected? Either way, it was toast! He had to get his bike towed home. He got the wheel to my place and getting the outer race from the wheel was a HUGE challenge, there was no way to use a bearing puller, as there was nothing much left of the bearing, the outer race was essentially "stuck" in the wheel. What's my point?, even with sealed bearings, you got to inspect and replace when necessary, pulling off the outer external seal you will sometimes find signs of water penetration there. Don't be cheap folks, replace them, you can find factory spec bearings cheaper from a bearing supplier for much less than OEM. You'll often find the exact same bearing manufacturer too. Cheers, Del!
I've had great luck cleaning out new bearings and repacking them with sta lube extreme pressure anti seize engine assembly lube with moly graphite. Bearings had less rolling resistance rolled smother and gave me no trouble even after 13'000 miles
Next I would like to try ceramic bearings but they are pricey
Awesome video brother!! Had no idea about this !!! Great tips ! Keep up the great work brother , stay safe guys , cheers from New York !!!🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thanks! You too brother.. always good to hear form you.. hope you're both keeping safe and well.
I have been watching your videos for some time, can you please tell me the speed you use on your lathe for cutting and parting off. I have the same lathe and the lowest speed I can get is 160 rpm
I run between 200 and 400 depending on material diameter, and 600 for polishing cuts on stainless steel.. why not experiment and see what works best for each project..
Thanks. A great help. I've been curious about this for quite a while as the same design of bearing is used on mountain bikes.
Glad to help
Hear hear Del.
Is PTFE grease the right choice?
Like, very important and interesting video. Del Thank you very much
One way to extend the life of the bearings is to replace the shaft seal. There is no special schedule date for that job, you need to check free play. If the bushing does not fit into this seal with light pressure, it is time to replace the seal, and maybe the bushing as well? it's cheap, and it's an easy job.
Thanks for your kind words, and what are you refering to as the "shaft seal" mate?.. this was on wheel bearings!! do you mean the output shaft in transmissions..?
@@Moonfleet41
The exact technical names:
DUST SEAL + COLLAR
th-cam.com/video/UhaElCWVLPI/w-d-xo.html
@@Moonfleet41
th-cam.com/video/dQbKXbhyFQs/w-d-xo.html
Just to let you know Del.
On the subject of "Just because you can doesn't mean you should"
In order to watch your video i had to endure a full 2 minute advert for something i don't want or need that i couldn't skip or ff through. The only way to get to your content was to let it play through. It's happened on a few channels i follow, but not all.
As much as i love your content and have followed you for years, if youtube continue this ad policy, i'm out.
I know its not your doing, or within your control, but if thats how it is I'll close the lid on the pc and go do something else.
Is this happening to anyone else?
Hi mate, I completely agree with your sentiments and yes, you're right, it's not my doing. If you monetize your content (how else do we meet the bills!), then you are entirely in their hands and how the advertising plays out... there is an option though mate, and interestingly most people refuse to take it, that is to pay a few dollars and resgister for You Tube Premium and you won't see a single advert ever again! Don't expect you to go for it mate, but just thought I'd let you know the opton's there, perhaps though you already knew! Thanks for your support.
@@Moonfleet41
Hi mate, yep, weirdly, when i came back to this vid to reply it didn't happen, so i would guess it depends on which advert the algorythm decides to feed you. I did have premium for a while, might have to go back to it.
Spot on Del & well worth the visit to your w/shop. On another subject, did you see my comment this week on your "Ceramic Coat Update ! :- How's it doing so far?" video? I gave you the opportunity to get your own back but be gentle, Im old 🤣
Interesting Del 👍
Glad you enjoyed it mate.
great informative video. Thanks.
My colleague came from bearing manufacturing. I asked him . He told me what we were all thinking. You got them out, replace them. If they dont sound happy. Better still replace them anyways. 👍❤️✌️
Yeah, i think even the most hard pressed owner would agree thet once you drag a bearing out, it's past refitting.. the question i intended to answer in this, was to the repeated messages i get, asking why i don't open and repack NEW bearings when i fit them.. and hopefully this video answered that... Good to hear form you buddy..
@Moonfleet41 Oh wow! re pack new ones? Now that's a question I wouldn't have thought you'd get asked. I see the significance of the video . Cheers Buddy . ✌️👍❤️
That answers that , thanks 👍
No problem 👍
Great vid. I learned something here for sure, Del. It reminds me of something that the father of my first girlfriend in high school said to me. Hope you both are doing well! 🏍️👍🏍️
Ha ha, i think we all remember that warning sir...lol!
@@Moonfleet41😎
😀👌👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Good sound advice Del for anyone that does not know ! Never cut corners its not worth it ! Have a great weekend mate 👍
Cheers, you too buddy.
good tip del
Thanks 👍
I grease sealed bearings on my lawn mower regularly, and of corse I dont mow in rain or wash it :D
Really interesting, thank you 👌
Glad you enjoyed it!
Manufacturer knows best. Sealed means sealed. Leave well alone
Your like the coolest man on earth del ❤️
Wouldn’t be worth the hassle anyway, best just fitting new ones 👍🏻
Yes mate, naturally.. but like i said.. the common question, is "do you open and re-pack NEW ones"..! and as you can see.. No you shouldn't. Have a great wekeend buddy, and maybe see you out and about soon.. long time no see aye !
If a sealed wheel bearing gets to the point of needing repacked, then it needs replaced
I must admit I have never thought about it. It was disheartening to see a plastic bearing carrier as I know they can fail and on a wheel bearing that could be disastrous. Cup and cone bearings like they used to be and serviced every few miles, that must be the way to go ;)
Blimey mate, that's old school, I can't imagine people would tolerate the dealer servicing bills if vehicles were still constructed that way, people expect servicing intervals to be longer not shorter! But you're right of course, everything was more servicable back in the day!
The plastic bearing carriers are almost never the FIRST thing that goes wrong in an aging bearing. They might just be the most obvious thing.
I’ll say something not entirely original but… you can, but I wouldn’t. 😊
Afternoon del
Hi mate..
Hey Del. Can you please give some more time to read the inspirational quotes you write? Thanks.
Sure thing buddy, you can always just pause it a moment maybe, i just like to get straight into the video as soon as possible.. hope you're keeping safe and well.
@@Moonfleet41Thanks man. You’re right. I can do that. I’m doing well and so are the kids. Can’t wait to see what you got down the road. Let the next bike project be a Ducati . . . PLEASE!
Don't do it
You do Not grease sealed bearings... If you have movement.. Bin them.
They're cheap. Every time I replace my tires I replace the bearings
Yes you can grease them and I have done many times👍
Interesting debate aye !
@@Moonfleet41 yes I know you shouldn’t but i am sure you know where I am coming from👍