Bearing stopped taking grease

37chief · Sep 11, 2017

I have a 1-3/4 inch flange bearing on my flail mower blade drum. After a while it doesn't take grease anymore. I give it a shot every 6-8 hours. The problem is the very small groove on the bearing housing gets filled with crud, and the grease doesn't reach the small hole in the bearing. I doubt there're is much one can do about it, unless someone has an idea. Stan

ohiojim · Sep 11, 2017

put a little heat on it, then pump the grease to it...works for me almost every time. the crud has enough grease mixed with it to melt and flow again

Janicholson · Sep 11, 2017

If it can be turned in the housing by removing the flange bolts and moving the housing non parallel to its original position you may be able to get the groove clean. If it is able to be taken apart and cleaned, put it back together and spray the place that lets it get plugged up, with undercoat or pickup bed liner. Jim

Eric in IL · Sep 11, 2017

If the flange is two-piece stamped metal, they don't have as good of a fit to the bearing as a cast-iron one piece flange.

Might try a cast flange or rig some type of shield to keep mowing debris away from bearing, which could be impossible I guess.

37chief · Sep 11, 2017

The bearing is a cast iron one piece. Stan

Jaden · Sep 11, 2017

How about one of those tools that forces oil or solvent into the fitting. (Google Zerk Zapper)

JD Seller · Sep 11, 2017

I will second Ohiojum: I have pretty good luck with heating them while forcing new grease into them. Use a propane torch it will not over heat the bearing as quick. I deal with a lot of bearing that are in corrosive environments.

Also use a real good grease. I like the poly-urea grease for bearings. There are several different brands that are good. The main thing is as the grease is sued up the polyuria has fewer base solids left behind. There fore it does not turn hard as quick as many other greases. The first place I used it was on JD tractors( JD TY6341 list $4.95 I by it for right at $4 a tube). The rear axle bearings are supposed to use this grease. I then started using it on my 4wd pickup's front end ujoints. I found that the life was greatly extended using this type of grease. About 15 year ago I started using it everywhere that had things that rotated. It works great in these applications. I have cut my failed bearings by a large percentage.

Bob · Sep 11, 2017

Typically, the cast iron bearing housing has worn a bit allowing dirt to sneak in between the spherical OD bearing and the housing and clog the groove in the bearing where the grease is supposed to flow to the tiny hole in the outer race of the bearing.

If you get rough and follow the advice in some of the other replies and get grease to flow to the bearing, you will inject all the dirt/crud that's in the groove into the bearing along with the grease.

At this point, I would quit trying to grease it and watch it/use it up, then replace the bearing and housing.

ASEguy · Sep 12, 2017

Interesting. Thanks for the tip.

Bearing stopped taking grease

37chief

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ohiojim

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Janicholson

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Eric in IL

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37chief

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Jaden

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JD Seller

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Bob

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ASEguy

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