O/T: add grease zerk to front hubs(2wd)?

MeAnthony · Jan 7, 2012

'95 Dodge truck, 3/4 ton, 2 wheel drive. I've only recently purchased this truck so I don't know the service history.

I put new ball joints on the driver's side tonight. Got to thinking "wonder how long since those wheel bearings have been done?" Which led me to "why can't I drill and tap a hole for a grease fitting?" Right there at the tip of the screwdriver; would be located in the cavity between the inner and outer wheel bearings. Will not interfere with the rim.

Would this work? Why or why not? Anybody ever tried something like this?

Your opinions and suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Anthony

jCarroll · Jan 7, 2012

40 years ago I had a boat trailer which had "Bearing Buddies" (I think they were called). They were replacement caps for the hub which had zerks in the center.

Couple shots of grease after every launch forced any water out of the hub.

504 · Jan 7, 2012

The hubs will run fine, you will wear out the rotors before they need packing. The grease Zerk will just push out the grease seal, and then let dirt in and ruin the bearings which will ruin the spindle. If there needed to be a Zerk there Dodge,Ford,GM etc. would have put one there.

bobs old iron · Jan 7, 2012

i was thinking in a diferent direction years ago,,, thinking of drilling a hole in cap, then put a rubber plug there and fill the bearings with rear end grease,,like the semi-trucks set-up are on the front,,,always woundered if it would have worked, with new seals installed so it doesn't leak.

rustred · Jan 7, 2012

you dont want to mess with steering or brakes!
just suppose that caused a crack and the hub split and caused an accident and killed someone. not saying it will happen just an example.
you can do that on your farm wagon.

rustred · Jan 8, 2012

you dont want to mess with steering or brakes!
just suppose that caused a crack and the hub split and caused an accident and killed someone. not saying it will happen just an example.
you can do that on your farm wagon.

ASEguy · Jan 8, 2012

I wouldn't do it. Some of the reasons to disassemble include. Seal replacement, old contaminated grease removal, inspection of bearing surfaces and resetting bearing preload all of which are necessary periodically. Besides, too much grease inhibits heat transfer.
Gerard

Tim in NB · Jan 8, 2012

Dodge tried this back in the 70's on the full time 4wd front axle hubs. Those things ate bearings. I think that people that did grease them would just grab any old grease gun, even if it didn't have grease made for high speed wheel bearings and grease away. Some chassis grease isn't rated for wheel bearings.

I do have a Case 1390 2wd that has grease fittings on the front hub, but it is not going down the road at 60 miles per hour.

northvale · Jan 8, 2012

on my 89 F250, I greased the drive line u-joints. About 2 weeks later I needed 1 replaced. I assume I used the wrong grease or put it out of balance.

Dean · Jan 8, 2012

Bearing buddies are still available and often used on boat trailers that are submersed upon launching one's boat.

The intent is to keep water out rather than to repack the bearings.

The spring pressure of the plunger provides a positive pressure within the hub so that water does not enter during the short time that the hubs are submerged.

Dean

Dean · Jan 8, 2012

Not a good idea even if you use wheel bearing grease in your grease gun.

There is a great deal of open space within the hub so that adding grease through the zerk will not provide grease to the (especially) inner bearing.

Completely filling the hub with unnecessary grease will cause grease to be forced past the seal and onto the rotor due to thermal expansion.

I simply repack mine upon every pad/shoe change.

Dean

Greenday · Jan 8, 2012

Unless the wheel seals are bad so that you are loosing grease out of them what would be the reason to grease them that often? When they get to the point of needing to be greased it will be time to repack them anyway in which you want to remove the old grease and pack them back with new.

Blackhole49 · Jan 8, 2012

Also, with bearing buddies, your seals are supposed to face out to keep moisture from getting in. The are predisposed to letting grease out.

wisbaker · Jan 8, 2012

WHY????? If packed right with the right grease it'll run longer than you care to think about with out service. Example 2001 Ford F-150 assembled by drunken Canadian auto workers, finally had to change rotors after 10 1/2 years and 125,000 plus miles, bearings and seals still good, grease looked a little funky but the bearing surfaces still good, the only reason I needed to be there was to change the hub. Honda car after 21 years and 274,000 miles has original bearings on three of the wheels, the only reason for changing the one set is the hub got messed up and was replaced the new hub came loaded with bearings.

pete 23 · Jan 8, 2012

I had trouble getting water in wheels on boat trailer, so put bearing buddies on, plus the bra to keep grease from making a mess.Always try to keep wheel out of water also as don't need to get that far in for my little boat. Can't say that it helped all that much. Still have to clean and pack bearings . Friend bought a new boat and trailer. Dealer says, don't worry about getting them in water. Just keep them properly greased. Guess what, full of water anyway. They do help but don't cure. And as for adding grease fittings on the Dodge hub, forget it.

O/T: add grease zerk to front hubs(2wd)?

MeAnthony

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jCarroll

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504

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bobs old iron

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rustred

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rustred

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ASEguy

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Tim in NB

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northvale

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Dean

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Dean

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Greenday

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Blackhole49

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wisbaker

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pete 23

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