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View Full Version : Hey - grease monkeys!!!!!



Fred Voorhees
03-03-2005, 7:10 PM
I have started to tear down the trailer for the boat that I purchased so that I can rewire it and paint it up. One question for the mechanics out there. I want to also repack the wheel bearings. I know how to re-pack them, but I forget what I would use to clean the bearings of the old grease. My mind wants to tell me that I would use kerosene. Is that right???

Steve Ash
03-03-2005, 7:20 PM
Fred,
I haven't packed any bearings other than new ones out of the box since I left the family farm....but I used to use diesel fuel (since our tractors were diesel) I would think kerosene is also fine.

Jim Dunn
03-03-2005, 11:11 PM
I generally have the bearings of my boat repacked at the local repair shop. They usually charge me $30.00 an axel, I have a tamden axel with brakes, plus any parts. I also haven't done it in more than 20yrs but I too used kerosene or diesel.

Pat Monahan
03-04-2005, 3:06 AM
Fred
Soak the bearings in varsol. A coffee can works well, leave them overnight to loosen all the gunk then agitate to shake out all the debris. Blow dry with compressed air.
Pat

Gary Max
03-04-2005, 4:34 AM
Kerosene will work---after you get the old grease and trash out of the bearing.
Blow the kerosene out of the bearing--be careful this can be real messey. Next wet them down with some WD-40 and wipe them down real good. If the WD-40 stays clean you are ready to repack them.

Jim Dunn
03-04-2005, 8:49 AM
Blow drying is fine, however, DO NOT run the bearings on the inner race with air pressure. I know, it's fun and all, but the bearings can fail prematurely if run at high speed without any lubrication. I've done it and got an as- chewing from a master mechanic I worked for about 40yr ago.

Jerry Clark
03-04-2005, 9:26 AM
Be sure you work the grease into the bearings-- don't just coat the outside! Also it is a good idea to repack bearings yearly whether you use the trailer or not.

Steve Clardy
03-04-2005, 9:29 AM
Solvent is best. But you can also use gasoline. It cuts the grease quickly. But do it outside. And as above, use wd-40 afterwards, let it dry, then pack with new grease.

Norman Hitt
03-04-2005, 11:40 AM
Fred, the others have it covered, but I just felt like posting. I got smart & quit using gasoline about 40 yrs ago, & since have mostly used either varsol or Kerosene. My favorite was varsol in my ulrtasonic parts washer in my Acft shop, burt now just use kero. Jim's sure right about NOT Spinning the bearings when air drying. If you do use the WD-40, be Sure it is "completely drained & dry" before repacking though to assure good bonding of the grease to the bearing surfaces.

I use a cheap plastic "Cone type" fixture with a grease Zerk on it that I put my hand grease gun on, then fill the bearing, then rotate the bearing a couple of times and press more grease in again, before wiping down the outside. This rotating & adding more grease assures no voids, & the cone tool makes it real quick, compared to forcing it in by hand for me.

Donnie Raines
03-04-2005, 3:33 PM
I use break cleaner.

Fred Voorhees
03-04-2005, 7:15 PM
Thanks guys. I got a good head start on the trailer today (Fri) after work. I gave the trailer a quick sanding where any rust was and primed and spray painted the trailer and will now have a nice Saturday spent rewiring it and refurbishing some of the items that were part of the trailer that will eventually be bolted back on. Since there is no NASCAR Nextel event on Sunday, I may just get around to re-packing the bearings by the time the weekend is just a memory. Then it's on to going over the boat itself.