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djkeev
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Wildthings
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 Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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| One needs to use care if they add a grease fitting to the bearing housing as there is no way to purge excess grease from the housing. This could result with a seal being pushed out of position or grease leaking passed one of the seal and fouling the brake shoes. |
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djkeev
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beach_creature
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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picture of the failed bearing. Notice the closed ends.
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84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD |
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djkeev
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beach_creature
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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compared to this one. Grease can easily be packed in behind the the rollers. I still don't see how grease can easily be packed in behind the rollers on the failed bearing.
http://www.nosimport.com/image/cache/data/845011286-500x500.jpg
Mod edit, inserted photo.
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84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD |
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Terry Kay
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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Definitely another case of Petrolis Neglectus.
However, or whomever packed them didn't do a real good job prior to installation.
What type of grease was used?
Here is what whoever packed them should have used--or a similar product
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T.K.
Last edited by Terry Kay on Fri Nov 06, 2015 10:36 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Wildthings
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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The one you said would be hard to grease looks like it would be the easier one to grease with a needle. |
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insyncro
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Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:08 am Post subject: |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| One needs to use care if they add a grease fitting to the bearing housing as there is no way to purge excess grease from the housing. This could result with a seal being pushed out of position or grease leaking passed one of the seal and fouling the brake shoes. |
I agree.
My protocol for zerked carriers is still to pull the castle nut and relieve pressure before pumping any grease.
I own the tools to do so easily and 3/4" torque wrench to reset the proper torque.
As far as the application of grease, I use one of those tiny grease guns well known for shooting grease into the tip of a chainsaw.
I added the proper fitting to the end and it is thumb actuated.
It only shoots a small amount of grease and I can load any grease I want into it.
This way, you can maintain the bearings and not blow out seals.
My 18v gun would make a mess in this application, one pump of the trigger on it is about 15 time the amount of grease from my thumb pumper.
Hope this helps. |
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Sodo
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Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:01 am Post subject: |
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It seems like greasing these bearings would be a seldom necessity. Removing the castle nut to relieve the pressure sounds reasonable. Pumping the old grease out BOTH sides sounds better, every 80,000 miles is at least twice as good as the original method which lasts a long long time.
| djkeev wrote: |
As compared to...????????
I fail to see an issue here...... ^^^
Dave |
Thanks for the pic, the thread is more informative with pics.
I noticed the caged unit FAG has 17 rollers and the wide open one has 15 rollers. With larger rollers the bearing races are also thinner which may be less able to maintain dimensions. Esp. if the housing is out of round.
I'm having a hard time following which type had the multiple repeated failures. I would guess poor quality bearings would have a shorter life, such as 50k - 80k. The quick failure reported sounds like install error, such as pressing/whacking on the wrong part of the bearing, or an out of round housing.
I need to give my bearings some kind of love, and soon, while they're still quiet. And choose a grease. Terry are you saying the housing gets hot? I'll test mine, which have 175k and never been greased. If any get hot, it would be mine!
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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Terry Kay
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:12 am Post subject: |
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If the axle bearings are lubricated properly with some good, high temp, low wash out grease the chances of the bearings getting hot and self destructing are real low.
I like & have used Mystic JT-8 for years in heavy duty applications ( Mack Truck Front ends, u-joints, brake cams ) and the parts have always gone an awfully long time prior to failure.
The stuff works out real well in the Vanagon axle bearings, will give them a long and well lubed life.
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insyncro
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 11:58 am Post subject: |
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| Terry Kay wrote: |
If the axle bearings are lubricated properly with some good, high temp, low wash out grease the chances of the bearings getting hot and self destructing are real low.
I like & have used Mystic JT-8 for years in heavy duty applications ( Mack Truck Front ends, u-joints, brake cams ) and the parts have always gone an awfully long time prior to failure.
The stuff works out real well in the Vanagon axle bearings, will give them a long and well lubed life. |
TK, I want to thank you.
I listened years ago about bearings.
I use Swepco High Heat grease and maintain bearings as you have suggested now for a long time.
I appreciate the zerk info too.
Not all of my vans are zerked, but a few are, it works great.
My comments about blowing out seals is only a precaution and I am willing to spend the time because I have the tools.
Others may go a different route. |
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Merian
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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greasing these bearings is indeed a seldom necessity; more frequent if they are submerged when fording a stream in a Syncro
the manual should give the service intervals; if not, GW likely has the most experience with the largest number of vehicles
as usual, never trust a PO, esp. if you find some oddities in the wiring or other stoopid hacks |
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Terry Kay
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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<<TK, I want to thank you.
I listened years ago about bearings.
I use Swepco High Heat grease and maintain bearings as you have suggested now for a long time.
I appreciate the zerk info too.
Not all of my vans are zerked, but a few are, it works great.>>
Your welcome Dylan.
Swepco lubricants are as good high temp / pressure lubricant as any other.
I use the Mystic just because I can get it at Farm & Fleet, and I am there often.
I have found that working with trucks & heavy equipment what will go the distance.
High temp grease is great for bearing applications.
<<My comments about blowing out seals is only a precaution and I am willing to spend the time because I have the tools.
Others may go a different route>>
Here's a grey area.
A guy has to use his head when giving the hubs a shot of grease using the zerks.
I know exactly where your coming from regarding blowing the seals outa the hubs.
Here is one application that more is not always better.
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insyncro
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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Cool.
Just for reference, I put one maybe two, "mini shots" from my small gun at 5000 mile intervals....same as engine oil.
I do not have any grease coming out of the seals.
I give the half shafts a yank back and forth at the same time to see how they are holding up.
Grease is definitely your friend with these vans...not too much though. |
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djkeev
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insyncro
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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| djkeev wrote: |
What just happened here ^^^^^ did I slip into a parallel universe?
I'm not even drinking!
Yes!
Dave |
Need I remind you of forum rules Sir 
Just kidding Dave.
Me and TK go way back.
No reason for us to arm wrestle  |
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Terry Kay
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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Dylan & TK are on the same wavelength
here David.
Now have a shot of The Captain--
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Wildthings
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Another alternative would be to put a second grease fitting in the top of the bearing housing using a zerk that does not have the check ball in it so that it will act as a purge. You could make a cap of some sort for it if you were concerned about it sucking dirt of water back into the housing. |
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Terry Kay
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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There actually is such an item as a zerk fitting weather cap.
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