Mobil 1 for Wheel Bearings?

[harriw]

Yeah - youtube is great for general stuff like how to pack wheel bearings (found a few dozen videos of that).

I don't believe I saw anything specifically labeled "high temp," but most claimed they were intended for use with disc brakes. I imagine that's essentially high temp then?

Thanks again.

-Bill

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I use high-temp wheel bearing grease for all bearings that require grease. I've always packed 'em by hand too after giving them a good cleaning with solvent and a careful check to make sure they weren't heat cracked or anything. I had thought about getting one of those mini pistol grip grease guns and a needle and squirt the grease into the bearings instead of spending time packing 'em by hand, but haven't tried that yet.

For balljoints and such, I just use regular lithium grease.

I have a big lever style grease gun, but often you need 3 hands to operate it (and since that evolutionary step hasn't happened yet despite being needed for millions of years), I also have a small pistol grip one that I put an 18" flex hose on (took about a half a mini tube of grease to fill the hose, I swear, lol), and I'll use that when I can't comfortably operate the big one.

 

[AllanD]

BTW, THE point to synthetic grease is not that it's synthetic,
but that to make most "Grease" they use oil with a thickener
(generally some kind of chemical soup closely related to soap)

The Synthetic greases are often a tailored molecule that is FAR more stable
and especially water resistant.

And for four wheeling you really should look into marine grade greases

As for grease taking the temp of disc brakes... most grease does.

THE issue isn't that discs run hotter, it's that the friction mass (the disc or drum) is more closely coupled thermally to the bearings, BUT if like most people you are running aluminum wheels it isn't an issue, because aluminum wheels act as a gigantic "heat sink"/radiator for the brakes.

I'm FAR more worried about water contamination of the grease OR
it's viscosity changing with extremes of temperature...

AD

 

[Shran]

A zip lock bag works fine as a bearing packer. Just put a bunch in the bag along with the bearing, and work it in. Remove the bearing, scoop off the excess, and you're done.

I use red high temp for everything, tie rod ends, ball joints, wheel bearings, u-joints, etc...maybe it's wrong but it has always worked fine for me.

 

[harriw]

So, turns out I don't have to decide which type of grease gun I want. Just found a guy on craigslist who sold me 3 of them: one lever-action, one pistol-grip, and one air-powered, all for $25. I've got to clean them up a bit, but now I can play with all three types and use whatever I like best. Can probably even make my $25 back selling the other two

 

[OilPatch197]

I'm FAR more worried about water contamination of the grease OR
it's viscosity changing with extremes of temperature...

AD

Which is why I am not sold on synthetics for wheel bearings!

I cannot justify synthetic on a trail rig. First water contamination should be a easy fix with regular maintenance(repacking the bearings) and replacing seals. With roller bearings, I am also not concerned with viscosity changes, as most of my wheeling is at slow speeds, thus heat from the brakes is virtually nonexistent.

I have yet to have a bearing fail (knock on wood) and I use whatever grease I can find. It doesn't matter if its red, black, pink, or polka dot. As was stated above the important thing is keeping water out and keeping the bearings full of fresh grease. What kills bearings is neglect and water, not whether you used purple grease or Mobil 1 instead of Lubrimatic.

 

[Clem]

Try Power Punch Synthetic bearing grease.
I have run it in wheel bearing with 50000 mile repack intervals without any bearing damage, just cleaned them with clean solvent, repacked with Power Punch and another 50000, the truck has 241000+ miles and only one set of bearing at 42000 miles. I use it in a gun for every thing that needs greasing. It is water proof, the best boat trailer grease I have ever used. Probably the worst things that can be said for it is, it is stringy, when you pull of the zirt fitting, it is like a snot nosed kid, and it sticks to everything and has to be removed with a solvent.
Give it a try, it is good stuff.

Ray

 

[drifterawh]

Zip lock

A zip lock bag works fine as a bearing packer. Just put a bunch in the bag along with the bearing, and work it in. Remove the bearing, scoop off the excess, and you're done.

I use red high temp for everything, tie rod ends, ball joints, wheel bearings, u-joints, etc...maybe it's wrong but it has always worked fine for me.

FR!9&8n Great idea. Damm I love this site