Changing hubs from oil to grease

Scott & Heather · August 18, 2016, 07:23:20 AM

OK I ordered two new wheel seals from Mohawk. They come in on Monday. Is there anything else that I should need? I think I'm going to try to give the shop one more chance to fix this.

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luvrbus · August 18, 2016, 07:38:47 AM

Tell your shop to use a centering tool and they don't get damaged installing the hubs

lostagain · August 18, 2016, 07:41:20 AM

I use Lucas hub oil. It is thick and tacky. It won't leak as readily as regular oil. Although I have seen it leak out the back seal on my bus because I had screwed up when installing. Easy to do... You have to be very careful to slide the hub onto the spindle nice and straight so as not to damage the seal. Tricky because the hub is heavy. Some rooky apprentice might have f..ked your's up...

JC

luvrbus · August 18, 2016, 08:20:55 AM

Quote from: lostagain on August 18, 2016, 07:41:20 AM
I use Lucas hub oil. It is thick and tacky. It won't leak as readily as regular oil. Although I have seen it leak out the back seal on my bus because I had screwed up when installing. Easy to do... You have to be very careful to slide the hub onto the spindle nice and straight so as not to damage the seal. Tricky because the hub is heavy. Some rooky apprentice might have f..ked your's up...

JC

We older guys use the centering tool for those heavy suckers

lostagain · August 18, 2016, 08:25:50 AM

Hopefully I don't have to do oil seals again until I am as old as you Clifford

By then I'll get a centering tool.

JC

TomC · August 18, 2016, 08:35:24 AM

Both Meritor (old Rockwell) and Spicer (Eaton) make cartridge bearings for the front axle. The complete seals & bearings are all together as one. All you have to do is to slide it on and put the hub over the cartridge. Then tighten the nut to the specified torque and you're done. No retightening ever. Good Luck, TomC

Scott & Heather · August 18, 2016, 08:45:14 AM

Cliff where can I buy the tool? I would be happy to loan it to them

Btw, I do use Lucas hub oil in them

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Jim Eh. · August 18, 2016, 09:04:57 PM

Quote from: bobofthenorth on August 16, 2016, 05:25:18 PM
I know this is kind of a Ford/Chev thing but I never had any luck with Stemco seals. If they're not CR I won't use them. The Stemcos always leak for me.

+2 on CR but ONLY Scotseal+ I find the original CR and the CR Scotseal (No Plus) are extremely touchy on installation. Make sure you have the shop check for any chisel marks on the spindle from some previous owner/mechanic that used a chisel to remove the wear sleeve of a Stemco seal set. As mentioned the method to remove a Stemco set wear sleeve is to use the ball end of a ball peen hammer PROVIDING THE PREVIOUS SEAL SET WAS THE TWO PIECE STEMCO STYLE. There have been customers come in after trying things on there own thinking there was a wear sleeve installed.

I am biased because I have been installing CR+ seals for 15 years and only two failures. And one of them of which I can explain. With Stemco it was more a matter of counting the failures per year.
BTW, grease packed wheel bearings are making a comeback in the semi trailer market.