MTFCA Forum

Simple question: How do you grease the inside front wheel bearings?

Matt

Take the wheel off the car, pull the seal ( dust cover) to release the inner beaing. You will probably destroy the seal in the process so you will need to get a new one. To insert the new seal, use a block of wood to cover the seal and one or two good wacks with a hammer in the center of the block should push and seat the new seal back in place. You can get the seal at most auto supplies if you can read the number off your old seal. If given the choice of felt or rubber insert, go with rubber. If you cannot read the part number on the seal let me know and I will look it up in my mtfca engine book for you.

On the front remove the grease cup,[often called a hub cap] and add grease and re install.Do not fill but save room for the outage the spindle nut will cause.On the rear remove and fill the grease cups and fill with grease. The rears can be filled with no outage.Model T's are not all the same! Bud.

The inside the front wheel dust cover can be had at most automotive parts stores like NAPA, pep boys, etc. Here are some part numbers for them to look up. They can usually cross refetence one brands part number for the brand they carry in house faster than you can order and ship from the usual model t vendors.
Chicago rawhide: cr17617
Federal mogul nat'l oil seal: 204002

The fresh grease installed with the hubcap/grease cup will force any water or dirt out of the hub. Bud.

Humblej has it right. go with the newer style (rubber). It can't be seen for the purists & it's a longer lasting piece.

Matt

Remove hub cap and outer bearing. Lay your wheel on a couple of 2 x 4's. Take a brass punch, angle it to the side and punch out rear bearing and seal with a couple hammer hits. Now you will not have to buy a new seal. Rinse bearing in kerosene to clean out old grease. Dry. Check bearing and race to make sure they are still good. Now put a gob of grease in the palm of one hand and regrease the bearing. Put wheel back on 2/4's to protect and a piece of cardboard to protect outer hub. Drop bearing in place, cover with old or new seal and use 2x4 and hammer to set. 1 or 2 swings should do it. Now replace outer bearing. Done.

Just to mention do not use chassis grease, use wheel bearing grease, it is stringy and will not flow out. These bearings and felts do have a life expectancy and they may have to be changed out form time to time. If using felts they should be changed fairly regularly.

Apparently Chicago Rawhide is now SKF. This gives three seal numbers.

When it comes time to buy new bearings, the best price is usually at Rock Auto.

Wow! Thanks for all the help! I decided to start with a old wheel I had.

I used David’s advice. I believe at Bakersfield I picked up the tool in a box of stuff. It was easy as butter to get it out. But I can see it is not the best bearing! Good thing this wheel was not on my car! Thanks everybody! On my car I will use you advice on the seals

THIS IS WHAT I DO, TAKE BOTH BEARINGS OUT, CLEAN THEM AND THE INSIDE WHERE THEY GO, I PUT THE NEW SEAL ON THE HUB WHERE ITS MADE TO RUN AFTER I PLACE SOME GREASE ON THE LIP WITH MY FINGER, PUT THE BEARINGS IN THE WHEEL PUT IT BACK ON WITH WASHER AND NUT FINGER TIGHT TAKE A OLD HUB CAP THREAD A GREASE FITTING INTO IT, FILL IT WITH GREASE FIRST, WITH THE CAP ON THE WHEEL PUMP A FEW PUMPS, YOU SEE THE GREASE START TO PEEK OUT OF THE INNER BEARING, IT WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE INSIDE OF BOTH BEARINGS, AND PUSH UP BETWEEN THE NEEDLES ON ITS WAY, TURN THE WHEEL A FEW TIMES PUMP MORE, TURN MORE--UNTIL THE GREASE IS SPREAD GOOD, THIS SYSTEM WILL DO BOTH BEARINGS AT ONCE, PLUS FILL THE VOID BETWEEN THE BEARINGS FOR A LIFETIME, OR UNTILL ITS TIME TO DO IT AGAIN--THEN WORK THE SEAL BACK IN PLACE, THERE'S ROOM TO DO THIS IF YOUR CAREFUL..--- PULL A BEARING WHEN YO FINNISH AND SEE HOW ITS FILLED WITH GREASE IN AND OUT. I COVER THE OLD HUB CAP WITH TIN FOIL AND ITS READY NEXT TIME. THEY DO MAKE A RIG FOR GREASING BEARINGS.

I know I'm negative, but wheel bearings are all greased the same! What's the problem?

I keep thinking... take the wheel off, and flush/grease the inner bearings. This is all of a 30 minute job per wheel, and probably less... I've done it so many times I could maybe do it by feel. Have a store of inner seals, but it's such an easy job...

Susanne. It is easy after you have done it for the first time, but if you have never taken off an inner seal, you ask how it is done. I think that was the gist of the question. I know some people use a hook and take a chance of wrecking the seal. I think the brass punch works best and usually the seal is left intact.

Thanks David,
Yes, I was in the category of never doing it before. Not all bearings are the same. Modern cars have sealed bearings:)

Thanks to all for the input!

Matt

Nobody seems to mention packing the bearing. Clean the roller or ball bearing, put it in the bearing grease and fill all the voids in the bearing, reinstall in the races in the wheel and replace the seal. Refer to your manual for repacking intervals. Do the inner and outer at the mileage or time intervals and you will have no problems.

David does it the same way I do. Punch the inner bearing out and the seal will come with it, with no damage, but I replace them anyway.
The inner and outer bearings need to be,packed with grease. I put the grease in a zip lock bag with each bearing and squish it full. A good smear on each of the races and that is all that is needed. The void between them does not have to be filled, nor does the hubcap, but if it makes one feel good, there is no down side to filling them, other than making the bottom of the grease tub appear much sooner.
Others do it differently.

Allan from down under.

I am not familiar with a SEAL what does the seal specifically do?, most SEALS will seal oil or grease in. When looking at wheel bearing assemblies there is only a felt dust seal to prevent dust and dirt from entering in to the bearings, not to prevent grease from escaping. Good quality wheel bearing grease should stay in there for a life time, however the felts should be replaced from time to time. I have found wheels where the felts were completely ignored for years where the wheels were used on dirt roads and the wheel hub cut right through the axle, now that is abuse. Some limited maintenance could have prevented this.

David

Those 'seals' posted about are the modern versions that have neoprene rubber ring inside the metal collar, they fit snug, and can help keep grease in, and keep out dust, dirt, and most important to a bearing's life..... moisture.

So types of seals, and the frequency of re-greasing front wheel bearings, all depends on the owners requirements

I install the modern seals in first, but always put electricians tape over the keyway first so it does not cut the seal. Then the bearing. Then the modern neoprene seal. Then a felt goes in the hub and you install the hub. You can use the old outer seals if you want to save $$, but I hate taking them off so I use modern. Infortunately a lot of folks forget the felt that goes between the hub and the outer seal.

I forgot we were talking about front inner seal. Felt or neoprene? I dont think it makes a difference. They both work equally well.

I was thinking about doing what Richard mentioned. Using a old grease cab and put in Zürich oil fitting in it. But I found this!
I need to clean out the old grease. Here it is mounted on a loose hub. Anyone ever see one of these?

Thanks!

Matt

I have several different type - there were a number of manufacturers who produced these.

I have that exact cap (only cleaner )

Not rare, but not overly common, either.

The old farmer owner of my cut-off pickup, didn't want to spend $, so just soldered on a pin-type Alemite grease fitting, to the hub cap....the easy way

I must be really old school and left behind.🥴. When I put a wheel together, I drop a bearing in a baggy with some grease, and just squish it over and over and dump it out. Then when it’s in, I just fill up a hub cap and use it as a dope cup until I just see a hint of wet on the inside inner race.

As far as a zerk hub, one of mine has aftermarket zerk hubs, the Hack. Came to me that way with the old time push and rotate fitting. Someone on here was nice enough to sell me a non-functioning screw type grease gun intended for display that had the right fitting on the braided hose...yet after an hour in the oven at 225 wrapped in aluminum foil it worked smooth enough and loose enough to take it apart and soak it bare for rebuild!

There was a set of caps with zerk fittings on the classifieds a while back. I want to say $125...

Over the years I have greased a lot of bearings by hand by putting grease in one palm and a finger or fingers in the center hole of the bearing. Then work the grease in by pulling the outside of the bearing cage (large end) against the grease and palm a little at a time until the grease comes out between the rollers on the small end, then turning the whole thing little and repeat the process until it is all done. I then put grease around the outer side of the rollers and install. The only grease that is going to lube the bearing is what is inside the cages and between the rollers. Anything in the center of the hub is wasted. Use a good grade of modern wheel bearing grease.

INTERESTING, I LEARNED PACKING WHEEL BEARINGS SEVENTY YEARS AGO BY WATCHING MY GRANDFATHER,THE PATH THE GREASE HAD TO FLO WOULD COMPLETELY FILL IN AND AROUND THE BEARING' LEAVING NO VOID WITHIN THE CAVITY. LATER YEARS I SEE WHERE BEARING BUDDY MADE A RIG THAT DID THE VERY SAME THING, TO PACK BOAT TRAILER BEARINGS. HE ALSO REBUILT BATTERY'S, MADE PISTON RINGS FROM THE CAST IRON SOIL PIPE,AND SO ON, HE ALSO DID THIS TRICK TO CLEAN USED OIL, THERE WAS A LARGE BUCKET HIGH ON A SHELF AND OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THIS BUCKET WAS A BIG ROUND HUNK OF ROPE,PERHAPS FOUR FOOT, HE WOULD DUMP OLD OIL IN AND AS THE OIL DRAINED THROUGH THE ROPE THE OILY CRUD WOULD STAY BEHIND IN THE ROPE, I KNOW THERE WILL BE THOSE OF YOU THAT WILL HAVE FUN WITH THAT' BUT I SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES, THE OIL IN THE BOTTOM BUCKET LOOKED A LOT CLEANER THAN THE DIRTY STUFF, HIS DAD WAS A WAILER OUT OF CANADA, AND HE SAID THIS WAS HOW SOME OF THE WAIL OIL WAS CLEANED ABOARD SHIP FOR SOME THINGS. HE TOUGHT ME HOW TO MAGNATISE A SCREW DRIVER BY WRAPPING A PIECE OE WIRE SEVERAL TIME'S AROUND THE BIT AND HOLDING ONE SIDE OF THE WIRE TO A BATTERY POST AND BRUSHING THE OTHER OVER THE OTHER POST. HANDY FOR REACHING DROP'D SCREWS ECT, NOT TALKING BOLTS. TO DE MAGNITISE JUST HOLE THE WIRES THE OTHER WAY. THINGS THAT NEEDED DOING YEARS AGO GOT DONE, TODAY ITS ALL DONE FOR US, NOT MUCH CHANCE FOR OUR YOUNGSTERS TO USE THAT PILE OF MUSH BETWEEN THERE EARS TO INVENT-- WISH I HAD MORE TIME WITH GRAMP..

INTERESTING, I LEARNED PACKING WHEEL BEARINGS SEVENTY YEARS AGO BY WATCHING MY GRANDFATHER,THE PATH THE GREASE HAD TO FLO WOULD COMPLETELY FILL IN AND AROUND THE BEARING' LEAVING NO VOID WITHIN THE CAVITY. LATER YEARS I SEE WHERE BEARING BUDDY MADE A RIG THAT DID THE VERY SAME THING, TO PACK BOAT TRAILER BEARINGS. HE ALSO REBUILT BATTERY'S, MADE PISTON RINGS FROM THE CAST IRON SOIL PIPE,AND SO ON, HE ALSO DID THIS TRICK TO CLEAN USED OIL, THERE WAS A LARGE BUCKET HIGH ON A SHELF AND OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THIS BUCKET WAS A BIG ROUND HUNK OF ROPE,PERHAPS FOUR FOOT, HE WOULD DUMP OLD OIL IN AND AS THE OIL DRAINED THROUGH THE ROPE THE OILY CRUD WOULD STAY BEHIND IN THE ROPE, I KNOW THERE WILL BE THOSE OF YOU THAT WILL HAVE FUN WITH THAT' BUT I SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES, THE OIL IN THE BOTTOM BUCKET LOOKED A LOT CLEANER THAN THE DIRTY STUFF, HIS DAD WAS A WAILER OUT OF CANADA, AND HE SAID THIS WAS HOW SOME OF THE WAIL OIL WAS CLEANED ABOARD SHIP FOR SOME THINGS. HE TOUGHT ME HOW TO MAGNATISE A SCREW DRIVER BY WRAPPING A PIECE OE WIRE SEVERAL TIME'S AROUND THE BIT AND HOLDING ONE SIDE OF THE WIRE TO A BATTERY POST AND BRUSHING THE OTHER OVER THE OTHER POST. HANDY FOR REACHING DROP'D SCREWS ECT, NOT TALKING BOLTS. TO DE MAGNITISE JUST HOLE THE WIRES THE OTHER WAY. THINGS THAT NEEDED DOING YEARS AGO GOT DONE, TODAY ITS ALL DONE FOR US, NOT MUCH CHANCE FOR OUR YOUNGSTERS TO USE THAT PILE OF MUSH BETWEEN THERE EARS TO INVENT-- WISH I HAD MORE TIME WITH GRAMP..