Hello, I am going to replace my half shaft u joints soon and was wondering if i should purchase a rear wheel bearing greaser tool from ecklers since i will have the half shafts off. What parts do you have to take off to grease the wheel bearings with this tool? I have a 72 454/400. Here is a copy of the link below to llo at the tool.
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Re: Rear wheel bearing greaser tool.
If your rear bearings were properly assembled with good quality components, no additional greasing is required or is of benefit during their service life. If you're not sure of their condition, take them apart to see.
These aftermarket snake oil gismos can do more harm than good. This one can only grease one of the two tapered roller bearings when used properly and will blow out the seals and splatter grease everywhere if used improperly.
Save your money. -
Re: Rear wheel bearing greaser tool.
My rear wheel bearings are original and have never been diassembled. I have 73,000 miles on it. There is know problem with them. I just didn't know if i should grease them. Thanks for the info. I think i will leave them alone.Comment
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Re: Rear wheel bearing greaser tool.
you have gotten a lot more miles out of the orig bearing grease than i'd have guessed. believe the spindle bearing lubricatrion recommendation from the general is at 25k mile. suggest you disassemble and repack if bearings look and sound good. I believe the Eckler etc greasing tool only lubricates half the spindle assembly. good luck, mikeComment
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Re: Rear wheel bearing greaser tool.
With 73,000 miles on your rear wheel bearings I would not go on any long road trips till they were serviced. If they go bad the repair cost is much higher as other parts are sometimes damaged and a real headache on the road to get fixed.Lyle
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"There is no problem with them"
How do you know? 73K miles is way past the design life. Better take them apart to see.Comment
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Re: "There is no problem with them"
Or, there are two easy options,
1. Remove spindle from each side, and send assembly to your favorite rebuilder (eg. Van Steel or Bair's). Replace on car when they return.
2. Call your favorite rebuilder, and order a set of rebuilt spindles. Send yours in after you install the old ones, and avoid having your car off the road for two weeks.
As others have said, you're doing pretty well on an original set. If my 72 wasn't going for Bowtie, I'd send mine out too. My 71's were redone at about 107,000 miles, and one of them was still in good shape. FWIW, the left one usually goes out long before the right one.
PatrickVice-Chairman (West), Michigan Chapter NCRS
71 "deer modified" coupe
72 5-Star Bowtie / Duntov coupe. https://www.flickr.com/photos/124695...57649252735124
2008 coupe
Available stickers: Engine suffix code, exhaust tips & mufflers, shocks, AIR diverter valve broadcast code.Comment
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What! Me worry?
The 30K repack requirement was eliminated with the final press fit rear wheel bearing design that went into production about Dec. 1, 1963 (There was a TSB published about this in early '63), and to the best of my knowledge this design was not changed through the end of C3 production.
Disk brake cars are a little tougher on the grease than drum brake models because disk brakes offer a more direct heat transfer path, but GM probably used a very high quality, high drop point grease, and rear wheel bearings can frequently go well over 100K miles without attention.
Just due to age, at least an annual inspection would be adviseable - with the rear in the air and the parking brake off, grab the top and bottom of the tire and wiggle to get an ideal of how much clearance they have, and rotate the wheels to check for smooth, quiet operation of the bearings. If they pass this test, I wouldn't be concerned about them.
DukeComment
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Oops - 12/1/62 not 12/1/63 *NM*
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Re: What! Me worry?
Duke : why did the general go from slip fit pre dec( i think you meant 62, not 63) but anyway, why did they go to the press fit? I've been in the habit of machining all my midyear spindles for a slip fit for several reason: easier to get correct end play after renewing bearings and races and because they are so much easier to disassemble in the future. regard, mikeComment
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Re: "There is no problem with them"
Once upon a time, I constructed a tool for servicing rear wheel bearings. It was a 19 ga x 6" hyperdermic needle fitted to a Zerk fitting with necessary adapters. After moving the half-shaft out of the way and removing the castle nut and washer, I would thread the needle between the rollers of the inner bearing and into the outer bearing. I would then give a little dab of MoS2 grease. I'd then withdraw the needle to the inner bearing and give another little dab. I'd do this a half-dozen times around the wheel. All my mid-years and sharks got this treatment annually, and I never had any rear wheel bearing trouble on any of them.
GeezerComment
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Re: What! Me worry?
Apparently there were problems with the early slip fit design, but I've never been able to find out the specific failure modes, and the problmes must have occurred quickly as there were a couple of interim production changes in November before they implemented the final press fit design in December '62. At that point it was assemble and forget about it. The TSB outlines the interim changes and also states that the final design eliminates the 30K repack requirement.
For road racers a slip fit design might make sense as they probably want to frequently disassemble and inspect the bearings, but for normal street use the press fit design has indefinite life, and if you put everything together properly with the right end play and use the highest quality grease available, the job should last indefinitely.
The press fit is a PIA to overhaul, but you should only have to do it once per car per lifetime (of either us or the car, whichever comes first )
Most modern cars have a permanently sealed bearing packs at all four corners with no service requirement.
DukeComment
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Re: Rear wheel bearing greaser tool.
I bought one of the about 20 years ago without turning my brain on and thinking....never used it, never will, can anyone spell sucker? Now I do them the right way with all the correct rear end tools....CraigComment
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Re: Rear wheel bearing greaser tool.
Right on , craig.Comment
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Re: "There is no problem with them"
They are not making any noise and when you jack the back up and spin the wheel they are smooth. I've hared a set go bad on a trans-am and you hear a constant metal grinding noise but by the time you hear that it costs alot more. I also checked and regreased the front one's and they were perfect.Comment
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