Front wheel bearing grease cap

[myoldjalopy]

Hello,

Can you get the grease cap off the front wheel hub/bearing to replenish the grease without removing the wheel?
One of the last few servicing jobs to be done on my car (for the moment).

Thanks,

Pete

[Budgie]

In a nut shell yes you can but they can be a bit fiddely as they tend to be quite long in depth...or at least mine are.Just use a long thin screw driver and tease them out.

[myoldjalopy]

OK thanks. I'll take a look directly.

[bmcecosse]

No need to 'replenish' the grease! Leave well alone...

[myoldjalopy]

Huh? Why is it mentioned in servicing tasks then?

[bmcecosse]

Where does the grease go -that it would need 'replenishing' ??? Where are you reading this ????

[philthehill]

Whilst I have to agree that it is very unlikely that the hubs will need grease between bearing replacement unless the seal fails it does state in BMC wksp manual Maintenance Attention - Issue 5 - 37720 - 6000 mile intervals - item 9:- Repack front hub caps with grease.[frame][/frame]

[amgrave]

The properties of grease has improved since the manual was written . And don't forget to go on to the next paragraph "change wheels round diagonally"

[philthehill]

Castrol LM grease (which has been around for more years than I care to remember) was one of the recommended greases for the wheel bearings of a Minor; LM grease has been available up until quite recently and has now I understand been superseded by Castrol Multi-purpose grease which is suitable for wheel bearings. The composition or make up of good quality wheel bearing lithium based grease has changed very little if at all over the years. I have used Castrol LM grease for many many years both for wheel bearings and general lubrication.
As regards changing the wheels around you should rotate to get the best & even tyre wear. The only exception being if the tyres are uni-directional.
The down side is that all tyres wear out at the same time.

[bmcecosse]

If you keep jamming in new grease - it will inevitably leak out all over the brakes... Too much grease can make the bearing run hot and the grease to melt and run past the seal ... Leave well alone !

[myoldjalopy]

Hello Roy. I'm not going to be jamming in lots of grease, just hoiking out any old and dirty grease from around the hub nut and replacing it with clean. Just trying to do the best for my old (60 years) car...............

[bmcecosse]

I've never regreaserd the front hubs - and never had the slightest problem with them..

[philthehill]

Whatever happened to the vent hole in the hub cap?
It was there to allow any pressure built up in the hub (due to the grease getting hot) and excess grease to escape.
It does not seem to be incorporated these days.
Grease marks on the wheel (exiting via the hole) was a good indicator that all was not well with the wheel bearings.
The hole also saved grease from going out past the hub seal and in the extreme stopping the complete hub seal blowing out.
It will do no harm - only good to clean the old grease from around the outer bearing and replace with new but I there is no requirement to pack the hub cap itself so long as the void in the hub is/was packed with sufficient grease - which should be done before fitting the hub.

[cannonfodder]

I am interested to know (as a new owner) what was the consensus - to grease or not to grease?
I also have just read the manual and was thinking whether or not I should do it.

[bmcecosse]

Leave well alone !

[philthehill]

60 year old grease is well past its use by date and is overdue for replacement.
Old grease goes hard, does not melt and flow as it should. So my advice for what it is worth is remove the grease cap - see what the grease is like - if hard and not clean it is better to remove the hub and re-pack the hub and bearings. If the grease behind the cap looks reasonable scrape out what you can without disturbing the hub/bearings and refill with new grease at the same amount as removed.
You cannot over maintain moving parts that require lubrication between the interacting parts.
Phil

[bmcecosse]

Oh dear - I see trouble ahead.....

[SteveClem]

Oh dear - I see trouble ahead.....

Isn't that the title of a quite catchy song? "There may be trouble ahead...."

[philthehill]

Why be so negative!
If it needs new grease replace the grease.
It will pay off in the long run.
We do not know what skills people have so should not judge whether there will be trouble ahead or not.
Phil

[millerman]

Why be so negative!
If it needs new grease replace the grease.
It will pay off in the long run.
We do not know what skills people have so should not judge whether there will be trouble ahead or not.
Phil

+ 1 I quite agree