Author Topic: grease coming out of front wheel?  (Read 11066 times)

Offline popsthebuilder

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grease coming out of front wheel?
« on: June 14, 2013, 06:32:14 pm »
73 c20
Went outside to smoke a joe and noticed a dark spatter had nearly covered my front passenger wheel. Upon closer examination I came to the conclusion that it was grease. What is the cause of this? Do I need to address the problem immediately, or can I procrastinate for a couple of days? Will this cause bearing failure/ wheel lock up? Any, and all helpful information is much appreciated. 

Offline 74 C-10 Shorty

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2013, 07:14:42 pm »
Where does the grease look like it came from the center of the wheel??, did you lose the dust cover???..

Offline popsthebuilder

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2013, 07:28:24 pm »
Yes it definitely came from the center outward. Everything seems to be intact at a glance.

Offline 74 C-10 Shorty

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2013, 08:01:41 pm »
If the dust cover is tight it shouldn't spew grease, might take a closer look..

Offline popsthebuilder

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2013, 08:11:02 pm »
Cap is tight. No play whatsoever.

Offline 74 C-10 Shorty

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2013, 08:34:53 pm »
Maybe whoever packed the bearings last filled the hub with grease and and when it gets hot after driving it the grease expands and has to go somewhere and worked it's way out past the dust cover maybe??.. Might check for loose wheel bearing too..
« Last Edit: June 14, 2013, 09:13:11 pm by 74 C-10 Shorty »

Offline popsthebuilder

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2013, 11:06:13 am »
I prefer to use the term "ignorant". This is the term that I am using to describe myself when it comes to anything that I haven't done before. In this case it trying to replace, or at least inspect and re-grease my front wheel bearings. Got wheel off. Pulled back caliper.  Unknowingly tapped lugs through back side of rotor thinking that it was needed to remove disk/ hub which manual stated to remove as assembly. Book said disk- I thought rotor and... there we are. please help an ignoramus. On the plus side once I do it once I got it.

Offline 74 C-10 Shorty

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2013, 11:20:48 am »
Ok, since the caliper is off remove the dust cover and remove the cotter key and nut and outer bearing and slide the hub off, there is a seal in the back so be careful when taking the hub off.

Offline popsthebuilder

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2013, 01:24:54 pm »
Alright thanks man. I was thinkin I would puncture the dust cap with screwdriver but it proved to be more resilient than I gave it credit for. It turns out the grease was just old. inspected bearings, shaft, and races. All were perfectly smooth with no burning. Went ahead and swapped outer bearing and repacked.  Haven't checked other side. Could probably use the same treatment. Anyway, thanks again. 

Offline 74 C-10 Shorty

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2013, 01:33:42 pm »
Did you check the back bearing?, it's been on there the same amount of time as the front one. You did swap the race along with the bearing right?..

Offline popsthebuilder

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2013, 02:21:28 pm »
Everything looked good did not change race or inner bearing. cleaned, checked, repacked, reassembled. Checked wheel before removal. 0 play. Grease was black, but just old. No damage. Didn't check any diameters or clearances, but there were absolutely no signs of wear.

Offline 74 C-10 Shorty

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2013, 02:32:30 pm »
Ok, did I read wrong or didn't you put a new outer bearing in?, or did you just re pack the outer bearing?, reason I ask is because if you put a new bearing in the race has to be changed along with the bearing, they mate together, putting a new bearing on an old race is the same as using used lifters with a new cam.

Offline popsthebuilder

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #12 on: June 22, 2013, 03:09:07 pm »
new outer bearing same old race. Goood ol experence, that's what I need. All mating surfaces seemed the same and in excellent shape so I went with it. Will it hold up for a while? It didn't  have any play once reassembled. So no bueno huh. Do I need a piece of brass stock or something to remove race, inner bearing. Why don't they sell them togerther, in the same box if they must be replaced together? Thanks for the help.

Offline 74 C-10 Shorty

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2013, 04:08:29 pm »
You can buy them separate(don't know why)and as a set, unless the bearing is all galled up and chewed up the race it usually looks good and you really can't see the difference, I did the same thing way back and what happened is I ended up with a loose bearing in a short time, at the time some old guy asked if I changed the race and I told him no, he said "there's your problem" and he walked away.. Races are hard you can use just about anything to drive it out, just don't use something that'll gouge up the hub.

Offline popsthebuilder

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Re: grease coming out of front wheel?
« Reply #14 on: June 22, 2013, 06:33:22 pm »
Thanks again.