Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Starting preseason service on my '46 Super Deluxe Coupe. When I bought the car, I cleaned and packed the front and rear bearings with CRC SL3131 grease. I now have 7500 miles since the job was done, and I'm questioning if I need to repack the wheel bearings.
Questions: Do I need to repack at 4500 miles?
Is the leftover half can from seven years ago, still useable?
If not useable, is there a recommended substitute?
Because SL3131 grease is sodium-based, it is highly incompatible with modern lithium-complex or aluminum-complex greases.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

If the 7 year old grease has been kept in a sealed can and kept clean it should be good to use. I would only use compatible grease or clean all the old off before using another base grease.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

So you guys say that this CRC SL3131 drum brake wheel bearing grease is better than say,,,,,, that Lucas Red 'n Tacky stuff?

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Why not use what you have and decide later?

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Not sure I understand your statment to the question I asked.

Out of the two greases, Lucas Red 'n Tacky, and the Stay Lube CRC SL3131. Which is the better for brake drum wheel bearings? Thanks

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Since I've never had a wheel bearing in anything fail in the last 75 years of doing this, I'd say it's all good.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

I was a fleet mechanic for 30-years and packed more wheel bearings then I want to think about. 300 to 400 trucks and every 30K miles they got packed. We bought 15-gallon barrels of Chevron wheel bearing grease. The important thing is to not mix up the types of grease. If you're unsure what was used the last time, you need clean the bearings and inside of the drum with brake clean, so the new brake grease is not contaminated with the old stuff.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

The Stay Lube CRC SL3131 is made as a wheel bearing grease. I don't know anything about the advertised uses of the Lucas grease.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Red n Tacky can be used as a wheel bearing grease. As stated, go with what is already in the bearings, unless you want to thoroughly clean everything. Your can of CRC grease should be fine, unless it sat uncovered, getting exposed to dirt, dust or rain.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

We recommend&sell TIMKEN wheel bearing grease ......., WHAT BETTER quality/type of grease from the company that makes bearings?!......

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

The Timken grease you suggest is good stuff, but it is lithium based, which is not compatible with the sodium based grease that is in the bearings now. I have no worries changing to the Timken grease, but that means I would have to pull the grease seals, that usually get destroyed in the removal, to be able to clean the bearings and hubs. I guess I'll have to order some seals.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

That red wheel bearing grease is some super good stuff. Even after 30K miles the bearings look good and are full of grease. That red grease sticks to the bearings. We were using the old-fashioned chassis lube grease at work, and we would lose wheel bearings occasionally, 400 vehicles in the yard. We switched to the red grease, and I don't think we ever lost another wheel bearing again. But you do need to clean out all of the old green grease, so the new red grease is not contaminated with it.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

I came here to say I bought a can of Timken wheel bearing grease a few months back using the same logic as you.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Despite an incorrect comment about the kind/type of grease TIMKEN THEMSELVES list/mention it as being suitable for both DRUM&DISC brakes....... straight from the horses mouth!......, you CAN'T USE GREY colored grease (same grease used for chassis/steering/suspension components) in wheel bearings because of the heat......It also defys logic/rationale/reason WHY OEM would recommend/suggest that/this kind/type of grease for lubricating king pin bearings in 4WD/4X4 as soon as you go through a creek or river the grease will wash out!....... SMH SIGH :(.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

So I opened my can of Timken grease today. Without getting it sent out to be analyzed, it sure looks a lot like Lucas Red & Tacky.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

I looked in the half can of SL3131 that I had left over from initial use, and there is no sign separation, so I will repack with what I have. I guess next time it will be more work to do "Red and Tacky".
Thank you all for your comments.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Im guilty of delving into grease trivia, but end of day, did previous owners ( when these were main forms of transportation) give two thoughts about what grease they used, if grease was used at all?

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

At a local service station back in early 70’s they decided it was easier to use the chassis lube gun to pack wheel bearings. They had lots of wheel bearings to replace.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

From what I've read, the Stay Lube CRC SL3131 is no longer available.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

No, it’s not. Hence our interest in finding a good replacement.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

I bought a little tub of what claims to be a good sub for 3131. Haven't dipped into it yet and can't remember the name, gonna look tomorrow. Do remember it feels like 3131.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Amazing how we get fixated on something like wheel bearing grease lol! Our wives just don’t understand the disease that we all have working on these old vehicles! If they knew how bad we really had it and the lengths we went to, to hide it…..they would have left us a long time ago.

JB

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Hahaha. So true. I retired in Jan, so I was able to hide some of it at work. Now that I'm home, I believe my wife now understands the depths of the obsession. LOL!

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

When you get a moment, please report back on what you found and the name of what you bought. Thanks.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

I recommend that folks clean all the residual grease from any type of bearing during the cleaning and packing process of wheel hubs. This includes new seals where appropriate. Just greasing them may not get all the contaminants out of there.

The modern lithium greases, generally NGLI #2, are far better greases than the old products used back in the day or even 20-years ago. Seals keep moisture, dust, or the combination there of, out of the bearing in service. Some of the oldies use just a felt seal permeated with grease or an old rawhide leather seal so they leave a lot to be desired as they age out. This make a water tolerant grease a must for better overall service

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

ABRO Industries Lubricants #3 Super Heavy Duty Grease. Sodium infused fibrous grease. Lighter color than the Sta-Lube, feels just about the same. Part #GR-303-AM.
Has an American flag on the label..........made in India. I used it in vintage motorcycle wheel bearings, felt just right.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Great. I was looking at the product as well. Glad to hear it seems similar.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant
 

Thanks to all for responses to my post. I thought it was best to pull the hubs and repack. Using my limited knowledge of tribology, I decided that the SL3131 I had left from previous service was good to use, as there was no oil/soap separation .
One side looked "greasy", while the other side looked dryer. I didn't pull the seals, just washed, flushed, blew dry then repacked.
Going forward, I think I will go with a 2000 mile interval to repack. The part of the job that makes me nervous, is torqueing the axle nuts to 200 Ft/lbs., thinking that much torque will strip the threads.

Re: Wheel Bearing Lubricant