How much grease?

[MrWzrd]

On most all the grease fitting it isn't an issue... pump till it comes out...wipe off the excess... good to go.

But... what about the rear wheel bearing? I don't want to grease my rear brakes...just the bearings.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Hand pack the bearing and don't use the zerk.
Each hand pack should be good for at least 10 years or 20,000 miles.

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

You should pack the rear wheel bearings with the wheel off. Remove the grease fitting and plug the hole. Everybody over grease those rear brg. Walt

[Tiny]

As others have said , grease them with the drums off. They can be a real bugger to get off so you'll what to use the proper puller. The pullers are not cheap but If your like most guys you like buying new tools. If not, someone in your local area may have one you can borrow.

[Fred K-OR]

One of our members of our Model A club brought in a rear axle at our last meeting where the end of the axle shaft had be broken off at the rear bearing. Thus as pointed out above, grease the wheel bearing with the hub off. The grease fittings do not grease the wheel bearing.

[James G.]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Once a year since 1994 I put two shots of grease from my pneumatic grease gun into the zerk for each rear wheel bearing. That is over 45,000 miles. All is well and going strong.
Someone want to tell me where that grease is going! Should I stop? At the same time I check and add to the dif and trans if low.

[Fred K-OR]

I am no expert on this so someone else join in please. But the way I understand it is that the zerk fittings just grease where the axle shaft turns in the axle housing and not the rear bearings. Is this correct or am I just blowing smoke? (I don't live in Washington so this smoke is good smoke!)

[d.j. moordigian]

Originally Posted by Fred K-OR

I am no expert on this so someone else join in please. But the way I understand it is that the zerk fittings just grease where the axle shaft turns in the axle housing and not the rear bearings. Is this correct or am I just blowing smoke? (I don't live in Washington so this smoke is good smoke!)

Your correct. The fitting "kinda" greases the inner axle seal. It has nothing
to do with the hub bearing or outer seal.

[J Franklin]

The zerk greases or over-greases the rear wheel bearings depending on how it is used. The Ford mechanics in the '30 knew how to do the job.

[MrWzrd]

I guess this means that the 20 squirts of grease I put in are probably the reason I accelerate when I press the brake pedal???


(joke)

[Fred K-OR]

A good possibility!

[Tom Endy]

The grease fitting designated to grease the rear wheel bearings will only work if both the inner and outer seals are still functional and the crud built up around the inner seal has been cleaned out in the past 50 years.

The way the design is supposed to work is that greased pumped in through the grease fitting travels around a circular groove machined inside the end of the axle housing just outboard of where the inner seals sits. The seal blocks the grease from traveling down the axle shaft toward the differential. Instead the grease is forced outboard around the space between the axle housing hub and the axle shaft. There is about an 1\8" circular gap. The grease continues outboard until it comes up against the outer seal that is located outboard of the wheel bearing in the brake drum. From there it is forced into the wheel bearing.

It is really a dumb idea. It must have been designed one day when Henry was out sick. A few years later the idea was dropped and Ford rear wheel bearings were greased by packing them when the drum was off like most every other car. This practice should be followed with the Model A.

The breakdown in the system is when the inner seal disintegrates and the circular groove fills up with crud.

I have taken enough rear axle assemblies apart to be able to tell the owner who religiously pumps grease in through the grease fitting after the inner seal has disappeared. The grease will walk down the axle shaft toward the differential and will centrifuge around the axle as the car is driven. The diameter of the centrifuge and the length is dependent on how much and how often greasing was done. I have seen the grease diameter two to three inches and the length eight to ten inches.

Tom Endy

[James G.]

So Tom E. With over 45K miles since '94, and twice a year lube with two pumps from my pneumatic grease gun in each rear zerk, am I already in trouble and just don't yet know it?
I guess the only way to know is top pull the hub and see where all that grease has been going. Any advise or comment on my situation?
Jim Gregory

[Mitch//pa]

with 45k it would probably be time to ck the brakes out anyway..

[Tom Endy]

Originally Posted by James G.

So Tom E. With over 45K miles since '94, and twice a year lube with two pumps from my pneumatic grease gun in each rear zerk, am I already in trouble and just don't yet know it?
I guess the only way to know is top pull the hub and see where all that grease has been going. Any advise or comment on my situation?
Jim Gregory

After 45,000 miles I would be more concerned if there is any brake lining left. The front wheel bearings are hand packed. If you have not looked at them in 45,000 miles I would be concerned more about the grease there than in the rears. Dry front wheel bearings can easily seize up and twist the axle off.

My recommendation is that you pull all four drums off and inspect both the brakes and the bearings.

Tom Endy

[James G.]

I do service the front wheel bearings regularly mainly because they do not have a way to do it with the grease gun. As far as the brake shoe wear, with front floaters, I adjust the brake shoes the opposite from what Les Andrews says in his book, providing primary braking in the front. I probably should go ahead and pull the rear drums and check those shoes. Think I'll find a surprise in there when the drums come off? With over 2,300 miles a year for almost 20 years, who knows! I am planning a trip to Niagara Falls in the Spring, so this winter, when the roads are messy with ice, salt, etc. I think maybe that would be a good idea. I wish my garage was heated.
Jim G

[Tom Endy]

Originally Posted by James G.

I do service the front wheel bearings regularly mainly because they do not have a way to do it with the grease gun. As far as the brake shoe wear, with front floaters, I adjust the brake shoes the opposite from what Les Andrews says in his book, providing primary braking in the front. I probably should go ahead and pull the rear drums and check those shoes. Think I'll find a surprise in there when the drums come off? With over 2,300 miles a year for almost 20 years, who knows! I am planning a trip to Niagara Falls in the Spring, so this winter, when the roads are messy with ice, salt, etc. I think maybe that would be a good idea. I wish my garage was heated.
Jim G

Good luck with your project, it is a wise choice. If the rear drums have not been off in 20 years they are going to be tight. Back your brakes off at the adjuster before you begin. you are going to need a proper drum puller to get the rear drums off. If you have never done this before take care not to molest the axle threads by pounding on them. Without a proper puller you can also warp the drums. The Mitchell overdrive people sell a very good drum puller for about $80 that will accommodate both early and late style hubs. It is very compact and easy to carry with you on a tour.

Tom Endy

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Tom Endy

...The Mitchell overdrive people sell a very good drum puller for about $80 that will accommodate both early and late style hubs. It is very compact and easy to carry with you on a tour...
Tom Endy

I have one of these pullers and it works great.

[James G.]

Thanks all for the cautionary guidance and advise. I hope the old girl cooperates in that cold garage.

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by MrWzrd

On most all the grease fitting it isn't an issue... pump till it comes out...wipe off the excess... good to go.

But... what about the rear wheel bearing? I don't want to grease my rear brakes...just the bearings.

Hey MrWzrd,
Just a thot. It doesn't matter if NEW brake linings are contained within NEW steel drums....if they have been 'greased'
That's what will occur due to use of the A axle zerk. Just disable it, then no worry of doing wrong in that area !