Best wheel bearing grease

[RogerIvy]

I'm changing my front wheel bearings this Christmas break and wondering if in this modern world most greases are the same or if there are some that either stand out or those that fail.
I've often used Comma and never had a problem, but the Ducato front bearings take a huge load as we all know.
Thinking of using a Castrol grease as I have faith in the brand.

Any horror stories?
Any recommendations?

 

[rosalan]

I copied this advice from elsewhere re grease........ Molybdenum disulfide (Moly) is a solid additive, most commonly used in extreme pressure applications. The Moly particles are intended to fill in tiny imperfections in the machined surfaces and protect against “welding” during shock loading and heavy loads; however, the material is also known to stick to surfaces and cause a coating to build up. There are a few different explanations for why Moly is used in greases. Some say this is to coat the moving parts in a bearing and protect them when they run out of grease, which would prevent wear. Others say that the Moly actually coats abrasive contaminants to prevent them from scoring the moving surfaces inside of the bearing. Whatever the application-specific reason is, Moly is used because it sticks to other materials and helps protect bearings that are not lubricated consistently.

 

[Vipar]

As above. Remember all the old engines and bits lasted longer than the new “Get there before I left cars”. Don’t last like the old moggy minor etc

 

[The Wino]

As above. Remember all the old engines and bits lasted longer than the new “Get there before I left cars”. Don’t last like the old moggy minor etc

I don't really agree with the implied sentiment. I like old cars I had a vitesse convertible and now have a proper mini. Yes mechanically simple but we often go to Leicester and back in a day a 320 mile round trip in our Octavia estate. Its easy we know were probably always going to get there and back and not feel like its a major trip. It uses less fuel than the vitesse and probably less than the mini!!. We travel on cruise in air-conditioned comfort. I doubt if it will ever have any rust issues but is parked outside all the time and driven in winter on salty roads (if you did that with the others you could just sweep them up after a few years!!. I think modern cars are great as tools maybe a bit lacking in character but way better than what we had.

 

[Jaws]

As above. Remember all the old engines and bits lasted longer than the new “Get there before I left cars”. Don’t last like the old moggy minor etc

So how many A series lumps have you known that did better than 70k without a rebuild !!! ??

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[Spanner]

I'm changing my front wheel bearings this Christmas break and wondering if in this modern world most greases are the same or if there are some that either stand out or those that fail.
I've often used Comma and never had a problem, but the Ducato front bearings take a huge load as we all know.
Thinking of using a Castrol grease as I have faith in the brand.

Any horror stories?
Any recommendations?

For many years now wheel bearings come as a sealed unit pre filled with grease so it’s very unlikely your van will have the earlier setup with taper bearings and seals

 

[denisejoe]

I thought that wheel bearings would need a press

 

[jockaneezer]

I thought that wheel bearings would need a press

A BIG press !

 

[Manic]

And 400nm for the hub nut.
I didn’t think they came apart like the old bearings

 

[Catpirate]

Seems a hard DIY job

This Video quotes "The wheel bearing is replaced directly on the car with minimum dismounting. The bearings and hubs on these chassis often need the power of 32 ton combined with punching force to separate. "

They use a special tool.........

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[Lenny HB]

As above. Remember all the old engines and bits lasted longer than the new “Get there before I left cars”. Don’t last like the old moggy minor etc

Used to have mine in bits every weekend to try & keep it running, king pins needed greasing every 1000 miles or the front stub axle sheared off, clutches lasted naff all time. In those days cars did a fraction of the mileage they do now.

So how many A series lumps have you known that did better than 70k without a rebuild !!! ??

As long as that, you must of had some super duper ones.

 

[Al-Di]

Ive got 2, a 1098 and a 948 both with over a ton and never opened up regular oil changes make a big difference and I have a 1600 b series with nearly 200k with 1 top overhaul, they do leak a little oil though,

 

[Jaws]

As long as that, you must of had some super duper ones.

No mate.. not me
Never had one last past about 30k without a rebuild !!

 

[BreweryDave]

A very strong contender for ‘thread title of the year’ .................

 

[RogerIvy]

OK so to answer my own question I spoke to a soon-to-be-retired technical service engineer at Castrol. I've known him since 2007 and he must be one of the most knowledgeable SMEs in the area of lubricants.
He suggests a moly grease, either Castrol or Mobil. If Castrol then "Castrol Speerol LMM" (which is difficult to find online in a 400g cartridge). He suggested Halfords may stock them, but to avoid the Halfords brand at all costs.
Most name-brand moly-based (with lithium) greases would be OK but his experience tells him that I should go for Castrol or Mobil as both are sure bets.

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[RogerIvy]

I cracked the first bearing with my 12T press. Was worried I'd need a stronger press after reading up a bit more, either that or to assist the press with a bit of percussive negotiation.

Going going ....

Gone!

 

[jockaneezer]

I cracked the first bearing with my 12T press. Was worried I'd need a stronger press after reading up a bit more, either that or to assist the press with a bit of percussive negotiation.

View attachment 445145
Going going ....
View attachment 445146
Gone!
View attachment 445147

I liked the press picture, but not so much the chain and turnbuckle steadying your two post lift ! (Ex Castrol garage equipment installer)

 

[RogerIvy]

I liked the press picture, but not so much the chain and turnbuckle steadying your two post lift ! (Ex Castrol garage equipment installer)

For various reasons we were not able to cast a suitable concrete floor, so made a frame with PFC upon which the lift is mounted. That chain was just an afterthought and doesn't actually do anything. Instead, we extended the pillars with substantial square tubing and ran a crossbeam between the extended pillars (also attached to the barn structure). It's actually overkill IMO because when we lift heavy vehicles the pillars only flex in about 5mm (measured at about 1.8m high) which is less than if they had been bolted to a concrete floor (without the added overhead reinforcement).

 

[jockaneezer]

In all fairness Ivys I've demonstrated 2 post lifts without bolting them down at all, no problem as long as the load is central and on a solid floor.
Could I ask, if you get the chance, to measure the width and thickness of the uprights on your press ? My next project is building a press, I've got the channel steel for the table and cross members, but wasn't sure how thick to make the uprights ?
As an aside, I was recently dropping some stuff off for my son who was doing a tree job at a guy's place who ran a couple of minibusses. He had a set of 4 IME Autolift individual column lifts, the type that you wheel up to the vehicle and engage them on each wheel, plug them into a central control box and then lift the vehicle. I told him I used to work on vehicle lifts and he asked if I could look at one of the 4 units they had as it wasn't working properly. As soon as I saw it, I noticed they had pulled the small safety cable out of the front of the lift column and had jammed a 1/2" socket extension bar in between it and the lift, putting more tension on the cable. The safety cable was slack because the main lift nut was worn out and the carriage had dropped onto the safety nut, this let's you safely lower the lift, but prevents you from raising it again (unless you jam something around the cable !) You can see the slack in the cable has allowed the return spring to pull the safety switch into operation at the top of the lift in the photo.
He was blissfully unaware of the danger they were in and was quite pleased that they'd "Got it working again" A new set of nuts for the 4 columns was dearer than they had paid for the complete lift system !

 

[RogerIvy]

Could I ask, if you get the chance, to measure the width and thickness of the uprights on your press ? My next project is building a press, I've got the channel steel for the table and cross members, but wasn't sure how thick to make the uprights ?

The upright PFCs are 80x40, 3.75mm thick at it's thinnest on the D-section (of which some is paint of course).
I've attached a fuzzy pic (apologies for the wonderful focus).

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[ChrisL]

I thought that wheel bearings would need a press

If you haven't fitted the new bearings yet, try putting them in the freezer for a few hours before you do, then they will go in much easier.

 

[ManTheVan]

I've had good success with Renolit Aqua2

 

[RogerIvy]

If you haven't fitted the new bearings yet, try putting them in the freezer for a few hours before you do, then they will go in much easier.

I have a 12T press which should get the new ones in easily enough.
I've done the oven/freezer thing as a teenager. I grew up on a farm in South Africa and my folks left me in charge for a few days - borehole pump bearing seized (old style with pipes and rods). The cattle needed water. The bearing sales guy suggested using freezer and oven to get the bearing into the housing. I was amazed how well it worked.