Wheel Bearing Grease

[Hexnut]

I have a 2012 Outback 301BQ that I would like to occasionally give a few squirts of wheel bearing grease thru the hub fitting. The fitting is very convenient, but by using it there is the real possibility of mixing incompatible grease types. Does anyone know what the axle manufacturer uses?

[Hercules1978]

If you are worried about mixing greases, pump and rotate each wheel until the new grease has replaced the factory fill or old grease.

[bsmith0404]

Dexter has a listing of approved greases, but basically a lithium complex. Mystik JT-6 Hi-Temp #2 is what I use and is on their list. Red and Tacky #2 by Lucas is another popular grease with the same type of ingredients, but is not on the Dexter list.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Hercules1978

If you are worried about mixing greases, pump and rotate each wheel until the new grease has replaced the factory fill or old grease.

While the zerk fittings make greasing the bearings convenient, what people don't realize is if the bearings are full of grease already and you pump more in, the excess usually blows past the seal. At that point your grease is going to coat the drum, shoes, magnet and wiring rendering the brakes useless. In a HARD stop, you could even heat things up enough to start a fire.

I have seen firsthand what over greasing does. IMO not "good ideas" are....

[bobbecky]

Four seals, some grease, and a little time to pull the wheels and hand grease the bearings is much cheaper than the cost of replacing the brake assemblies. The only way to properly grease the Dexter E-Z-Lube axle bearings is to jack up the trailer, and while rotating the wheel, slowly pump grease with a hand grease gun, and if you wanted to totally replace the grease with new, you may use almost an entire tube of grease per wheel. All that, and still risking getting grease past the seals and onto the brakes. You still should be pulling the wheels and inspecting the brakes as an annual maintenance item. Unless you pull the trailer an extraordinary distance every year, one lube/inspection a year should be plenty.

[JRTJH]

In addition to what others have said, don't REPEAT DON'T try to use the EZ Lube system on a cold day or with cold grease. The grease is much too thick to flow through the bearings and it's an "open invitation" to damaging the rear grease seals. If you do plan to use them, as stated, jack the trailer, spin the tire/wheel slowly while using a hand operated grease gun and "warm/hot" grease. I'd suggest leaving the grease cartridge in the sun on a "very warm" summer day and then, in the late afternoon when it cools down a bit, "push" the grease into the hubs. But realistically, if you're going to jack the trailer, spin the wheels and inject grease, might as well just go ahead, remove the tires, have them balanced and pull the hubs, visually check the bearings, replace the grease seals and know the brake shoes are "good for another year".....

[roadglide]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

While the zerk fittings make greasing the bearings convenient, what people don't realize is if the bearings are full of grease already and you pump more in, the excess usually blows past the seal. At that point your grease is going to coat the drum, shoes, magnet and wiring rendering the brakes useless. In a HARD stop, you could even heat things up enough to start a fire.

I have seen firsthand what over greasing does. IMO not "good ideas" are....

That would be true knowing there isn't a grease pressure zerk some where. On my boat I pull the hub cap, if there is grease and no sign of moisture its good to go.

[notanlines]

I wholeheartedly agree with what was said concerning the hub zerks. Avoid them like the plague. When you may be tempted to just squirt two or three little lines of lube in there ask yourself just where the original grease went.....