Rear Wheel Bearing Lubrication

[Chuck51631]

Hi Fellow Mopar Owners,

I had my 55 Plymouth in the shop the other day. While it was on the lift I asked the mechanic to lubricate the rear wheel bearings. I once read in a service manual they need to be greased at least once a year. He told me the rear axel fluid lubricates the rear wheel bearings.

What information is correct? If they do need seperate lubrication, how do I get the wheel bearing grease in there? Do I have to pull the rear axels out?

Any help is appriciated.

Thank You,

Chuck

[Plymouthy Adams]

recommended every 20,000 miles or two years...you removed the rear plugs and use 1/2 ounce of short fiber wheel bearing grease applied with low pressure gun..do not overlube...it will leak past the seal and possibly contaminate brake shoes..

 

this is explained in the lubrication section of your maintenance manual

Edited March 4, 2013 by Plymouthy Adams

[TodFitch]

Many modern rear axles have their axle shaft bearings lubricated by the gear lube in the housing, so that is probably what the mechanic was thinking. However, as noted by Plymouthy Adams, that is not the case with our old Mopar rear axles. Just because the mechanic knows about newer cars does not mean he is guru on all older cars too.

[Scruffy49]

He'd burn up an 8.75" real quick too if he thought that. Ask me how I know... 3 days in the middle of nowhere (Tremonton Utah) after the rear bearings disintegrated in my 69 D100 while moving from WA to TN... I made sure the mechanic in Utah did it right.

 

You only have to learn THAT lesson once...

[greg g]

Do not allow the tech to use the air powered grease gun  for this job.  The reason why there ar no zerk fittings there, is that they can not take pressure.  The manual I have says that the grease should be put in with "thumb pressure" as in forcing it in with your finger.  The powered gun will blow the grease past the seal, screwing up the seal, the bearing and the rear brakes.