Wheel Bearing Grease.... What's your preference?

TylerG

Super Mod Geek
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
30,485
Reaction score
27,731
Location
Parkland County
As I'm doing some much needed maintenance to our Atvs including wheel bearings... Just curious what is everyone using for grease in their ATV wheel bearings?
 

northern bear

RIP May 30,2022
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
778
Reaction score
587
Location
Barrhead, Alberta
I have some Red Ram stuff right now. Seems to be good quality so far. I think my old tub was Quaker state. Doesn’t matter much to me really as long as it’s proper wheel bearing/axle grease.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RXN

arff

Active VIP Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2009
Messages
139,397
Reaction score
55,128
Location
Leduc
Are you using the wheel brg greaser?

I can’t remember the exact grease.

But doing it every 500 km any good grease would be fine
 

papajake

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
2,848
Reaction score
5,607
Location
Didsbury, Alberta
any thing the is 100 per cent synthetic regular bearing grease will melt in the hot sun it will not take on water
 
  • Thread starter
  • Admin
  • #5

TylerG

Super Mod Geek
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
30,485
Reaction score
27,731
Location
Parkland County
Are you using the wheel brg greaser?

I can’t remember the exact grease.

But doing it every 500 km any good grease would be fine
I did just pick up a greaser from DK Offroad for the sportsman, unfortunately, he didn't have the right sized ones for the ACE....... ACE has 2 different size bearings.
 

arff

Active VIP Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2009
Messages
139,397
Reaction score
55,128
Location
Leduc
I did just pick up a greaser from DK Offroad for the sportsman, unfortunately, he didn't have the right sized ones for the ACE....... ACE has 2 different size bearings.
Darn, greasing those bearing is the trick.
When I picked up my new Hi Lifter. I greased those brgs before driving it. Took 8 pumps per wheel. I am sure new brgs have no grease
 

northern bear

RIP May 30,2022
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
778
Reaction score
587
Location
Barrhead, Alberta
Darn, greasing those bearing is the trick.
When I picked up my new Hi Lifter. I greased those brgs before driving it. Took 8 pumps per wheel. I am sure new brgs have no grease

They don’t. Doesn’t matter the brand either. Basically empty. All Balls, Kimpex, Moose Racing all come from the same place. Same package and all. Just change the card in the kit. Pop the seals and there’s barely enough grease in there to make it roll smooth in your hand. Hold it up to the light and you can see through them. Pivot Works used to be good, but All Balls bought them a few years ago and are using that as their high end line.
 

arff

Active VIP Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2009
Messages
139,397
Reaction score
55,128
Location
Leduc
Sucks to have to disassemble brgs. The greaser I have less than 15 minutes a wheel.
 

TylerG

Super Mod Geek
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
30,485
Reaction score
27,731
Location
Parkland County
Sucks to have to disassemble brgs. The greaser I have less than 15 minutes a wheel.
this is the one I've got, looks like just the brakes and axle nut need to be removed.


need to get the same for the ACE now.
 

blubbles

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Messages
215
Reaction score
410
Location
Calgary Alberta
I use pretty high-end for all of my greases. I use Shell Gadius S5 V220 for all of my toys. Have another gun loaded with V460 if I need the extra viscosity. With the amount we spend on these toys you might as well use the best. I wouldn't use non-synthetic oil, so I also don't use non-synthetic grease.

This is what we use on oilfield rotating equipment, and it seems to handle the changes in temperature and water ingress much better than other greases I've ever seen. My suggestion is do some reading learn what these numbers actually mean. Good knowledge to have anyways.
 

northern bear

RIP May 30,2022
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
778
Reaction score
587
Location
Barrhead, Alberta
Grease technically never wears out. It does one of 2 things. Gets dirty or gets hard from not being used. Look at any truly sealed bearing out there. U joints on a chev are a good example. How many 30-40 year old trucks are still out there with original u joints that have never been serviced because they don’t have a grease nipple. Many different types of grease for many applications. Load, temp, rpm, viscosity etc etc. When it comes to wheel bearings, I will get a wheel bearing specific grease. Not a multi purpose that can be use in wheel bearings. I’ll look at tack (how well it adheres and resists fling off) and water impermeability characteristics. Grease isn’t any good if it won’t stay where it’s needed. And if it mixes with water, well that’s not good either. I’m also not a fan of Shell Greases. Sure they have good numbers when you read the specs, I just can’t get past that pasty grey look. Is I dirty grease that’s filled with metal or is it new grease lol. I still pack my bearings by hand, big ole blob in the palm of my hand and knead it in between the rollers. That way I know it’s full. Using a tool or machine is nice, but harder to guarantee it’s packed evenly. And when I’m done, if I have a hard time cleaning it off my hands, I know it has good tack properties lol.
 

TylerG

Super Mod Geek
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
30,485
Reaction score
27,731
Location
Parkland County
Grease technically never wears out. It does one of 2 things. Gets dirty or gets hard from not being used. Look at any truly sealed bearing out there. U joints on a chev are a good example. How many 30-40 year old trucks are still out there with original u joints that have never been serviced because they don’t have a grease nipple. Many different types of grease for many applications. Load, temp, rpm, viscosity etc etc. When it comes to wheel bearings, I will get a wheel bearing specific grease. Not a multi purpose that can be use in wheel bearings. I’ll look at tack (how well it adheres and resists fling off) and water impermeability characteristics. Grease isn’t any good if it won’t stay where it’s needed. And if it mixes with water, well that’s not good either. I’m also not a fan of Shell Greases. Sure they have good numbers when you read the specs, I just can’t get past that pasty grey look. Is I dirty grease that’s filled with metal or is it new grease lol. I still pack my bearings by hand, big ole blob in the palm of my hand and knead it in between the rollers. That way I know it’s full. Using a tool or machine is nice, but harder to guarantee it’s packed evenly. And when I’m done, if I have a hard time cleaning it off my hands, I know it has good tack properties lol.
valid points Greg, unfortunately, the Sportsman wheel bearings cannot be packed that way :(


bearings.jpg
 
Top Bottom