Date:         Tue, 16 Sep 2014 09:04:35 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Rear bearings and grease question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

In know this subject has been covered to some degree before, but beat with me.

I have a pair of bearing housings and stub axles that I have cleaned up, painted and awaiting delivery of bearings. I though having a spare set ready to go would be nice. 

But as I was working on them, and especially when I was mounting one to an angle plate in preparation for drilling to install a zerk fitting, I started to think about the grease in the housing. I know what Bentley says, and what others on list have said about filling the space between the bearings with grease.

But what the heck does the grease do in that space? It's it there to displace water? Surely it can't be for lubrication, how does the grease in the bearing races exchange with the grease in the middle of the housing?

I wonder if packing that space with grease would even create heat and soften, liquefy the grease?

And is the bearing set up a hold over from '68? Ball bearings in inner, and rollers in outer. Why not two sealed cartridge bearings? After all there is a sealed cartridge bearing in the front wheel of a syncro.

Yeah, I know it's not really that important, the rear bearings last for a long time. But still...

And the zerk fitting on the housing, I'm having doubts now. Pumping in grease won't re lube the bearings unless I force the grease out the seals, and I don't want to do that.

Cheers

Alistair