Tool for packing wheel bearings

[7ACDriver]

I am looking for a tool to pack bearings with grease, does anyone know of a good one

[MikeB]

I just pack them by hand. Use the palm to push the grease in but wash the bearings out with solvent and blow dry first. Most auto supply houses have a commercial bearing packer if that's what you want though. Be sure to hold up to a strong light and look at the rollers and races for wear.

[gusc]

I'm with Mike. The Champ bearings are so small and so few that I can have them all hand packed in the time it takes to set up a bearing packer.

Also, they are bad to spring small leaks halfway through one cycle and you end up having to hand pack anyway!

If you don't like the feel of grease use latex or nitrile gloves.

There is no way to pack bearings without making a mess so don't even try!!

[joea]

Third vote for hand. It does not take that long.

[Nathan K. Hammond]

Dad made me pack bearing by hand for years and I hated it, so bought a packer from the Snap-On guy. I think you could get them from NAPA/etc...

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp ... ir=catalog



nkh

[joea]

What your Father did made you a much better person and build a lot of character.

Now you have turned into a wuss by using a "man made wheel bearing packer" instead of your hands.

Suppose next thing you are going to be wanting an autopilot on the plane??!!

[Holcombe]

Grease between your fingers, is like mud between your toes, or home grown tomatos.
"It's a Good Thing"

[joea]

Grease between your fingers, is like mud between your toes, or home grown tomatos.
"It's a Good Thing"

Do not forget crushing grapes to make wine!

Just not the same doing it with a machine IMHO.

Joe A
(Tater, you ok or perturbed at me?)

[Jon B.]

Oh, yeah...

While you're blowing them dry with the air hose, please resist the urge (it's a guy thing) to spin 'em up with the air. Bearings are not designed to run like this in an uncontained environment. They can come apart. Explosively!

Bad, bad, bad. Someone could lose an eye!

Jon

[Dennis]

The grease does not remind me of mud between my toes.......we had two big dogs outside. Or at my grandmothers house, we had to run through the chicken yard to get to the outhouse. BIG difference.

I also hand pack.

[Holcombe]

When I grew up mud was the thick creamy stuff that smelled of clams. That was the "good thing". It meant good eating too.

We all have simpathy for those who have experienced dog, horse or especially cow stuff. Been there, done that. Fell off a horse once and slid rather than breaking a collar bone because of what I landed in. That was a mixed blessing.

I too have been warned about spinning a dry bearing. In fact I was taught not to even wash them out. Just push clean fresh grease through them.

[MikeB]

The problem with not washing them out is you can't inspect the inner race. You can only inspect that by cleaning it out completely and sighting between the retainer and rollers to look at the inner race. Trust me, when I started as a rookie mechanic in the trucking business back in the early 60's I did a lot of wheel bearings and they were pretty much all packed in those days.

By the way, the rollers can look fine on the outside and the inner race eroded through the case hardening.

Also, while you're add it, you should check the outer race (in the wheel) for slipping in a worn hub. It happens on occasion.

Mike Berg

[7ACDriver]

Thanks for all the replies! I will probably go with the Snap-on tool as Nate recommended.

[SFC Hiatt]

Hey Nate, add this to your easy life.

Just Kidding of course.......really wish I could make it to the red neck fly-in!

http://www.gearlog.com/2008/01/the_ulti ... troubl.php

[Nathan K. Hammond]

Man that's all I need!