Wheel Bearing Grease

[jimmy1945]

I am in the process of changing my front wheel bearings and ready to fit the hubs back onto the stub axle, can anyone tell me what grease to use and how much do you put in, I have noticed there is no grease nipple so I presume it is sealed for life.

Regards Gwynfor

[poprivet]

Did the new bearing not come with sachets of grease? Ordinary high melting point lithium grease is fine, just pack plenty into the rollers. I found getting the new grease seals to bed wirhout dragging a bit of a pain, there are two sizes depending on if you have ABS or not

I assume your stub axles are not worn, and set the end float per the manual.

[Tintin]

The Jaguar original recommendation of Shell Retinax A is no longer available. The Shell tech dept recommended Shell GADUS as a current equivalent and I used that in mine. The Jaguar specified quantities are 4.7cc for the inner bearing and 2.6cc for the outer bearing and also "pack the hub with the correct amount....and also coat the stub axle".

Strictly speaking a different grease is specified for the seal lip cavities (also no longer available), but I just used the GADUS throughout.

Robbie

[PaulGover]

AFAIK, the Retinax/GADUS greases are higher temp ones than the more readily-available stuff like Castrol LM.

Some years ago, driving my old XJ6 Series III down the hill at Applecross, the front of the car disappeared in a cloud of steam when I got to open a gate across the road. Not coolant; boiling hub grease after cooking the brakes with all that descending! I had, of course, previously replaced the wheel bearings and used LM. Whether the right stuff would have been better is an exercise for the reader.

[jimmy1945]

Thanks everyone for your comments, I will use the Shell Gadus to be on the safe side.

[leo_denmark]

Several Shell Gadus types are available. Which one are you using ?

I tried to google Retinax A equivalent without luck...

[PaulGover]

When I researched this a couple of years ago, I came to the conclusion that Gadus S3 V220C 2 was the equivalent of Retinax A, and Gadus S2 V100 3 was the equivalent of Alvenia 3 (which the book says to use for greasing the seals). I can't remember the criteria that got me there (I think it involved various substitution guides), but the Shell stockist reckoned that after the obvious usage characteristics (e.g. I wasn't greasing stern tube on a boat propeller) it was all about working temperature.

FWIW, the stockist I used was Smith & Allan, who had a decent web site and could ship small quantities (though ironically when my order arrived the Gadus 3 was out of stock and they sent an equivalent).

[leo_denmark]

Thanks a lot