Series Swivel Hubs To Grease or Not To Grease

[Bullet50]

My understanding is that the series swivel hubs were designed to rely on oil splash generated by the u-joints spinning in the hubs to lubricate the top bearings. For this reason, free-wheeling hubs should not be used for longer bearing life. The one-shot grease is fairly fluid at high temperatures. I would not use this grease in a cold climate. My Rover operates at warm temperatures in New Mexico and I am using the one-shot grease, for now. I replaced the stock filler-plug with a brass plug tapped for a grease fitting and use a small grease gun to fill the hubs, less messy than trying to squeeze grease in from a funky plastic bag!

12594

[erik88lr]

My understanding is that the series swivel hubs were designed to rely on oil splash generated by the u-joints spinning in the hubs to lubricate the top bearings. For this reason, free-wheeling hubs should not be used for longer bearing life. The one-shot grease is fairly fluid at high temperatures. I would not use this grease in a cold climate. My Rover operates at warm temperatures in New Mexico and I am using the one-shot grease, for now. I replaced the stock filler-plug with a brass plug tapped for a grease fitting and use a small grease gun to fill the hubs, less messy than trying to squeeze grease in from a funky plastic bag!

12594

How do you tell when the hub is full?
Will the grease lube the u-joints?

I've always used gear oil. I installed new seals and leather gaiters when I rebuilt my Landy over 20 years ago and they're still doing fine. YMMV

[TedW]

This subject usually causes a ruckus whenever someone brings it up......

Yes, oil splashed from the spinning u-joints is supposed to lube the Railco bush / king pin. At least that is what the literature says. Frewheeling hubs are fine, so long as you lock them up for a half-hour or so every so often (I do it once a month) to keep things lubed up.

[cedryck]

It is wise with lockout hubs, to occasionally drive with them engaged, agreed. I also use hypo gear oil, with gators.

[Bullet50]

How do you know when the hub is full.....I don't know. My understanding is that the bags the grease comes in is what is required for one hub. I don't think you can overfill the hubs? I plan to monitor the surface of the hubs for grease loss, so far very little and add grease (1/4 to 1/2 bag) at about 6 month intervals. I would be interested to here how others do this.

[TedW]

How do you know when the hub is full.....I don't know. My understanding is that the bags the grease comes in is what is required for one hub. I don't think you can overfill the hubs? I plan to monitor the surface of the hubs for grease loss, so far very little and add grease (1/4 to 1/2 bag) at about 6 month intervals. I would be interested to here how others do this.

These grease bags are made specifically for Defender swivels (corrections welcomed), not for Series. Are their swivel capacities the same? Do their respective fill plugs come up to the same level? Dunno.....

I rebuilt my swivels years ago and installed Bailcast rubber gaiters (used on MOD Rovers) - a real PITA to put on, but seal things up nicely. I run 90 wt. full synthetic and have virtually no seepage / leakage . Just my $0.02 - others may have had different experiences.....

[cedryck]

The green bible says use hypo 90, use it, much easier to tell when it stops leaking out.