Zerk fittings on C-125 rims

[chipwitch 73]

This is probably a stupid question, but what's the point of greasing the front wheels?  I'm basing the question on recently noticing the zerk fitting on the front rims.  I could understand if taper bearings were used, but mine just have flanged (sealed) ball bearings.

[wallfish 16,980]

I don't think the original flanged wheel bearings were sealed, so the grease would just push through them when filled through the zerk. 60s tractors used bushings but most of us change them to flanged wheel bearings.

[Geno 1,929]

Usually the seal is only on the outside so grease can still get in from the inside. 

[rmaynard 15,419]

The grease fills the void on the inside of the hub between the bearings. This allows a little grease to protect the bearings, but more importantly, it keeps the hubs from filling with water when running through puddles or when plowing snow, etc.

[chipwitch 73]

I thought it might be something like originally being designed for bushings, but that didn't seem quite right.  Water displacement makes more sense than anything, but even that seems like a waste of grease.  That cavity is pretty large in volume.

 

That being said, you need something for water displacement and I can't think of anything better.  Gotta protect that axle.

[pacer 3,168]

I cringe when I would have to start pumping that ridiculous load of grease - bout a whole tube for one side!!  And living in the south I dont have to be concerned with water getting in...unless I take it for a swim

 

After seeing some of the guys here making their own front spindles, I've started making my own too, and I go to sealed ball bearings with that mod - then I dont have to put ANY grease in

[rmaynard 15,419]

According to my calculations, each hub with a bearing in each end, and a 3/4" shaft down the middle, has a volume of about 2 cubic inches.

That's only a couple of pumps on my grease gun.

[chipwitch 73]

I cringe when I would have to start pumping that ridiculous load of grease - bout a whole tube for one side!!  And living in the south I dont have to be concerned with water getting in...unless I take it for a swim

 

After seeing some of the guys here making their own front spindles, I've started making my own too, and I go to sealed ball bearings with that mod - then I dont have to put ANY grease in

 

Can you provide a link to this mod of which you speak?  Sounds interesting   

[pacer 3,168]

Heres one of the posts, there are 2-3 others that I cant seem to locate, but it give the basic idea.

 

 

There are sealed flange bearings that fit the standard hubs (and cheap too) and they wouldnt need to be greased....

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FLANGE-BEARING-SEALED-1-3-8-OD-3-4-ID-GO-KARTS-IH-384881-LAWNMOWERS-/270967407149?pt=Other_Vehicle_Parts&hash=item3f16ea822d&vxp=mtr

 

 

 

[chipwitch 73]

Pacer, sorry.  I must be missing something.  Wouldn't those hubs require pretty much the same quantity of grease for the same reason (water displacement)?

[pacer 3,168]

A sealed bearing has a black rubber seal on either side covering the balls which means you cant get grease in it and the grease that is sealed inside doesnt come out - well, mostly, under normal situations. They will eventually fail as will all bearings but generally will last a long time with the sealed in grease. The bearing that came in the spindle did not have this seal and has perforated metal covering the balls allowing grease to be pushed into the balls.

 

I have a Yard Man mower and the deck spindles have sealed bearings and will usually last for many seasons - and thats quite a bit more load on a bearing than a front axle.

[Geno 1,929]

There is a valid point about the water that gets past the bearing where it sits in the wheel and on the shaft and starts to rust the shaft and the wheel. 

[pacer 3,168]

Yes, that is a possibility of water getting behind the bearing, but of the several horses my friend and I rescued from a deceased dealer having sat out in the weather for many years, I saw little indication of that. And there was a LOT of rust on these things. Course, again this is the south

 

FWIW, of the many horses Ive done, I can only recall one instance where there was a substantial amount of grease in spindles, and even then was not of an amount to have pushed thru to the bearings... Deck spindles are some marginally better, but again, usually lacking.

 

As with most things, the owner of an item ultimately decides on something like this, as usual there are several ways to go at anything. The custom making of a 4 or 5 bolt spindle is likely to be out of the reach of many, needing welding capability and machine tools.

 

With my living in the south and rarely seeing snow, and all my equipment is under cover, the only water a horse will see is the occasional bath it gets

[chipwitch 73]

Pacer, I still can't see how the hub is any different than the OEM rims.  While the bearings are arguably sealed, wouldn't using those bearings on the OEM rims provide equal protection for the axle as the hub?  The fact that there is a "hub" is superfluous if one uses the flanged bearings (which are what were on my rims as stated in the OP).  Seems to me, the sealed bearings not only keep the bearings from getting greased (on my tractor), but naturally would prevent most water from collecting.  Of course condensation is another matter but would effect the rim and hub configurations equally.  What am I missing?

[Geno 1,929]

They won't stand up to my girls pressure washing.       Every time I get a new one it spends a few hours on the pressure washer, when I take the front wheels off to check the bearings there is always plenty of water in there. 

[chipwitch 73]

Geno, are you implying the custom hubs alleviate that problem?

[Geno 1,929]

I think it may help seeing there's an actual drive in seal on the inside for the axle and a more water resistant dust cap. 

[chipwitch 73]

I see (I think)... still not a water-proof seal.  Seems marginally better with respect to anti-corrosion since the inside bearing doesn't have a dust cap.  Like pacer mentioned in one of his posts, probably a non-issue in most cases as the hub-less configuration is essentially weather-proof... just have to make a note to keep Geno's daughters away with their pressure sprayer