greasing bearings

[JOHNMcDANIEL0322]

im bout to install my new bearings and i need to know the time spand i should wait before i grease them do grease them every oil change or what?

if im correct i also read do not over grease them right? just add 1 or two pumps everytime?

[lewis]

John, this is just my opinion: I have a Argo Avenger I grease my machine after each ride. This way i force the grit and grime out of the lip seals and seems to help with the life of the bearings, seals and axles. With these machines due to the small amount of grease that can reach the bearing.....in my opinion you can not over grease them. Also with the axles being made of roll steel rust will act as a lathe and destroy the seals and allow grit and grime and things go down hill after that. I spend about 8 hours cleaning and greasing my machine after each and every ride. This helps find any items that are getting ready to fail and a general all around look over. This includes removing the tires and checking for axle play and greasing, chains and brakes. This may sound a little much but i try to avoid trail break downs........it' to heavy to push!

Hope this helps

[JOHNMcDANIEL0322]

hahah yeh thats how i am i try to keep things up to top notch standards. i was reading on here somewhere though if you grease the bearings to often that it would blow the seals out of the bearings is this true?

[Roger S]

I think it depends on what "seals" means. My argo bearings have always had metal "shields", and when greasing the brgs grease will just get pushed out around the outer edge of the shield. I don't know about your max bearings.. I will hazard a guess that if they are not full of grease, that just leaves room for water.

[6X6]

The Max should have rubber sealed bearings, and yes, if you get too enthusiastic about it you can blow out a seal. I don't limit myself to any # of pumps, I go till I get grease squishing out of one side or the other, I just go SLOW, not crazy, just ~ 2-3 seconds to finish each squeeze.

[whipper-ag]

[JOHNMcDANIEL0322]

ok well thank you guys for the help ill just put a couple of pumps after i go everytime

[6X6]

John, The grease will come out on the inside of the seal, that's when there's enough, you've pushed water and debris out of the seal, and time to stop.

Whipper, I did pop one out, but to be fair it was cold as #%)@&* out and I wanted to get inside so I MAY have squeezed a little too enthusiastically, I've just been cautious since. (The seal was simple enough to re-install though)

[TalSet]

i.m curious where did you purchase your bearings? i recently got all 12 for my max IV from Richards, and after less than a month, 5 of my locking collars broke and 2 axles moved outward. if someone had warned me about this happening, i would have saved some time and headache by following the thread here about using two split collars on all six axles and to hell with the locking collars. you may want to at least read about those split collars before you dive in and replace your bearings. hope you don't have the same bad luck i did.

[egoperf]

when I grease my bearings on my max i jack it up take the tires off and run it in gear so the axles spin slowly as I pump the grease so that I hope it gets the grease all the way around the bearing. Like Wipper I have never blown out a seal. I grease mine after ever ride.

[Eldon]

My experience is a little different.I bought my Max II when it had 34 hours on it.It was five years old though.The first season in water it was O.K. leaking in about a gallon or two after nearly an hour.I ran tracks the first winter. The next season with about 125 hours on it,it leaked like a sieve.I wasn't sure what to blame it on.......overgreasing or the use of tracks stressing the front and back bearings.I suspect over greasing.It currently has a bit over 200 hours and it would not be safe to take in water for more than a few minutes.I can't detect any play in the bearings.I do have bearing extensions and if the innermost bearing is good and the outermost as well then mechanically I don't believe one could get any movement anyway even if the center bearing was not even installed.I fear the line between properly greased and over greased is a very fine one.

[6X6]

Eldon, if you pop out a seal, it's plain as day, the seal is outside the race, around the axle, not in the bearing as it should be. I can't see "Over greasing" causing the issue, the seals are held on the outside lip, and touch the inside race, but can't hold pressure. When it's full, it's full, extra just comes out under the seal, around the axle. I only popped one out of place by being in a big #%& hurry to get out of the cold and pumping real quick. Since the machine had been used in snow etc.. I can't say the seal being colder and less flexible did or did not contribute, but if neither Whipper nor Egoperf have popped out a seal then it was probably a fluke. (I also did not replace those bearings, P.O. did so quality is in question too)

[Eldon]

I greased mine in a heated garage and the machine was at room temperature.The seal definitely didn't visually pop out but grease did come out around the axle and seal.I believe the integrity of the seal was compromised.I torqued the bearing flange bolts to spec and there are no signs of external damage to the tub.With the tub filled with water it has gushing leaks around the bearings.Greasing doesn't even slow them.This machine has had very easy hours unless the tracks are too much for the bearings.Water leakage went from a little over a gallon an hour to over two gallons a minute.By the time the leak was excessive the machine had around 100 hours about 30 of these in the snow with tracks.

[egoperf]

A while back RI was having problems with the bearing plates they where using. they have since changed suppliers. The plates where not holding the bearing tight and they where leaking. You may want to check.

[Eldon]

I appreciate the info Egoperf.I plan to change the bearings and plates out as I investigate.The buzz here is that Buffalo Bearings is a good supplier of quality equipment.