Hi Forum friends, I turn to you for help once again.
I am gradually re-doing the brakes on my 37. It hasn't been driven in decades. The lube chart says to lube the rear wheel bearings every 5,000 miles, but doesn't say how. I took off the drum and the plate with four bolts over the bearing. The bearing is a cone type, but for the life of me I can't get it out to grease it. I don't want to risk damaging it by poking at it further. The only other option I can see, is that there is just inside of the brake plate (the differential side of the brake plate) opposite the bearing, and roughly horizontal on the differential housing, a small plug with a square head. Is this a place to insert grease? If so, how?
Or should I just forget it? I'd like to make the car safe to drive obviously.
Remove the plug and fit a grease nipple. Jack the wheel up and put around four pumps of grease from your grease gun into the bearing whilst spinning the wheel. Do not over-grease, or it will force out the seal and get on to the brake linings.
John, since you have this all apart, you need to finish removing the axles. Do you have a slide hammer. This is simple tool that you could probably purchase or rent cheap. We use an old Hudson flywheel. Remove the key from the axle, which allows the flywheel to slide on to the axle further, then install the nut and washer, firmly grab the flywh. on both sides and use as a slide hammer, which usually takes 2-3 times and comes right out. Once the axles are removed, clean all the old grease and contaminates out of the bearings, and also wipe the old nasty grease out of the axle housing. With the axle housing cleaned, install/wipe new grease into the housing. With both axle bearings and races cleaned, take the bearing race, hold it in your hand, put the axle in the race and roll it in your hand, checking to see if the bearing feels smooth as you turn it. Also, check the races to insure there is NO roughness and/or pitting. If those check good, then repack both bearings, and re-install. Now for the outer seal, press the old one out, install the new ones. Hudson rear axles have shims that adjust the axle end play, so make sure that you have cleaned them, and have no debris or contaminates before re-installing the 4 bolt axle retainer, making sure to re-install the shims as they were. I hope this helps, Hudsonly Doug
Holy cow! Seems complicated, but since I want to drive this, and I only want to dig into the axle bearings once, I'll take your advice. I don't have an extra flywheel, so I'll get a slide hammer. Thanks again for the advice!
It might sound like a lot of work, but it really goes quick. After you have done this properly, you will be able to use as Geoff suggested, removed the 1/8 plug in the back of each axle tube, pump a couple shots of grease, and no more. As Geoff stated, it will make a mess inside the drum, thus do this job again-removing the brake drums!
Something else when re-installing the races/axles back into the axle housing. Tap evenly around the race when driving them back into the housing, just make sure the race isn't cocked to one side. We use an old solid piece of oak to do this. Then tighten and/or properly torque both axle flange retainers.
If you're new to this, be careful when pulling out the old axle. The key can be razor sharp so be very careful when removing it. I sliced myself once, when I grasped the threaded end of the axle and pulled it outward!
Ouch!
But you remind me of the time I was taking a test spin around the parking lot in my 37 - I just put the steering wheel on but without the nut on the spline. When I applied the brakes, I had to brace against the steering wheel and it came off and hit me in the face
Leave a reply
