Check out the video: Packing Grease
The grease in our wheel bearings have been their since Eisenhower was in the White House. So today, October 1st, we packed grease into Mrs. Martin’s wheel bearings. Thankfully New England is experiencing an Indian Summer, giving us a dry working environment on Per’s driveway. In Cuba they’d call us shade-tree-mechanics because we’re working in the shade of Per’s Beech tree.
This morning I dropped our 2 front tires and our spare, at a tire shop to be balanced (the back tires seemed OK to Per). With the Hudson on floor stands and the wheels off we had clear access to the brake housing where the wheel bearings are located. Per bought a can of new grease for the occasion. The purple lubricant came in a bright yellow Pennzoil can labeled Premium. Spending coin on expensive grease is a rarity for Per who, by philosophical choice, minimizes, conserves and reuses everyting he can including his McDonald’s coffee cups. But old grease, even cheap standard grease, was unacceptable for the all-important wheel bearings. Having the texture of peanut butter, Per dipped his index finger into the yellow can. Spreading the new grease around the wheel bearing casing, he also coated the bearings and themselves.
Packing the wheel bearings with the best possible grease is vital to keeping the bearings, which are in constant motion, from wearing down (as the front wheels turn so too do the wheel bearings). High heat is generated by the wheel bearings over prolonged travel. Good is knowing the old grease is gone.
