Getting Ready for the Alabama Gambler 500

Just fixing a few problems and swapping the wheels on the old van in preparation to drive it like 100 miles to beat the crap out of it all weekend and drive it back home (hopefully)

[@mebordernoneya8484]

Just a couple of thoughts/comments: I’ve had the best luck cleaning out wheel bearings using straight kerosene. Usually just let them sit a minute then swoosh them around and they come out sparkling clean. Sometimes if they are really crusty it will take a nylon brush to get them clean, but I’ve found it to work the best. Never any old grease left in the bearing to try and push out when you repack them. Plus it leaves an oily film on them when done so there is no worries about having to oil them in between. When redoing bearings, I always make sure the hub is full of grease. In your case this might throw some grease out the seal since your spindle is worn. But on the upside, it helps keep water out too. No air in the hub means nowhere for the water to go. For your use, marine grease would be best since you know it is going to get wet. Your tightening procedure is almost a mirror image of mine, with one exception. When doing your initial tightening, rotate the wheel both directions a revolution or two to make sure the bearings are completely seated. Then, without letting the wheel spin, back it off to finger tight, then forward to hit the cotter pin hole. Just comments. I do enjoy your videos.

[@CrazyWoody1989]

I used to always pack the inside of the rotor too, but it seems like now it's just more of a mess to clean up when I repack them lol. I've basically come to terms that it will be a regular occurence on this van unless that ridiculous little gasket maker trick works better than I ever would think. We shall see soon enough though!

[@mebordernoneya8484]

@@CrazyWoody1989 I thought the gasket maker trick was genius! Let us know if it works. I’ve had them leak there in the past and throw grease all over the outside of the wheel. Easy fix if it works.

[@CrazyWoody1989]

@@mebordernoneya8484 I hope it does work, otherwise it will just be a mess next time I have repack or replace the bearings lol

[@CrazyWoody1989]

@@mebordernoneya8484 Year...and a half? Update! The gasket maker trick ultimately did NOT work. Not entirely anyway, it did help keep sand and stuff out of the outer bearing and as I discovered later on, helped keep the dust cap from getting knocked off. But the weak link actually ended up being the grease seal on the inner side of the rotor.

[@mebordernoneya8484]

@@CrazyWoody1989 thanks for the update. Probably not much you can do about the inner seal unless you can find a double lip seal to try. Probably just one of those things for you to tear apart and fix every so often given the way you are using it. Appreciate the update. I might still consider the gasket maker on the cap. It’s not a terrible idea at all and does solve a couple problems. Probably not that much fun to tear apart later though I’d imagine.

[@armystrong9270]

Very nice