Oil in wheel bearings

[RWebb]

here is a fun one

on another forum, a guy wants to use oil instead of grease in his wheel bearings - he thinks it will give him better gas mileage

can you guess the make of vehicle?

[peppy]

Vw

[rsNINESOOPER]

Prius??

[masraum]

Prius sounds like a good guess

[RWebb]

nope VW - and get this - the guy has a VANAGON - a large brick being pushed down the hwy

[Flat Six]

Oil instead of grease for wheel bearings will reduce friction dramatically . . . for about six miles. Doofus. But then again, once they're seized he won't be using any fuel at all . . . .

[James Brown]

big rig trucks have been using it for years

removing the rubber cap is how you service them

[RWebb]

indeed - I assume they have a completely different bearing design (??)

also...
2012-12-03 The new SKF Low Friction Hub Bearing Unit reduces friction and provides CO2 savings - SKFUSA.com/News and Media

[rusnak]

Yep. My trailer has oil bearings on them. Huge brakes too.

[James Brown]

my big ass dodge has sealed bearings in the front, never needs servicing, just replacing. Like 911 rear ones. Wonder if that is what they meant.

[johnsjmc]

My boat trailer has oil bath bearings. Uses 90 w gear oil similar to a manual trans. only trailer I,ve ever had with no bearing problems while I had it.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by RWebb

indeed - I assume they have a completely different bearing design (??)

Different lubricant containment system. There is nothing wrong with oil as a lubricant if you can keep it in place. Immersing the bearing keeps it in place.

[RWebb]

yes, grease = oil + binder (binder used to be clay)

but aren't oil type wheel bearings made to much higher tolerances than greased ones?

[M.D. Holloway]

he is gonna have issues - oil lubricated bearings have seals as well as differnet tolerences, rolling elements and cages that are very different than grease lubricated ones. While about 50% of wheel bearings are oil lubricated they are used in fleet operations. You would need to do a serious retrofit. It is possible to outfit a car with oil filled bearings (if you could find one) but the questions is why ? The difference in the coef of fric isn't even measurable in that application.

And for what its worth...Grease is a combo of oil, thickener and performance additives (rust inhibs, Ep agents, stuff to make metal and grease last) and the thickener.

Back in the day (I sound like a teen when I use that phrase) grease was nothing more than crude oil and coal dust - the crude oil did the lubricating and the coal dust held it in place. Around 100 years ago lube makers started making grease by making a soap with lithium metal and mixed it with oil to form a grease that did well for the time. This is still done today - lithium greases are typically used for wheel bearings They really don't provide the protection other technologies off.

There are high temp greases that are made from clay dust that has been gelled with oil - but these greases dry out quickly and can solidify in the bearing.

There are greases that use organic materials (most common is Urea) that are OK, nothing great. And some use teflon which are expensive but again, only in very rare applications do they make sense.

The best technology out there is Calcium Sulfonates - water resistant, heat stable, hold up into very high loads. Really the best stuff.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

he is gonna have issues - oil lubricated bearings have seals as well as differnet tolerences, rolling elements and cages that are very different than grease lubricated ones. While about 50% of wheel bearings are oil lubricated they are used in fleet operations. You would need to do a serious retrofit. It is possible to outfit a car with oil filled bearings (if you could find one) but the questions is why ? The difference in the coef of fric isn't even measurable in that application.

And for what its worth...Grease is a combo of oil, thickener and performance additives (rust inhibs, Ep agents, stuff to make metal and grease last) and the thickener.

Back in the day (I sound like a teen when I use that phrase) grease was nothing more than crude oil and coal dust - the crude oil did the lubricating and the coal dust held it in place. Around 100 years ago lube makers started making grease by making a soap with lithium metal and mixed it with oil to form a grease that did well for the time. This is still done today - lithium greases are typically used for wheel bearings They really don't provide the protection other technologies off.

There are high temp greases that are made from clay dust that has been gelled with oil - but these greases dry out quickly and can solidify in the bearing.

There are greases that use organic materials (most common is Urea) that are OK, nothing great. And some use teflon which are expensive but again, only in very rare applications do they make sense.


The best technology out there is Calcium Sulfonates - water resistant, heat stable, hold up into very high loads. Really the best stuff.

Yea, what do you know about it. Have you written a book about it or something?

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

he is gonna have issues - oil lubricated bearings have seals as well as differnet tolerences, rolling elements and cages that are very different than grease lubricated ones. .

[M.D. Holloway]

Its True! and they roll too!

[RWebb]

here is his setup!

[rusnak]

uh. whuuuuut?? It'll be fun when that oil gets in his brake drum.

[RWebb]

we could establish a betting pool on what causes him to crash - oily brakes or seized bearings