How Often do I Lubricate the Front Wheel Bearings?

86 911 · 86 911's Garage

I have a 1976 911 S (conversion to SC cabriolet), and I would like to know, how often do you have to lubricate the front wheel bearings in these cars? Also, what width of lubricant would I use?

Thanks!

yelcab1 · 05-08-2005, 11:07 AM

They take bearing grease, and they should not be messed with that much. I say every 10 years.

86 911 · 86 911's Garage

Thank you for your reply. Later on I will take the dust cover off and see what the bearings look like.

randywebb · 05-08-2005, 11:33 AM

Look up the long term maintenance thread I started - Grady posts some ideas there. Honestly, I don't think anyone knows for sure...

H.G.P. · 05-08-2005, 11:37 AM

Can they be lubricated by just taking the wheel off? Or is there more involved?

on-ramp · 05-08-2005, 11:44 AM

when you start hearing that "noise" that you can identify as bearings about to fail and seize in about 100 miles or so, lubricate them. i learned this the hard way. it's one of those things you never remember to do.

jyl · jyl's Garage

I just did this. It not difficult but is a messy job, thank goodness it doesn't happen very often.

You remove the front wheel, remove the brake caliper, remove the dust cover from the center of the hub (lots of threads on this - I alternated hitting w/ hammer+chisel and wiggling w/ channel-locks), loosen the allen tightener on the clamp nut on the spindle end, remove the clamp nut, then the front hub slides right off the spindle along w/ the brake rotor. The outside bearing falls out, the outside bearing's race and the inside bearing and race stay in the hub. You can remove the old grease from the bearings and hub with some sort of degreaser/solvent and lots of hot water.

What does "that noise" (of impending bearing failure) sound like? I repacked mine simply because I had the hubs off for brake work, and the old grease looked yucky. I've never heard any odd noise from the bearings. When the wheel is off and I turn the hub with my hands, I could hear a faint, smooth, steel-ball-rolling-slowly-on-a-steel-plate sort of sound, that was all.

86 911 · 86 911's Garage

Thank you for the info jyl, on-ramp, H.G.P., and randywebb. Randy, thanks for suggesting the thread on Long Term and Commonly Neglected Maintenance. You just saved me from a lot of maintenance questions.

Tonight I went ahead, took off the wheel and got to the dust cover. I took that off (took about 2 hours) and got to the grease. I also picked up some new grease at NAPA. It is Multi Purpose Wheel Bearing and Chassis Grease. Is this the correct type of grease that I am supposed to be using, or do I need to get a heavier viscosity type of grease? It reads heavy duty and high temperature, so I am assuming that it is suitable.
Below I have attached a photo of the NAPA grease, and then a photo of the grease that is on the bearing now. Any suggestions?

jyl · jyl's Garage

You have a PM.

randywebb · 05-09-2005, 09:31 PM

I would use an EP (Extreme Pressure) grease -- and I'd shoot for a synthetic.

I'm glad the long term thread helped - that's why we put it together. Grady was a major contributor.

86 911 · 86 911's Garage

Thank you for your suggestion, Randy. I will most likely go with "Lubemaster Extreme" grease that jyl kindly offered me.

Jyl, I just sent you an e-mail. Thanks agian

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86 911 · 86 911's Garage

I have just continued to work (just bought new races and bearings), and I am having trouble putting the races in. It seems impossible to get them to go into the hub. I am using the old race now, putting it on top of the new race, and hammering down with equal force, but it just doesn't want to go in. How do I make the races and similar parts go in a lot easier? Is there a trick?

edit: Nevermind, I finally pounded the races in. The larger race went in easier because I put in the freezer for a few minutes.