Greasing up polybronze bearings

[ckmaggie]

My set of polybronze bearings for my a-arms are squeeking (at least that is what I think is squeeking). I installed about 8k ago and drove through the winter and snow. Squeek just started and is way annoying.

I have a manual grease gun but not sure if it will work (do I need one for air compressor) or if I need a tip different that what I have. The grease fitting on the bearing looks rather small.

Thanks in advance.
Chris

[Tim Stevens]

I installed mine about two months ago and use a regular grease gun. I did have a new fitting but it worked fine. The other thing you can do is pull off your a-arm and re-grease manually.

[Zeke]

Most nipples on zerks are compatible with the generic gun. Sometimes the overall diameter of the zerk will throw you. You are only concerned with the business end. You will know if you place the gun squarely on the zerk and grease goes in and not out from the sides of the nozzle. Even then, wiggling around, repositioning and resealing the connection might still do the trick.

Do you know what kind of grease you intend to use? I think many formulations are acceptable, but after talking to Chuck at Elephant, I decided to use Neo synthetic. Valvoline 986 Synpower that Early_S_Man stalwartly recommends should be plenty good, as well.

[304065]

I just installed mine, used a cheapo grease gun from the local farm/hardware/housewares store. Worked great.

[Chuck Moreland]

Originally posted by Zeke
Most nipples on zerks are compatible with the generic gun. Sometimes the overall diameter of the zerk will throw you. You are only concerned with the business end.

Milt is right. Standard grease gun.

Though there other styles of grease fittings, all the ones with the bulbous nipple head (the familiar style) use the same tip.

[ckmaggie]

Just tried again and seems like grease is just squirting out the sides. how do I know if any is getting in?

I pushed on the little balls inside the fittings to make sure they were not frozen and they don't appear to be.

I can't get to the rear fitting until I jack up the car, which I will do tomorrow. I guess I'll know it works if the squeek stops.

Chris

[Oldporsche]

HOLD the nozzle with your hand. Keep it straight on the fitting. Don't let it get angled while pumping the grease. You can do it!

David Duffield
(Was a High School Cities Service employee)

[Craig 930 RS]

A local shop noted that "grease squeezed out the sides with not much getting around the bearing". They are checking on wear patterns as time goes on (disassembly and inspection). I have nothing to do with this process, btw.

So FWIW, I pre-greased the whole shebang before installation and regreased once installed.

[jyl]

I regrease mine at every oil change (which means annually, more or less). No squeaking. Push grease gun tip onto the zerk, pump until grease squeezes out the sides of the bearing. Then wipe off the excess.

Is there a reservoir for the grease, or do you does it just surface coat the contact surfaces?

[Rot 911]

Mark there are two grooves cut in the bronze bushing so some grease resides there. As the arm moves up and down the grease migrates to the rest of the bushing.

[island911]

Originally posted by ckmaggie
My set of polybronze bearings for my a-arms are squeeking (at least that is what I think is squeeking). I installed about 8k ago and drove through the winter and snow. Squeek just started and is way annoying.. . .

Give a push on the cornners of the hood; to see if the hood is the squeaky pig.

Those little hood-adjuster-bumper may be out of adjustment, allowing the hood to move (and squeak) more than it should. (this happened on mine once)

. . .or maybe a swaybar bushing?

[Amanda]

Originally Posted by ckmaggie

Just tried again and seems like grease is just squirting out the sides. how do I know if any is getting in?

I pushed on the little balls inside the fittings to make sure they were not frozen and they don't appear to be.

Originally Posted by Oldporsche

HOLD the nozzle with your hand. Keep it straight on the fitting. Don't let it get angled while pumping the grease. You can do it!

I'm doing this, but grease just squirts out, like ckmaggie. I'm not sure if any gets in. Could it just be full of grease already? Should I be doing something else?

I'm using a standard fitting with a flexible hose. Thanks.

[Chuck Moreland]

Make sure the tip is snapped onto the fitting, nice and square.

[Amanda]

Thanks for the reply. I'll try that. Here's what I'm using, if that changes anything.

[Chuck Moreland]

make sure the tip outer diameter is not hitting the spring plate cover.

You may need to grind/file a flat on the side of the tip to relieve interference and allow proper seating on the nipple.

[175K911]

If you drove the car through the winter, might just want to pull the cover plates off and clean the winter grit off the polybronze parts. Then coat with fresh grease and reassemble. If you have to drive the car through the winter again you might want to hit with a grease gun monthly.

FWIW the ER Polybronze have been in my car front and rear for 2 track seasons- probably 30 track days. I hit with a hand held grease gun every other event and have never made any noise

[Amanda]

Thanks, I'll get to that at some point. Don't think our winter's are as harsh as yours.

So I got the tip snapped on to the fitting - that was apparently what I was doing wrong. I guess once grease starts squirting out (i.e. not going into the bearing anymore), it's pretty much full, right?