Rear wheel bearing grease nipple
Discussion
As I got stuck trying to open a rear bearing to add some grease, I came up with a useful upgrade.
You could add this in about an hour per side.
First, drill a 2mm hole in the centre of the hub carrier, I did this from the top. You need to go through the bearing shell and touch the axle in the middle. In my case I went a couple of mm into the axle, which stopped it rotating, while the bit was in there, so I knew I had got there. The bearing shell is very tough so use a tungsten bit, and take your time.
Then follow that with a 5.5mm drill bit, in this case you just need to drill in about 5mm for the grease nipple. Stop when you hit the bearing shell.
Then tap for your grease nipple - I used an old one off a UJ which was a 1/4" thread, luckily I had taper and bottom taps for 1/4" in the set of taps and dies I had inherited from my granddad. They have come in useful at last! Or you can order M6 nipples off the flea and tap for M6x1mm.
Fit the grease nipple, then pump the bearing full of grease. There's loads of clearance for the wheel to go on after.
I'll be doing the other side soon so will take photos of the procedure.
You could add this in about an hour per side.
First, drill a 2mm hole in the centre of the hub carrier, I did this from the top. You need to go through the bearing shell and touch the axle in the middle. In my case I went a couple of mm into the axle, which stopped it rotating, while the bit was in there, so I knew I had got there. The bearing shell is very tough so use a tungsten bit, and take your time.
Then follow that with a 5.5mm drill bit, in this case you just need to drill in about 5mm for the grease nipple. Stop when you hit the bearing shell.
Then tap for your grease nipple - I used an old one off a UJ which was a 1/4" thread, luckily I had taper and bottom taps for 1/4" in the set of taps and dies I had inherited from my granddad. They have come in useful at last! Or you can order M6 nipples off the flea and tap for M6x1mm.
Fit the grease nipple, then pump the bearing full of grease. There's loads of clearance for the wheel to go on after.
I'll be doing the other side soon so will take photos of the procedure.
Yeah I thought about that but there should be negligible swarf entering the hole as it's very small, it was quite easy to blow it out of the top, and of course the drill bit brings it out upwards mostly.
It would of course be better to install it on a bearing change where you could make sure the hole is clean before reasembly. You would heave to redrill the 2mm hole after fitting new bearings.
It would of course be better to install it on a bearing change where you could make sure the hole is clean before reasembly. You would heave to redrill the 2mm hole after fitting new bearings.
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