Can I mix grease in knuckle? (1 Viewer)

[TexFJ]

Want to fill up my knuckles with the recommended NLGI No.2 through the knuckle plug, however I have no idea what is in there. Any concerns about mixing with any particular greases that may use incompatible thickening agents? Perhaps there are rules of thumb on color, assuming I can dig some out through plug hole.

Thanks,

 

[FishTacos]

I would suggest that you just take the slightly more time consuming route. Just pull the locking hub, wheel hub, clean and inspect the bearing surfaces, and properly grease and reassemble. If you want to add to your arsenal of tools to make this easier, you might consider buying a 54mm socket. They can be had for about $12. This makes it much easier to properly set the load on the wheel bearing and set the locknut.

 

[hj 60]

No problem mixing grease, if you push in to much (mine has a grease zerc) it will pass the seal and end up in the diff, that is fluid, but is also not a real problem:

it only starts mixing while driving in 4x4 and cornering, I filled, drove, filled,

 

[g-man]

Moly grease goes in there. I suppose if you can find it in a tube you could use the plug hole to squeeze some in. But if it's low it begs the question...why and where did it go? If your knuckles are dripping down onto your wheels and brakes it's time for a knuckle rebuild and replace axle seals.

 

[OSS]

In my experience, the knuckle cavity starts using up the grease inside it the moment the hubs get locked. The spinning birfield joint soon pumps the grease into the axle housing even with good axle seals. That being so (in my experience) the knuckle cavity grease level should be checked frequently if driving with the hubs locked, either 2WD or 4WD.

Compatible greases will play nice together and behave themselves, incompatible greases definitely will not. An example of an incompatible grease mixing would be conventional (old school) molybdenum disulphide lithium grease mixing with synthetic modern grease of any chemistry. (Looking at you Mobil 1).
If incompatible greases are mixed, the whole works can turn into a syrupy leaking mess as the thickening component quickly breaks down. When that happens, the entire component (knuckle assembly and birfield joint) have to be completely disassembled and cleaned with solvent to remove all traces of the greases - then ONE of the greases are used to repack it.

 

[TexFJ]

There's my dilemma. You buy an LC then want to keep it maintained. So the repair manual tells you that you should maintain the knuckle grease by filling it through the plug hole with Molybdenum disulphide lithium base chassis grease (NLGI No.2).

Do you take a chance on the grease mix? or take a chance that the grease level are fine since not overly leaking. After miles of turning, you would think that a significant amount of grease would be lost through the seals on the back of the knuckle. And hopefully not through the axle seal.

(rhetorical question I guess)

rebuilding 4 knuckles for the hell of it just doesn't sound much fun. After two, you've had a 12 pack. I may take a chance with the Moly. Grease not the pill.

 

[OSS]

Re grease everything shown in the owner's manual. Just don't use synthetic grease when topping off, only during a complete replacement.
Your steering knuckle cavities are likely bone dry. It'll require more than 2 lbs of grease to refill them

 

[FJ60Seth]

Check the amount grease in the knuckle. Remove the square plug in the back of the knuckle. Stick a zip tie in & read it like a dip stick.

 

[TexFJ]

stuck a pencil down the fill hole. Seems like someone already topped it off. I see grey and red. I've seen the grey grease on knuckle rebuild videos and I'm assuming the red is either another type of grease.

 

[TexFJ]

here is a good chart for grease compatibility. Moly is just an additive for further lubrication to Lithium based grease, usually.

 

[Rusto]

Grey is most likely old, dirty red (Molybdenum disulphide lithium base chassis grease (NLGI No.2) ) grease.

Topping off is better than doing nothing if you dont have time for a full knuckle rebuild.

 

[g-man]

red is probably tacky #2

and grey is probably moly grease.

I doubt it's a big deal that they are mixed. red and tacky I use for place that will get wet like my clutch (edit) throw out bearing ...I'm missing the boot on the side where the fork goes in. I know it will get wet driving thru puddles. Even with the boot it will get wet.

Add a little MOLY grease if you want. But don't go past 3/4 full.

In my experience leaking knuckles is more a clue of when to rebuild, this when the axle seals go. gear oil from the axle migrates into the knuckle. Causing birf soup. Which causes the soup to leak out of the knuckle and down to the brakes, and wheels and tires. This will fail your inspection cause inspectors don't like grease/gear oil mix landing on hot brakes causing fires etc.

 

[KWalkerM]

Top it off and run it. The important part is that its lubed and greased. Id bet good money on it not being synthetic grease.

A cruiser guru once told me to just run any red tacky grease and that the likely hood of running non-moly grease is extremely unlikely to be an actual cause of failure. As long as its lubed it should last a long time, just look at third world cruisers still on the road.

 

[FishTacos]

red is probably tacky #2 View attachment 2186811

and grey is probably moly grease.

I doubt it's a big deal that they are mixed. red and tacky I use for place that will get wet like my clutch hub...I'm missing the boot on the side where the fork goes in. I know it will get wet driving thru puddles. Even with the boot it will get wet.

Add a little MOLY grease if you want. But don't go past 3/4 full.

In my experience leaking knuckles is more a clue of when to rebuild, this when the axle seals go. gear oil from the axle migrates into the knuckle. Causing birf soup. Which causes the soup to leak out of the knuckle and down to the brakes, and wheels and tires. This will fail your inspection cause inspectors don't like grease/gear oil mix landing on hot brakes causing fires etc.

Birf soup is an indication that you've gone LONG PAST the proper maintenance interval for inner axle seal replacement.

Top it off and run it. The important part is that its lubed and greased. Id bet good money on it not being synthetic grease.

A cruiser guru once told me to just run any red tacky grease and that the likely hood of running non-moly grease is extremely unlikely to be an actual cause of failure. As long as its lubed it should last a long time, just look at third world cruisers still on the road.

You could run Vaseline in there for a short period if time if you had to limp home from a trailside repair, or for whatever reason had no other option. That doesn't make it a good long term solution. You're probably right that you could just pump grease into it, hope it isn't too full, drive for a while, and never have a problem.

Pulling the wheel hub, cleaning it out, properly lubing it, and refitting it isn't a particularly hard job. It's really messy.

Here's a link to Trollhole's service manual page:

FSMs

Any of the pre 80 series Chassis and Body manuals has the procedure and schematics. The '84 is good.

 

[KWalkerM]

Birf soup is an indication that you've gone LONG PAST the proper maintenance interval for inner axle seal replacement.

You could run Vaseline in there for a short period if time if you had to limp home from a trailside repair, or for whatever reason had no other option. That doesn't make it a good long term solution. You're probably right that you could just pump grease into it, hope it isn't too full, drive for a while, and never have a problem.

Pulling the wheel hub, cleaning it out, properly lubing it, and refitting it isn't a particularly hard job. It's really messy.

Here's a link to Trollhole's service manual page:

FSMs

Any of the pre 80 series Chassis and Body manuals has the procedure and schematics. The '84 is good.

I think I didnt communicate my point well. If there is no indication of birf soup and leaking wiper seals, just run whatever run of the mill red n tacky grease on hand. Mixing non moly vs moly grease really isnt going to have a difference on the knuckle as long as it is lubed especially if its just a top off per the FSM.

Obviously synth vs non synth is an issue but the cruiser likely doesn't have synthetic grease in the knuckle.

Yes the absolute best world would be to strip and rebuild with your preferred grease.