Front axle hub grease

[lt403]

Hi everyone
I’d like to know what grease is supposed to be used to grease the bearings and coat the inside of the front axle hub on my 97.
I have the manual and all it says is MP grease.

Thanks

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Multi-Purpose NLGI 2

80-Series Birfield Repack - Land Cruiser Tech from IH8MUD.com

62 series Spring Over Axle SOA - Land Cruiser Tech from IH8MUD.com

www.ih8mud.com

 

[lt403]

Lucas red and tacky is ok

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Lucas red and tacky is ok

Yes, I use:

Supers Hi-Temp Red Wheel Bearing Grease ​

 

[devo]

I use Valvoline full synthetic

 

[MissahPapaJ]

if you go on cruiserteq.com this is a very hard to beat deal. And it’ll do all bearings front and rear and the birfs / swivel hub packing.

 

[lt403]

Thanks everyone
This was a brake job & I needed new rotors.
Hopefully when summer is over I’ll dig into full axle service , it looks like OEM birfields are not available anymore.

 

[jonheld]

it looks like OEM birfields are not available anymore.

Still available, but $$$.
Part# 43405-60070

 

[Kernal]

Which beer brand do you prefer?

Same with grease, likely not much difference between NLGI #2 wheel bearing greases.

Been discussed a bazillion times in the past, do a Search.

We all have our own preferences ie: wheel bearings and U-joints (Mobil 1) versus steering knuckle/CV joint, driveshaft slip yolks (Valvoline Palladium).

More important rule, any grease is better than contaminated or no/low grease and never mix incompatible greases.

General Specs:
Moly fortified Lithium base automotive grease (3-5%) for the CV joints/Birfields/spindle bushing and slip yolks (and splines of the drive plates/CV joint stub shaft)
Wheel bearing/multi-purpose Lithium base automotive grease for the wheel bearings and U-joints.
Some wheel bearing greases also have some Moly in them and that's (generally speaking) good for everything.

IME more than 1% Moly (ie 3-5%) give more protection for the Birfield CV joints/knuckles as well as the driveshaft slip yolk and front drive plate splines.

Take your pick.

 

[mudgudgeon]

it looks like OEM birfields are not available anymore.

Cruiserteq per the above post should have quality OEM equivalent birfields and swivel hub rebuild kits.
Or look up Terrain Tamer

 

[petegangies]

Thanks everyone
This was a brake job & I needed new rotors.
Hopefully when summer is over I’ll dig into full axle service , it looks like OEM birfields are not available anymore.

Terrain Tamer birfs have a good rep here in Australia, lots of guys using them with positive reviews.

 

[jonheld]

Hopefully when summer is over I’ll dig into full axle service , it looks like OEM birfields are not available anymore.

Just curious why you're replacing birfields.
I broke one in 2017 and replaced both sides with RCVs. At the time they were less expensive than OEM.

 

[lt403]

They are the original ones with 270,000 miles.
Thought it be the right thing to do.

 

[jonheld]

They are the original ones with 270,000 miles.
Thought it be the right thing to do.

If they're not damaged or clicking and the stub axle splines aren't worn, there's no need to replace IMO.

 

[manofthewoods]

If they're not damaged or clicking and the stub axle splines aren't worn, there's no need to replace IMO.

To support the above...
When I rebuilt my vehicle at 372k miles, both sides were leaking. But I'll bet the previous owner used the vehicle "easy."
I did the kit change, swapped sides; now 450k miles still no leakeee, no clickee.
A few years ago I got new OEM birfs on the shelf for $800

 

[Mrtwooooo]

I always go with the logic that if the surface is rolling over itself then I use a non-moly grease. Like wheel bearings or the needle bearings in a u-joint.
If the surface is sliding across itself, like in a birf or the slip yoke of the driveshaft, then I use a moly grease.

The last bit of logic is some grease is better than no grease.

 

[Broski]

The best thing about RCVs is the warranty !!
They stand behind what they sell.

 

[lt403]

The clicking everyone talks about is it constant, while driving straight, turning?

 

[Broski]

The clicking everyone talks about is it constant, while driving straight, turning?

Full turn

 

[Kernal]

^^^This^^^. Full turn like when leaving a parking lot and accelerating, the balls inside the bell of the CV joint are sliding/jumping/popping (unlubricated) past or against other surfaces ie: the star, cage, and wear grooves (if present) inside the machined grooves of the bell of the joint where the balls are located. IME a high Moly content grease (3-5%) can help prevent some of that wear can help quiet the CV joint up to a point IME.