Steering Knuckle Grease

[Desoto61]

The concept behind the Corn Head Grease (semi-fluid grease) is at "room" temperatures it's more of a solid grease, but at "operating/higher" temperatures it's goes into a fluid state.
Will

It was my understanding that this is how regular grease is supposed to work too. The grease does not provide lubrication itself, it simply holds the lubricant in around the part.

[pwrwagonfire]

I have always used chassis grease from my grease gun.

Same here. I bought valvoline Chrysler type...its high temp, and mill spec and seems to be nice and tacky. I'm really satisfied with it, and I've re-built 3 front ends on PWs

MY buddy likes it as well

[Tranny Frank]

short fiber grease

I know this topic has been hashed over many times, more so on Joe's forum than Gordon's, but I'm asking anyway.....

I see some people stating that #2 grease should (or can) be used in the u-joints (Trachta joints) inside the knuckle, as well as in the knuckle upper and lower bearings themselves.

However, when I look at my manual for my '49 Power Wagon, it says to use "semi-fluid" grease. I have a couple of other manuals for WWII Dodges, which both state to use General Purpose Grease No 1 (presumably No. 1 means the grade or thickness) for temps above +32 deg F, or General Purpose Grease No. 0 for temps below +32 deg F. I suppose these would be "semi-fluid" greases.

My questions/comments stem from the ability of greases to flow. Each grease would seem to have its pro's and con's, as listed below:

1) If semi-fluid grease is self-leveling, it will probably find its way into the lower tapered roller bearing, and the bronze axle shaft bushings and the Trachta joint better than No. 2 grade grease. I have a concern that No. 2 grease would get pushed out of the way of the Trachta joint during use, and would no longer adequately lubricate it, whereas No. 1 or 0 would.

2) Again, if semi-fluid grease is self-leveling, will it tend to flow out of the upper bronze bearings over time, leaving them somewhat dry. However, I believe they are oilite bronze bearings, so maybe they will lube themselves adequately? I think No. 2 grade grease would have better clinging ability and would work better for the upper bearing.

3) Will semi-fluid grease have more tendency to seep past the outer bronze bushings and into the wheel bearings, and maybe eventually onto the brakes?

4) Are there people who have experience with using No. 2 grease in the steering knuckles, and have later disassembled them to find them still in good shape (or bad shape)? If so, was this after a long period of use, and was the 4-wheel drive in use for much of this time?

5) Where do I find No. 1 or No. 0 grease? I went to NAPA yesterday, and all they had was No. 2.

I know some people have advocated the use of an oil in the steering knuckle, but I have no intention of doing this, as I think it would just quickly come out of the felt seals and also run into the wheel bearings and eventually onto the brakes.

As a side note, those same two WWII Dodge manuals also state that the wheel bearings should be lubed with No. 2 General Purpose Grease, although one of them states that No. 3 should be used for temps above +90 deg F, when "wheel bearing lubricant leakage is experienced." Some folks have stated that the same grease should be used for steering knuckles and for wheel bearings, but this seems not to be the recommendation in the manuals.


Thanks,

Matt

Same grease in the wheel hub,

If using a semi fluid,

I have studied this design and have a type of grease specifically formulated for these axles,

Weather they are domestic or import, a particular semi fluid grease is used in production. Of these axles,

Dodge called it short fiber grease, it is no longer used or sold in the aftermarket,

I have been experimenting with this type of grease in all sorts of wheel hubs
After a Toyota dealership said this grease was,private

Bout as hilarious as secret grease I thought, but

Sure enough, Trade Secret goop in these things , And Dodges Short Fiber term helped solve this secret

A rarely seen and seldom used sodium based grease , Nowadays, but. Common 40 years ago

Frank

[Tranny Frank]

A review of this old stuff

OK well Today I pulled apart the Hub I put together a year ago with Franks Goop.

There was some slight seepage but that was from me. A few weeks ago I attempted to tear the hub apart in my PJ's but then decided to wait for a better day. So I didn't tighten down all the bolts, you can see one is still backed out about a 1/4". Since then I have been on two trips both times the hubs were completely under water.



Ok lets get started.


I broke the bolts loose for the end piece and it started to leak out what looked like used oil.




Popped off the end piece and didn't find any water. The internals actually looked well lubed and clean.





Slid off the center piece.


A look inside at the bearings and lock rings



For some reason there was build up on top of the spindle locks. Kinda like a foamy goop.



Pulled off the lock ring





The bearings




A peak at the race



The spindle



It looks like the spindle leaked a tiny tiny bit past Bobby Longs Poly seal.


Cleaned up it looks fine. I'll just lube it with Synthetic red grease again.



The inner bearing and hub seal. Doesn't look like it leaked.


The outer shaft. The spindle seal was lubed with Red synthetic axle grease. Not much but enough. Some of it mixed with Franks Goop but it all cleaned up really easy.


You can see the lines from the grease channels on Bobbys Poly seal,


So overall,
Franks goop worked just as he said it would. The bearings and seals all were properly lubed. The stuff cleans up really nice but is a PITA to install, maybe not so much on a Toyota axle because you have a fill plug. But trying to put it in a Dana hub is not so easy, do-able but you need a grease pump.

The only thing I could see is it appeared to be broken down. There was an obvious oil liquid separation and then a gel substance.

I hate to say it and I'll be honest but I'm going to run it in both hubs this time when I put everything back together. I don't see a problem running his stuff. I don't think it would leak out past the wiper seal on a Toyota spindle either. It'll look damp but I don't think it'll leak.

So there you go make your own decision, but this was some real world testing that went on over a dozen runs this past year. Submerged under water over a dozen times or more, ran through mud, playing on the rocks over a dozen times, and ran at high speeds in all temperatures typical to the PNW.

~Joop

[Tranny Frank]

The link

http://www.the4x4network.com/forum/v...hp?f=25&t=3466