Posted by Clint Dixon on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 at 12:50PM :
In Reply to: Grease specs posted by Mark Davis on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 at 11:22AM :
Dodge specified Semi-Fluid chassis Lubricant. Translating that to today's terminology is kind of like translating the old machinist's "thumb fit" to a tolerance understood today.
Basically you want a grease that is thick enough so that you will not loose half of it out through the felt knuckle wipers, and the other half of it through the wheel bearings.
Make sure the oil seal at the end of each axle tube is in good condition. This seal prevents differential gear lubricant from entering the steering knuckle and diluting/contaminating the steering knuckle grease. The felt steering knuckle wiper was not designed to retain gear lube. Also there is no seal between the steering knuckle cavity and the wheel bearings. A thin lubricant, such as 90W gear lube, working its way into the wheel bearings will dilute and wash all of the wheel bearing grease from them, and will quickly work its way through the inner hub seal and onto the brake shoes. (The inner hub seal was designed to retain short fibered wheel bearing grease, not 90W gear lubricant).
The steering knuckle was meant to be filled with lubricant by use of a grease gun through the grease fitting at the upper bearing cone at the top of the knuckle. On the lower half of the knuckle "ball" is located a weep hole which is capped with a tapered pipe plug. Removing this plug will allow the grease to weep out indicating that the steering knuckle is filled to the proper capacity. Remember to replace the pipe plug when finished.
You don't have to use a really thick grease, like wheel bearing grease, in the steering knuckles. (Although reports are that a thick grease will lubricate properly). The same grease that you normally grease driveline u-joints with seems about the lightest consistency that you probably want to go with.
Junior
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