OEM Ford Hub Grease Issues

I put a brand new set of OEM Ford hubs on the AI car before my last track day. I'm running adequate cooling ducts.

After 3 30 minute sessions, the green OEM grease was puking out the back of the hub and splatering all over the cooling ducts and wheel. This was on both sides of the car.

The last set of new Ford hubs I put on did not exhibit this behavior until they were almost used up. I'm confused as to why brand new hubs are doing this.

Could they have been overpacked? Should I just clean up the mess and keep going? There is no play in the hub/bearings currently.


FWIW, I'm running Cobra brakes with Carbotech XP-16's. Cooling ducts are headlight bucket 4x6 cutouts and 3" tubing running to a set of cooling plates pictured below.

http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1280/3889/130102.jpg

http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1280/3889/130103.jpg

On my old ITS car, I had an issue where I rebuilt the front hubs, went on track, came back and found all the dust caps were missing and greese was everywhere. After some discussions and research, I was advised to add a very small drill hole through the dust cap. This allowed the hub to vent pressure it built up when it got hot. Adding the drill hole did solve my problem. Maybe something related?

Like you mention, the amount of greese in the hub might be something to look at. I personally would pack the bearings, and add a little extra in the space between the bearing sets, but I would not fill the hub with greese.

Jeff

Jeff,
I'll drill some relief holes in the dust caps and see what that does in a few weeks. Thanks for the input. I appreciate it.

This always happens to me with the Ford hubs if I don't repack a new hub before I use it. Not only does it make a mess, it ruined a good set of brake pads once.

I've never had an issue once I've packed them with Mobil 1 Synthetic grease or equivalent.

They aren't supposed to be rebuildable so getting them apart is a little tricky. You also have to be very careful with the grease seal since you can't buy replacements for it.


Richard P.

I'll wipe up the mess and repack after the 1st event.

Is the Mobil-1 grease the stuff that is available at AutoZone, etc?
SynPower in the tub or SynPower in the tube??

Is there a repacking thread anywhere showing the step-by-step? I assume I can clean the grease up with brake cleaner to get everything good an clean before the repack?

http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1280/3889/136386.jpg

or

http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1280/3889/136387.jpg

MM, I use the RP method... he was able to show me at the track once how he takes them apart.

If you hold the hub about half way on the spindle shaft and move it up and down, back and fourth... you can seperate the two bearing halfs...

I would try it on an old one before you try it on a new or good hub. As RP stated be careful with the seal. I use the mobil 1... the Valvoline stuff is a blend, where the Mobil 1 is a full synthetic.

I clean the bearings out with brake cleaner before I repack, removing all the old oem grease.

DD

Marshall, are you sure you need the XP16's on your lightweight mule? I am running 12's on mine and get 3 to 4 events out of them with no issues of fade. Wasn't aware they had gone up to 16's already....typo?

XP-16's are the endurance pad version of the 12's. They wear rotors more than pads. Since I was only getting 4 weekends out of a set of pads (Cobalts or XP-10's). I wanted to delay that purchase. Rotors are free (lifetime warranty at 'O 'O 'O Reileys).

The 16's have the same dynamic performance as the 12's according to the tech at Carbotech.

I like them so far.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by marshall_mosty

XP-16's are the endurance pad version of the 12's. They wear rotors more than pads. ...
The 16's have the same dynamic performance as the 12's according to the tech at Carbotech.

---

Interesting bit of info... especially since my stock set of rotors are 35% the cost of new pads. 1st I've heard of these pads. will keep tabs on your long term results.

I am sticking with the 12's for now...virtually NO rotor wear which is what I am looking for when I go to the mega buck 2 pc rotors...or not. I have had great luck with the brembos 4 pots and the crappy brembo rotors. The folks I have heard curse this setup must be really finicky...?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by marshall_mosty

Is there a repacking thread anywhere showing the step-by-step?

---

I don't recall ever seeing one. To start the disassembly, you have to pull the inner race. I usually do this by wedging the hub on the end of the spindle snout and pulling. It's kind of a pain to do and I'm not pulling my car apart to show you.

To solve this, I made a tool today that grabs the inside of the inner race and allows me to pull it out without using a spindle. It's just a simple split wedge thing like the handle bar attachment on some bicycles. I have to say, it works great and makes it so much easier. I can also pull apart spare hubs to repack them without disassembling the car. Very cool.

Anyway, once you get the inner race out, it's easy to push the outer race out. Then you can carefully wedge the grease seal out the back side. This will free one of the bearing cages. The other cage requires you to pop the balls out of it for it to come out. At that point, you just clean the stuff up and reassemble. Standard stuff applies like paying attention to which direction the bearing cages are facing when you pull it apart. None of it's hard.

Let me know if you have any questions. I can help you do it some time over the first race weekend if you would like.

Richard P.

Richard,
If you will bring your new "doo-dad" to the track, I'd like to repack my spare set of hubs (I think I still have 'em). Otherwise, I may buy a new set of hubs to repack to learn.

NASA lets you make cool toys... I'm waiting to see the "unlicensed nuclear particle accelerator" that will come out next from the skunk works.

http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1280/3889/136822.jpg
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1280/3889/136823.jpg