thrashingcows

Searched through the archives but couldn't find an answer....

Going to try and get my Dana 60 all cleaned out tomorrow. I believe I came across a post somewhere that stated that the Dana 60 doesn't need and bearing grease on the hubs? That it gets it's oil form the main case?

Now when I pulled the hub/drum assemblies I found both sides the bearings were packed with grease, there was no oil in the tubes or in the hubs.

I want to assemble things properly, but don't want to end up cooking my axle bearings if I don't do things right.

Also from the capacity chart in the sticky section, it calls for about 3 quarts (liters) of fluid...Correct? I was thinking of adding another quart(Liter) just for good measure, and the assurance that the hub bearing would be getting oil.

Thanks for the help.

bgilbert

Grease the hell out of the wheel bearings in the hub with good ole wheel bearing grease. When it comes to adding gear oil to the pumpkin, some will only add up to an inch or so below the fill hole. This way if you have a bad wheel seal or your axle vent is plugged up, you don't end up with gear oil on your brakes. I don't have any problems filling the pumpkin til oil runs out the fill hole. Granted I do try to stop adding fluid when it just reaches the top of the hole, it usually is too much and will run out. Just keep your axle vent clear and properly install new wheel seals and you should be fine.

hounddogks76

dana 60 takes grease in the hubs..there is an inner seal in the axle to keep the oil in the diff i believe...i just did my dana 60 4wheel drive. There's a great post in the sticky section!

unixcowboy

Just got thru with my rear brakes and when I got the drums cleaned - just small ridges - the shop said you don't need to 'pack' them like the front bearings but put a good covering on the inside and outside rollers.
Real end lube is splashed up there but the bearings are not 'oil bathed' ...

Must work, when I pulled the hubs the bearings were nearly new after ~ 30K mi and covered in 90W oil.
Shame whoever did the rears last didn't adjust the shoes.

thrashingcows

I read a post in the sticky section about doing a read disc brake swap. The pics, and poster, just put a light coating of axle lube on the bearings and installed them, stating that the axle lube will work it's way out to lube them.

Now somewhere I came across a statement that if you add extra fluid to the rear axle that you'll blow out your axle seals. I can't see how that would happen. As long as your axle vent tube is not plugged there shouldn't be any pressure in the axle assembly, and adding an extra quart should cause any problems other then a little extra drag on the gear assembly.

bgilbert

That is where it's the argument of whether to grease or not grease wheel bearings and what camp you're in. I'm in the grease my wheel bearings camp.

I recently bought a 74 Dodge W300. It had sat for 6 years prior to me buying it. I opened everything in the drivetrain to clean, grease or add new gear oil. I figured I'd find a ton of rust, especially in the wheel bearings. Nope, everything looked great and well lubed. Not a spec of rust on any axle shaft or wheel bearing. I was glad the previous owner was in the 'I grease my wheel bearings camp'. All the wheel bearings still had grease on them.

wannadiesel

I would pack new bearings thoroughly. If you are just pulling the drums to have a look-see and are not cleaning all the lube out of the hubs, just put a dab of grease on the bearings to hold them over until the gear lube works its way out.

thrashingcows

I'm going the "grease" route.

I've pulled everything and cleaned it all in the parts washer, new bearing grease and seals. If the oil eventually comes up and washes the grease away then fine, but for now it will at least have grease on the bearings.