New 914 rear wheel bearing, No to very little grease from manufacture Options

[Luke M]

So, I just purchased a set of New FAG wheel bearing (made in Germany) so I can install a set of the later (74-89) 911 rear hubs on my 914 control arms.
I saw a few you tube videos about how the bearings for the Boxster where being shipped with little to no grease in them. I figured before I install them to check the grease. Well sure enough one side had little grease and the other side had very little to no grease on the bearings. I should've taken a few pics but didn't have my phone handy. I still have another new bearing to inspect so I'll take pics of that one. I'm sure it will be the same way. Now to go pick up some grease and repack them.


So if anyone of you out there plan on replacing your rear bearing I would inspect them.

Here's a handy video which shows how to do this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9P1R2clGAU

[Superhawk996]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/stirthepot.gif)

Bearings don't need much "lube" to run for long periods of time especially if the loads are light and they are light in road going vehicles. Race cars pulling high lateral G's for long periods of time are another story.

What kills bearings the fastest are things like vibratory loads and false brinelling. False brinellling can easily occur on race cars that are tied down too tightly in trailers and then proceed to vibrate or oscillate the bearings with no rotary motion.

https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/products/care/...e/fretting.html

Any reputable OEM has pretty good quality control checks in place to ensure grease is put into the bearing. More applicable to new bearings. NOS predates my involvement with the bearing suppliers. Grease flow meters are built into the line. Bearing won't move to next station and/or line stops if flow meters don't register grease injection. Vision systems look for presence of bearings, cages, and grease otherwise no-go. There may even be a visual check by a real human prior to seal installation.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) still can happen though but it is rare.

Bad information on interwebz (including me - (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) ) is statistically more likely than a mainstream OEM kicking out thousands upon thousands of bad bearings.

Food for thought.

[bbrock]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) still can happen though but it is rare.

Bad information on interwebz (including me - (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) ) is statistically more likely than a mainstream OEM kicking out thousands upon thousands of bad bearings.

Food for thought.

You're a real Woody Woodpecker... a trouble maker. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

All I can speak for is what I saw. I opened what should have been two identical bearings and found significant differences in the amount of grease inside. I agree about not trusting what you find on the Interwebs, but what I found with only two bearings fit perfectly with what the "Interweb experts" were saying.

In the video you posted, you'll notice the guy who opens the bearing says that one actually looks pretty good but has more grease than other ones he opened which indicates he's seen the same variability I found in only opening two.. My first bearing I opened had about this same amount of grease and i also thought it looked okay. But the second one, no way.

The vid in the original post is a good tutorial on opening the bearings, but I would say the bearing he opened had adequate grease. It seems to me the area he points out with "no grease" would have been lubricated after the first few rotations of the bearing. On one that I opened, one whole side (bearing cage and race) was completely dry and I think there is a good chance you could be driving at speed for some time before any of the stingy amount of grease on the other side found its way over.

Obviously my observation isn't definitive and I'm no expert, but from what I, and others have seen, I think at least a quick inspection before installing these bearings is time well spent.