Posts: 3479
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
If you are just squeezing more in, you very well may have some water in there as well, which will start to burn the bearings. Burned bearings are a bad thing, as are rusting bearings. If you run grease, you should repack at the end of each season to remove any water that could be in there...even if it is in trace amounts. Replacing the seals guarantees (save defective seal) that you are ready to go next season and should not have any issues...
Hubs are not water tight (oil bath or grease)...that is why oil bath hub oil (like liqualube hubs) are designed to absorb some water to keep the bearings protected. If one runs straight gear oil (like in your differential) you may run into burning of the bearings as well...
Always play safe....better to err in caution than to err the other way and be stranded on a roadside with either a lost wheel and hub, or a welded hub to a spindle...
Steve |
