Greasing Problems

I generally have put my grease intervals at a roughly 5000 mile / two week interval type of schedule. On cam bushings, I have pumped till I start to see grease coming out at the chamber end of the shaft tube. Not convinced you are using a low quality grease. Maybe not the "best", but hardly substandard either. A moly fortified grease is a good thing to use. It is very possible that you are playing catch up. Those shaft tubes hold quite a bit of grease between those bushings. I use a pistol grip style gun myself. I haven't used a lever version in quite a long time, and it is possible that the pistol versions don't quite shove out the same on each stroke as a lever version. I would just pump away till you get grease starting to come out the end, each time you grease. Not only are you greasing, you are pushing out road contaminates that have worked their way into the ends of the bushings between greasing. Just wipe on any excess with a rag.

 

I use a 14volt Lincoln gun, I put like 10 shots in my s cams. That electric gun is one of the best things I ever bought.

 

Copy that driver. I used to use mine to grease the grease tube adjusters on track machines. That gun could break through many a stuck fitting.

 

I've been wondering for the longest time about how much I should grease my S Cam tubes. It's the biggest pain as far as greasing goes.

I just usually give it at least half a dozen pumps from the electric gun but I never hear or see anything giving me any peace of mind knowing I did it correctly.

 

I've always pumped until grease flows out around the slack adjuster. Most cams have a lip seal on the "S" end to prevent grease from ending up on the shoes. Just gotta watch in there to make sure its not all going in there.

Everything I've ever greased on a truck (aside from the clutch release bearing and cross shaft bushings) I've greased until grease just starts to flow. Zero issues with seized parts or premature wear.

 

OK thank you for the information. I just didn't want to over grease them. It's been a mystery to me for many years.

Thank you!

 

I mean I would just pump pump pump and the entire time I'm thinking, how much grease does this S cam tube actually take and how do I know when to stop.

I grease everything else just fine.

I will definitely check out what you told me though. I really appreciate it because it's seriously been a mystery for a really long time.

So are you saying that grease will start coming out of the tube where it connects to the slack adjuster?

I was always afraid it would pour grease into the brakes.

 

Normally you'll see it come out between the tube and slack. Sometimes it'll come out thru the splines on the camshaft too. If you think you're putting too much in, just shine a light in and see if its coming out around the cam.

I've seen really dry ones take 25-40 shots to get the grease to flow.