Covering bearings in grease is a safety measure that helps to prevent the bearings from locking up or stopping when you least expect them to. Mechanics check your bearings to ensure that they have the proper amount of grease in them. It is not difficult to place new grease in a bearing if you think that there is not enough grease in it. Greasing the bearing is a messy job, because the grease is sticky and can get all over the place, so wear old clothing when you perform this task.
Put on latex gloves if you do not want to get grease all over your hands before you start greasing the bearing.
Examine the bearing that you are going to put grease on. If it is an older bearing, check to make sure that all dirt and old grease is removed from the bearing. Remove the old grease and dirt with paper towels.
Place grease on your hand and start working the grease into the bearing. The grease needs to enter all the sections of the bearing. Old grease will continue to come out of the bearing as you force the new grease in.
Get rid of the old grease that will come up out of the bearing as you put new grease in it by removing the old away with your paper towels. The older grease will have a dark color and look like it is grimy while the new grease will not have any dirt or grime in it.
Turn the bearing in your hand while applying grease to it. This helps to ensure that the grease gets into every part of the bearing. Apply the grease so that it is both on the inside and the outside of the wheel bearing. You will start to see the grease pushing through the bearing when you do this properly.
Place the bearing down on a clean flat surface when you have completely greased it. Remove the latex gloves and dispose of them. Remove any extra grease from your arms and hands with the paper towels.
