Suggestions for Grease to lube steering head bearings?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,600
Likes: 7
From: Minnesota
Amsoil Heavy Duty grease - @ the 1k mile service it takes most of a tube as I recall - after that a few squirts every other oil change.
It stays put even in very hot temperatures - never had it make a mess.
It stays put even in very hot temperatures - never had it make a mess.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,816
Likes: 2
From: New Hampshire
Ok, bought a tube of Red & Tacky and put in the grease gun I bought at Harbor Freight....tightened onto the zerk and started pumping (on RK the zerk is a straight shot..no adapter needed)pumped and pumped and pumped until the plunger was all the way at the bottom of the gun.
Disconnected and wtf...there seems like there is still half a tube of grease in there! Nothing came out from top or bottom of collar...plunger pushed all the way in....
Cheap *** grease gun or is that normal not to be able to get it all out of tube? I did notice that the rubber seal inside of the gun lifted a bit when handle pulled back....is it possible that the plunger could push right through the grease??
Im perplexed (not hard to do) I'm not even sure if any grease even came out of the end lol
Disconnected and wtf...there seems like there is still half a tube of grease in there! Nothing came out from top or bottom of collar...plunger pushed all the way in....
Cheap *** grease gun or is that normal not to be able to get it all out of tube? I did notice that the rubber seal inside of the gun lifted a bit when handle pulled back....is it possible that the plunger could push right through the grease??
Im perplexed (not hard to do) I'm not even sure if any grease even came out of the end lol
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 410
Likes: 3
From: Central North Carolina
I'm not a big fan of Harbor Freight tools. I do have some of their wrenches in my bike tool kit but they rarely (if ever) get any use. Most of what they sell is cheap crap from China. I suspect that your grease gun is defective. A decent grease gun will completely empty a grease cartridge.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 583
Likes: 2
From: Eaton, OH
When I first serviced my '09 at 1,000 miles, I read the requirements in the factory service manual and noted the part number for the grease for the steering head. I went to my local dealer and purchased the recommended grease.
I have what I call a full size grease gun, meaning it takes the full size cartridges, not the smaller ones. It has a rubber hose that is about 10" or so long. I had no problems at all getting it on the fitting on my bike.
I pumped the gun until I saw grease coming from both the bottom and top. I think it took about 3/4 of the cartridge.
I had some grease oozing out the bottom for a while but none ever got on the bike. Whenever I saw it, I wiped as much as could off with paper towels and then took some long length cotton swabs to get the rest out.
I put a couple more pumps of grease in at the 5,000 mile service and immediately saw oozing. I did a couple more pumps for good measure and then wiped off the grease that had come out. Since that last service, very little more has appeared.
The HD grease does seem to liquefy a little more than some old Mobil grease I have. When I was done servicing the bike the first time, I removed the grease cartridge from the gun and put plastic bags with rubber bands over each end and sit it on the shelf next to the Mobil grease. When I went to use it at 5,000 miles, I noticed the lower bag had some green liquid in the bag, apparently from the grease. The Mobil grease had never done that.
I plan to use the rest of the HD grease until it's gone and then decide if I want to use something else.
Hope this helps.
I have what I call a full size grease gun, meaning it takes the full size cartridges, not the smaller ones. It has a rubber hose that is about 10" or so long. I had no problems at all getting it on the fitting on my bike.
I pumped the gun until I saw grease coming from both the bottom and top. I think it took about 3/4 of the cartridge.
I had some grease oozing out the bottom for a while but none ever got on the bike. Whenever I saw it, I wiped as much as could off with paper towels and then took some long length cotton swabs to get the rest out.
I put a couple more pumps of grease in at the 5,000 mile service and immediately saw oozing. I did a couple more pumps for good measure and then wiped off the grease that had come out. Since that last service, very little more has appeared.
The HD grease does seem to liquefy a little more than some old Mobil grease I have. When I was done servicing the bike the first time, I removed the grease cartridge from the gun and put plastic bags with rubber bands over each end and sit it on the shelf next to the Mobil grease. When I went to use it at 5,000 miles, I noticed the lower bag had some green liquid in the bag, apparently from the grease. The Mobil grease had never done that.
I plan to use the rest of the HD grease until it's gone and then decide if I want to use something else.
Hope this helps.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 983
Likes: 4
From: Indiana
I use Mobil 1 synthetic and don't have the oozing problem. I also did not need to change the zerk to a 90 deg or 45 deg because I have a 90 adapter for my grease gun. I have had it for years because the inner tie rod ends on my pickup are not accessible with a standard gun end.
I thought it might be a Lincoln Lubrication 5883 Slotted Right Angle 90 Degree Coupler
But after looking at it I believe it is a Thexton 418 - Right Angle Grease Coupler
http://thexton.com/index.cfm/pageid/25
NAPA caries it under balkamp part number BK 700-2020 this is where I probably got mine.
https://napaonline.com/Catalog/Catal...282514715&An=0
What I did is screw a 1/8 NPT zerk into the coupler then whenever I need it I just plug it into the standard coupler on my grease gun and grease away.
I thought it might be a Lincoln Lubrication 5883 Slotted Right Angle 90 Degree Coupler
But after looking at it I believe it is a Thexton 418 - Right Angle Grease Coupler
http://thexton.com/index.cfm/pageid/25
NAPA caries it under balkamp part number BK 700-2020 this is where I probably got mine.
https://napaonline.com/Catalog/Catal...282514715&An=0
What I did is screw a 1/8 NPT zerk into the coupler then whenever I need it I just plug it into the standard coupler on my grease gun and grease away.
Last edited by vzts4q; Aug 27, 2011 at 11:51 PM. Reason: added information
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 96
Likes: 1
From: Michigan
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 983
Likes: 4
From: Indiana
Well other than disassembling the steering neck and individually greasing the upper and lower bearings separately there is no other way to ensure that both bearings have received any grease. The steering neck is just an open cavity with a grease fitting in the side of it.
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 862
Likes: 3
From: Henderson, Nevada
Use a right angle adapter, considerer an American made unit like the one Snap-On sells, to keep America working. We need to produce what we need to maintain American jobs. If you don't support American manufacturing jobs, then who will? Used about 3/4 tube first time I greased mine. Never oozed out. Hit it with a few pumps each service. Using the factory grease. Store the grease gun in refrigerater in summer months as it will seep out of the gun in the hot garage.
Last edited by Harleyboyddk; Aug 27, 2011 at 10:00 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 983
Likes: 4
From: Indiana
But I ALWAYS look at where a product is made. So just for curiosity I went to the Snap-On page and looked up grease couplings only one of the 90 degree ones was made in the USA.
And I believe everything else on the page was made in China, Taiwan or India
It's getting really depressing you can't trust any company based on past sourcing practices.