Oil & Grease

[Old Dave]

Oil
I have a pair of new oilite bushes for my Girling brake cams. I guess engine oil is best, but how long do I need to soak them before pressing in to the housing??

Grease
I am fitting new felt seals in the front hubs. Do I need to soak them in anything? OR is a smear of grease on the inside enough? (as recommended by Doug Woodrow in the Big Red Book)

Thanks in advance for any guidance. 

[Alan]

Oilite comes ready loaded with oil, they say. I always soak them an hour or two in hot oil. The stuff that goes in engines. I use lip seals not felt on the hubs, but if I did use felt it would be with a smear of grease.

[Reckless Rat]

The accepted period lubricant for felt seals was tallow, a form of beef dripping made from rendered suet. I have done mine in duck fat, which does the job. Just heat it up until it melts and leave it in the dish overnight. I guess common or garden grease will do fine, some of that stuff you have a 3lb tub of, but wipe off the excess.

The secret for your hubs is not to over-lubricate. Too much and it'll go where you don't want it.

I just use the duck fat because we often have "confit de canard" for tea, and I always ask the Mem'Sahib to save the fat. It's great for roast tatties too.

[Old Dave]

Alan,

Thanks - I wondered if that was why they were called oilite!!    I have some lip seals but they are too big to go in without damage - it's not a lot but too much - SO! new felt it is.

Bruce

Thanks for that - you have made feel hungry now. Yes I suppose the PH stuff would suffice and the house management is clean out of tallow.

[Old Dave]

Well changed my mind and ground a little off the outer edge of the lip seals and managed to press them in. I found that the outer-part of a 1970's Maxi front wheel bearing is just the right size for pressing in the vice. So the felt will go in the spares box.

QUESTION -

The Girling brake levers have a small felt seal/washer between the lever and the oilite bush - does this mean it should be oiled?