Ideas to grease an idler bearing

[Sodo]

This idler does not have a grease fitting. I have 2 of them on a Massey Ferguson sickle mower #31. One is screaming, the other is smooth, but feels dry too. I'd like to grease these before they give me trouble, and one of them will go soon (like tomorrow)! If I can get some grease in these I bet they last 10 years (at my level of usage).

 

[cruz54982]

since they are already dry and wrecking them would only shorten the life a small amount I would drill a small hole next to the nut just far enough in to be outside the inner race. Then use a needle type grease fitting such as used on roller nose chainsaw bars . after greasing apply silicone sealant to hole , should last a long time if rollers are not to far gone.

 

[jaotguy]

motorcycle chain lube .....

or , remove nut and washer ... press belt down ....remove idler... pack with grease... reassemble....

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Those are sealed bearings, when they go they go. You probably have to replace the whole idler. Ones I have had apart the bearing itself is usually replaceable. It is amazing what a bearing supply house can do matching old stuff up to a new bearing.

Ron

 

[MHarryE]

You might try looking at a store like TSC. They have idler pulleys in the $8 to $15 range that might work. If the idler cuts loose you might tear up the belt which could be a lot more expensive than the idler pulleys.

 

[Sodo]

OK thanks for ideas. I will drill a little hole in it and squirt in some chain lube. I have some real goopy chain lube in a spraycan. That should quiet things down until Amazon delivers.

I ordered this "Plews needle tip adapter" from Amazon. I think I'll jam this tapered point into the hole, squirt moly-grease in there then wipe off the hole, and cover it with a little blob of silicone (thanks Harry KY!).

We used to do this on the farm, but we'd drill the bearing seal (which is often very thin (soft) steel, or rubber-coated steel). This pulley looks like it is the "outer race", in which case it may be hardened & not drill-able.

 

[Supa Dexta]

They make grease needles to fit on the end of a gun. As seen here

EZ Dock - Floating Dock System of New York

We use them on bearings that we remove the side seal to repack some grease in them, or even on grease nipples, if you press them down into the center hole.. Definitely worth to have one in the tool box.

But are you sure there's no small hole anywhere on it? Disc harrows and whatnot will often have a small grease port in their spherical bearings that you fill with a needle and just leave open. As seen here -

http://www.borine-bearing.com/photo...w-bearings-round-bore-relubricable-series.jpg

Often times they get plugged with dirt and rust, that until you really clean them up you'd never know they were there.

Here's the manual on your mower - http://www.borine-bearing.com/photo...w-bearings-round-bore-relubricable-series.jpg

 

[Sodo]

Often times they get plugged with dirt and rust, that until you really clean them up you'd never know they were there.

Good idea, I'll look closer for a lube hole.

 

[PILOON]

The needle type mentioned by Supa Dextra that threads onto the grease gun hose (1/8 NPT) is also found in auto parts as well as Wally Mart and probably TSC.
I recall paying a mere couple of $$.

 

[jones6780]

I would take the nut off, remove the pulley and see what it looks like. You may be able to remove the side shield and repack the bearing or drill the rivets out, split and replace the bearing.