Melting neck bearing grease

[sandrooney]

What do you do about the cheap neck bearing grease that melts and gets all over everything??? Should I just keep putting in new grease till all the old grease is pushed out? It didn't do it on my 05, and it doesn't do it on my friends 06, but it seems to almost pour out on my 07.
Thanks,
SR

[Faast Ed]

My 08 did it most of the first (only) season. I just waited it out.

Will be interesting to read upcoming responses.

[HIPPO]

Maybe they actually put a good amount of grease in there.

Used to be they used a minimal amount.

Kind of hard to keep the oils separating from even the best grease when working against gravity in hot weather and with poor sealing once the neck is full of grease.

Greasing them more often and pushing some old grease out and wiping it off with a rag sort of works (except when its 120F in summer)

[fuzznut5197]

Would it help to use a grease with high dropping point? But yeah, there ain't much you can do about gravity, just ask my wife.. 

[surf]

Mobile 1 grease seems to stay solid.

[Faast Ed]

Me thinks over greasing is the worst culprit.

[sandrooney]

I kinda figured it might be a "live with it thing", kinda like if my old shovels and pans weren't leaking they were out of oil. I will try some Mobil grease and see if that helps.
Thanks,
SR

[Bakon]

Me thinks over greasing is the worst culprit.

Please explain, I thought you greased the thing till some was seen coming out. How do you over grease them?

[Faast Ed]

Right or wrong, I go a little more conservative when cosmetics count.  Not like the tie-rod ends on a car (where it's no big deal when the globs get on your car bottom).
I'll get a feel of how many pumps I put in and call it a wrap.  Not like my steering neck revolves at high rpm or gets exposed to lots of harsh elements. Occasional rain, I try to keep it rare. LOL

When I bought my bike they had to bring it in from another dealership. I think it was greased at both places cuz I spent the last 5000 miles cleaning up grease spatters off my paint.
I find it hard to believe they used the wrong grease, but I suppose that anything is possible.

[mrmike]

I got a tip here years ago about using Slick 50 grease and ordered some. It stays put and doesn't make a mess. I can't remember who it was that suggested it so I can't give him any credit.

Mike

[Blackbaggr]

Wally world (Walmart) carries the slick 50 grease...& its a pretty bluish-green color !

[HDRDR]

Marine bearing grease is good stuff also, stays where you need it....nice shade of blue / green too! lol

[harleyjt]

I've always heard that different greases shouldn't be mixed as there may be compatibility problems.  Has anyone ever seen greases interact and cause a problem?
jt

[WozzA]

I'm using Castrol BOATING grease in mine...  ( BLUE )  EVERY time I service..
just keep pumping it in there ... to PURGE the bearings to get the DIRTY grease out of the bearings...
& just wipe off the excess...      & wont deteriate in the heat..

[PosseRider]

I have tried 3 diff. kinds ..  So far, none has stayed put in + 100* heat including the Slick 50.

[moose]

ok I had to do it




was it synthetic or regular 


Merry christmas

[fxstdavew]

Faast Ed, you can't over grease by time it needs to be greased again a good portion of the grease has dropped to the lower portion of the steering neck so once you pump enough grease to reach the top bearing you have squeezed a mess out of the lower bearing. I would think a syn. grease would do better,but I haven't tried it I just clean up the mess. It's just a piss pour design. a set of seals would do wonders.

[Faast Ed]

...a set of seals would do wonders.

Understatement of the year!  LOL  Seals would be nice.

I see your point about the upper bearing. I guess I will look for a better choice of grease, and apply it liberally.

What a great knowledge base this board is! 

Thanks

[wayzalot]

I read on the old HTT site to use a high temp grease and fill it up until it comes out around the top.  Did that and put on 5000 more miles with no mess.  Fill up the neck eliminates any chance water could get in there.  The first time it took almost 2/3 of a tube of high temp. greese.