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Mark has over 25 years of experience in the fields of lubrication management, oil analysis, and contamination control, and has published more than 190 technical articles and whitepapers. He is frequently invited to share his subject matter expertise at conferences around the globe and has worked with a number of blue chip companies, including Chevron, DuPont, Alcoa, ExxonMobil, Goodyear, Cargill, International Paper, General Mills, and the U.S. Army to extend asset life through precision lubrication. For numerous years now, Mark Barnes leads Des-Case’s reliability services team, helping customers identify opportunities for improvements to their industrial lubrication programs through training, consulting and product solutions. Prior to joining Des-Case, Mark was Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Services for Noria Corporation. Mark holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom and is a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP).

Rollers on this type of bearing are secured in a cage between the inner and outer races. The tapered roller bearing is expected to move around the cage freely to allow heat expansion.

Automatic lubrication systems range from simple single-point lubricators to large, complex multiline systems that lubricate hundreds of individual lubrication points. While some are designed just for grease, others can be used with either oil or grease, offering flexibility to accommodate various scenarios.

Done correctly, manual lubrication can be an efficient and effective way to keep smaller equipment running reliably while also allowing us to inspect the asset easily at the same time.

But is there a better way? Sometimes, the answer is a resounding “yes” using single or multipoint automatic lubrication systems.

Lastly, fatigue or spalling can lead to fractured bearing surfaces and cause the bearing material to break off after some time.

Because both the bearing and rollers are tapered for this type, it can accommodate more weight. Unlike other types, the load on the tapered roller bearing is directed over the entire length of each roller instead of concentrating on a small spot.

As the gas expands, the force causes a diaphragm to push grease into the housing. Like spring-activated auto-lubers, ambient conditions greatly influence how effective gas-activated auto-lubers work.

Automatic lubrication systems vary widely in design and layout. However, they all offer similar positives while having some very real negatives if they are not properly selected, installed, and maintained.

The supply line is pressurized and primes and fires the first valve. This, in turn, primes and pressurizes the second valve, and so on Figure 4). Series systems can be used over a slightly longer distance since they carry more pressure to a single lubrication point.

Perhaps the biggest downside to automatic lubrication is the false sense of security or a so-called “set-it-and-forget-it” mentality. Left unattended and uninspected, automatic lubrication systems can stop working, become plugged, or run empty.

AutomaticGreasePump

The most reliable single-point lubricators use a motor and positive displacement pump to inject the lubricant. These can be hardwired or battery-activated and generate hundreds of PSI of pressure. In some cases, they can also be connected to the plant’s PLC and DCS system to stop pumping if production shuts down.

Aside from optimizing lubricant volume, automatic lubrication can also help in applications where it is difficult to access the lubricated component safely during normal operation.

Driving with a bad wheel bearing is never a good idea. Aside from compromising your safety, you also risk damaging other parts of your vehicle, which can lead to costly repairs down the road. In extreme cases, driving with a bad wheel bearing can even cause one of your wheels to fall off while driving.

Wheel bearings let the wheels rotate while supporting the entire vehicle. These bearings come with rolling parts inside them that help reduce friction.

Auto grease systemexcavator

Perhaps the most significant benefit of automatic lubrication is ensuring that a bearing or other lubricated point receives the optimum amount of lubricant.

Automaticgrease systemfor trucks

The simplest form of single-point lubricator uses a spring and plate design. By filling the reservoir, the plate compresses a spring. Over time, as the bearing rotates, the force created by the compressed spring in conjunction with the centrifugal force of the rotating bearing causes grease to be injected into the housing.

The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.

CarParts.com offers a wide variety of wheel bearings from the top manufacturers at different price points. You can purchase wheel bearings individually, in sets of two, or sets of four, depending on your needs. Our parts are shipped from strategically located warehouses, so you won’t have to wait a long time for your part to arrive.

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Roller bearings have rollers between the inner and outer races to reduce friction. Compared to a ball bearing, this type has a longer contact area to support heavier loads.

SKF automaticgrease lubrication system

But they are not and never will be, an excuse for laziness or no maintenance. Choose them carefully, inspect them regularly, and never “set it and forget it.”

SKFAutogreaser manual

Although there is less friction when using ball bearings, they’re not made to support the same weight as roller bearings.

A damaged or worn-out wheel bearing can cause the brake rotor to wobble on its axis, which can push the caliper piston into its bore.

Autolube systems for heavy equipment

Most units can be adjusted to vary the quantity and frequency of lubricant and come in different designs that use either a prefilled cartridge of grease or a grease zerk for refilling.

Once this happens, you’ll notice that the brake pedal feels low or spongy because the piston is traveling farther than normal to apply braking power.

Some vehicles also have needle bearings, which is a type of roller bearing that uses smaller needle rollers. This type is not adjustable because the clearance between the diameter of the straight roller is manufactured into the bearing itself.

Spring-type auto-lubers are probably the most unreliable. Over time, the spring may weaken or break, or the force generated may be too low to inject grease into the housing effectively.

While parallel systems are inexpensive, they have some drawbacks, most notably a limited distance range, particularly in cold climates. At the same time, each injector needs to be periodically inspected and tested using a grease gun to ensure both the supply line and injector are functioning.

Conversely, the bearing may be under-lubricated as we reach the prescribed relubrication interval. With automatic lubrication, we can add a smaller amount of lubricant over a shorter time interval, helping always to maintain an amount closer to the ideal quantity (Figure 1).

Multipoint automatic lubrication systems are used for distribution across a wider area. Multipoint systems can be divided into two general categories: parallel (non-progressive) or series (progressive).

Like the single-line parallel system, a dual-line system has two lines that pressurize and de-pressurize the system to feed multiple lubrication points through adjustable injectors.

In most industrial facilities, many lubricant application tasks are performed manually using either a grease gun, an oil can, an oil top-off container, or an aerosol spray.

Wheel bearings are a crucial component because they let the wheels rotate while supporting the weight of the entire vehicle. When they become faulty, your vehicle’s wheel hubs are going to create noises and vibrations while you’re driving, which can be unnerving. They can fail catastrophically and cause your wheel to seize, which can result in a crash. Replace your faulty wheel bearings immediately with new ones from CarParts.com.

Automatic lubrication systems are not foolproof. They must be inspected, topped up, tested for obstructions or failed injectors, and properly maintained. Likewise, we need to consider the viscosity of the oil or thickness of grease to be used, particularly at very high or low ambient operating temperatures.

So, too, thickener type should be considered. Some thickeners have a higher bleed rate than others, causing grease to separate in a multipoint lubrication system. This can result in plugged lines and a lack of lubrication.

William “Bill” Guzenski has produced hundreds of how-to videos for the automotive community. He’s an ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician, and is affiliated with the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). He loves attending race events and car shows throughout the country, as well as traveling in his 40-foot motorhome, exploring abandoned mines and ghost towns.

Automaticlubrication systemmanufacturers

In some cases, you might even need to replace the entire hub because you won’t be able to get to the damaged bearing without disassembling the entire unit.

Likewise, changes in ambient temperatures can affect both the lubricant viscosity and grease consistency, resulting in under or over-lubrication.

Precision Lubrication magazine provides timely, in-depth news and insights on lubrication, maintenance, and reliability. Each issue delivers solid guidance, tools and information you can use right away at your facility.

Lincoln automaticlubrication system

Some single-point lubricators can be used with divider blocks to distribute lubricant to as many as sixteen lubrication points nearby. These can be particularly helpful in applications such as conveying systems where many grease-lubricated pillow block bearings can be found at the head or tail of the conveyor.

In mobile applications, using a central greasing system to lubricate pins and bushing can also help to purge contaminants out of the bushing. This is particularly useful in off-highway applications where high dust and dirt ingression can cause significant wear problems.

In non-progressive systems, a pump pressurizes a supply line with lubricant. Divider blocks connect the grease supply line to individual application points, which can be uniquely adjusted to dispense different quantities of oil or grease (Figure 3).

These anti-friction wheel bearings come in the form of ball, roller, and tapered roller bearings. And while each of them has distinctive features, they all perform the similar task of converting sliding friction into a rolling motion.

Wheel bearings are generally designed to last the lifespan of your vehicle. However, driving conditions, habits, and other factors can cause them to fail like any other car part.

In cold climates, the reaction rate may be too slow to generate enough pressure, while in warmer temperatures, the reaction may work too well, injecting too much grease into the housing.

Ball bearings reduce friction by using hardened steel balls between the inner and outer races. This type of wheel bearing is designed to operate at high speeds and control an axle shaft’s thrust movement.

In applications where oil or grease has to be dispensed over large distances or where high-viscosity oils or thicker greases are in use, it is common to use a dual-line parallel system.

The tapered roller bearing is the most common type used in vehicles. It is designed to support both radial and axial loads.

Used judiciously, the case of automatic lubrication is clear. Whether to ensure that just the right amount of lubricant is supplied at the right time or to help ensure that we don’t expose our lube techs to unnecessary safety risks, automatic lubricators can play an essential role in any lubrication program.

The cost would be the same as a replacement, as there’s no other way to fix a damaged wheel bearing than to replace it with a new one.

The simplest type of automatic lubricator is the single-point auto-luber (Figure 2). As the name implies, the automatic lubricator is connected to a single point, often a pillow block or other bearing housing. Single-point auto-lubers are commonly used with grease and are a good option where safety concerns preclude manual lubrication.

The valve blocks are often automatically monitored for pressure and alarmed to ensure the system is still functioning. The biggest drawback for any series system is the progressive nature of the system, whereby any valve failure early in the series will result in no lubricant being dispensed further down the line.