A veteran mechanic in Chicago told me my gear cleaning method was just moving grease around, so I switched to a three-bucket system with specific brushes for each part.

Has anyone else found a better way to get all the old lube out of a worm gear without taking the whole assembly apart?

3 comments

3 Comments

Seriously, that three-bucket method sounds intense. Have you tried flushing it with a light solvent like mineral spirits before the new grease? Sometimes that can work it loose without a full teardown.

holly_sanchez751mo ago

Just watch out for old seals turning to sludge.

xena_fox391mo ago

Mineral spirits can work if the grease is just a bit stiff, but if it's really old and caked on you might just push gunk deeper into the bearing. Holly's right about sludge being a problem. I've had better luck with the full clean-out because you can check the seals and races for any grit that got past a failed seal. A quick flush might seem easier, but it often leaves behind contaminants that wear things out faster.