Grease dam for filling a wheel hub cavity with grease and method of using same

Abstract

A removable grease dam tool to facilitate proper filling of grease within a wheel hub assembly and a method of using the same. A grease dam is placed adjacent an outer surface of a wheel hub mounted to a spindle. The grease dam blocks at least 50% of the exposed area between the wheel hub and spindle and leaves a top portion open to allow greased to be injected into the inner cavity of the wheel hub. A portion of the grease dam is disposed within the wheel hub between the wheel hub and spindle to simulate the presence of the outer bearing. Once the inner cavity of the wheel hub is filled beyond a 50% fill level, the grease dam is removed and the outer bearing assembly is immediately thereafter installed. The tool prevents leakage of grease during assembly to ensure at least a 50% fill level. A handle is provided to facilitate manipulation by a user.

1 . A combination wheel assembly and removable grease dam for facilitating filling grease within a cavity of said wheel assembly, 
 said wheel assembly comprising; 
 a wheel hub rotatably mounted onto a spindle, said spindle being disposed within said wheel hub and said cavity being defined by a space there between;  
   said grease dam comprising; 
 a main portion having a surface corresponding to and continuously engaging an outer face of said wheel hub;  
 a dam portion extending from said main portion into said wheel hub and substantially disposed between said wheel hub and said spindle, said dam portion having an external surface correspondingly contoured to an inner peripheral surface of said wheel hub, said dam portion having an inner surface substantially corresponding to an external surface of said spindle; wherein said grease dam is positioned to block egress of grease to facilitate at least a 50% fill level of grease within said cavity.  
   
     
     
         2 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein said main portion and said dam portion together block a lower portion of an area between said wheel hub and said spindle adjacent an end of said wheel hub and blocking at least 50% of said area while leaving an open top portion of said area to facilitate ingress of said grease to a fill level of at least 50% of said cavity.  
     
     
         3 . The combination wheel assembly and removable grease dam according to  claim 1 , further comprising a handle extending from said main portion external said wheel hub to facilitate manipulation of said grease dam by a user.  
     
     
         4 . The combination wheel assembly and removable grease dam according to  claim 1 , wherein said outer face of said wheel hub has a plurality of bores and said main portion of said grease dam has at least one peg extending from said main portion and into one of said bores to facilitate relative positioning of said grease dam with respect to said wheel hub.  
     
     
         5 . The combination wheel assembly and removable grease dam according to  claim 1 , wherein said main portion and said dam portion are separately formed of two pieces and secured to one another to form an integral body, said dam portion being formed as a semi-frustoconical member to engage a tapered inner surface of said wheel hub and having a longitudinally extending recess to accommodate and engage said spindle, said main portion being formed as a semi-disc shaped substantially planar member having a notch corresponding to said recess of said frustoconical member to also accommodate and engage said spindle.  
     
     
         6 . A hand held grease dam for assisting the filling of grease within a cavity between a wheel hub and a wheel spindle, said grease dam comprising: 
 a main portion formed of a substantially planar semi-disc shaped member, said main portion having a central notch, said central notch adapted and being provided to accommodate said spindle;    a semi-frustoconically shaped dam portion orthogonally extending from a first planar side of main portion and having a recess corresponding to said notch of said main member, said recess adapted to and being provided to accommodate and engage said spindle when said dam portion is disposed between said wheel hub and said spindle;    a handle secured to and extending from a second planar side of said main portion opposite said first planar side for manipulation of said grease dam by a user.    
     
     
         7 . The hand held grease dam according to  claim 6 , said grease dam further comprising: 
 a plurality of pegs extending from said first planar side of said main portion parallel to said frustoconically shaped dam portion, said plurality of pegs being provided to engage a bore formed in an outer face of said wheel hub to position said grease dam relative to said wheel hub.    
     
     
         8 . The hand held grease dam according to  claim 6 , wherein said dam portion and said main portion together partially circumscribe a longitudinal line extending within said recess and said central notch more than  1800  there around.  
     
     
         9 . A combination wheel assembly and removable grease dam for filling said wheel assembly with grease, 
 wheel assembly comprising; 
 a wheel hub having an outer face and an inner cavity defined by an inner surface of said wheel hub;  
 a spindle extending within said inner cavity and terminating proximate said outer face of said wheel hub, said inner surface of said wheel hub and said spindle defining an annular space there between;  
   said removable grease dam comprising; 
 a main portion substantially flush mounted to said outer face of said wheel hub and a dam portion extending from said main portion and within said annular space, wherein said main portion and said dam portion together block at least 50% of said annular space proximate said outer face to facilitate at least a 50% grease fill level of said annular space and said inner cavity.  
   
     
     
         10 . The combination wheel assembly and removable grease dam according to  claim 9 , wherein said main portion includes at least one peg extending therefrom and disposed within a bore formed on said outer face of said wheel hub to orient said grease dam toward a bottom portion of said wheel assembly, said grease dam circumscribing at least half of said spindle and an exposed portion of said annular space remains adjacent a top portion of said outer face of said wheel hub to allow entrance of grease into said inner cavity.  
     
     
         11 . A method of installing a wheel hub to a wheel spindle, said method including the steps of: 
 mounting an inner bearing assembly to said wheel hub,    coating said spindle with a grease    mounting said wheel hub and said inner bearing assembly to said spindle,    providing an outer bearing assembly and packing said outer bearing assembly with grease;    placing a grease dam adjacent said wheel hub, said grease dam having a dam portion projecting within said wheel hub and simulating the presence of at least 50% of said outer bearing about a lower portion of said wheel hub    filling a cavity defined by a space between said inner bearing assembly, said spindle, said wheel hub and said dam portion, with said grease to at least 50%;    removing said grease dam from said wheel hub,    immediately installing said outer bearing assembly between said wheel hub and said spindle after said step of removing said grease dam.    
     
     
         12 . The method of installing said wheel hub to said spindle according to  claim 11 , said method further comprising a step of securing a nut to said spindle and setting end play of said wheel hub and outer bearing assembly relative to said spindle.  
     
     
         13 . The method of installing said wheel hub to said spindle according to  claim 10 , said method further comprising a step of securing a hub cap to said wheel hub.