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I took the drivers side rear wheel off and discovered that the key pin was not seated properly in the key way, but I belive I caught it in time. My question is this: While I had it off I noticed two access holes with plugs in them, one looked like a hex nut plug and the other looked like a lube fitting but is not. Tell me can I put a lube fitting on one of these to lube the bearings without pulling the wheel, because it is right where the bearings are located? Frank GO ARMY BEAT NAVY

Frank,

The plugs should be on the topside. Yes, they are for lubricating and some people have put grease zirks on them.

One is on the top and the one with the hex plug in it is on the lower side.

The Army issued MWO ORD G1-W43 Removal of Rear Axle Lubrication Fitting in the urgent action category 12 JAN 1951 to prevent overlubrication which was damaging the rear axle seals.

I am not sure if Willys ever issued any service notes on the subject. Their 1965 CJ service manuals still shows the rear wheel bearings being lubricated thru the fitting. There is a BIG caution there to make sure the vent hole is clear and not to continue pumping after grease FIRST starts to come out the vent hole because you risk the grease forcing it's way into the brake shoe area via the shaft keyway. Of course if the vent and the shaft keyway are both plugged with dried grease then you will force the axle shaft seals and they will allow the grease and the gear oil to mix.

Now you see why the hubs are so hard to get off the tapered axle. They have never been pulled for wheel bearing greasing or brake work since they left the military.

Adding to Wes's post. My rear axle was plugged with the mentioned dried/dirty grease. Pay attention to the top hole on each side of the axle tube. There was a spring-loaded vent plug on the M38 to prevent ingress of water. You mentioned this looks like a lube fitting but it is not. These are pressure-relief plugs. This vent looks like a hex nut or hex plug with a small round center protruding. If you have them, remove them and clean/check or replace. The CJ had left these holes unplugged. The spring-loaded plug in the M38 should allow grease to escape when the zirk on the rear of the axle is pumped with grease. Due to dirt and dried grease it will probably not release leading to the problem Wes points out.

A shield in the brake drum area (protector, grease, rear-brake) should be in place. In theory it would direct grease and oil out through a hole in the bottom of the backing plate before it gets to the shoes. Clean this up and unplug the holes on the backing plate as they are also full of old dried dirt

Tom

Tom, what part of RI are you from?

Jamestown, RI
2-miles west (across the bay) from NavSta Newport. 4-miles south of NAS Quonset Point.

TM

My brother in law is located just of the Newport side of the bridge going into newport. My headstone is at the Quacker Church in Portsmith where my wife is at. She was a native of Newport. (Greek of corse)LOL