grease the wheels

elbow grease

Effort or hard work, especially physical work involving repeated motion of the forearm, such as scrubbing.

grease monkey

A mechanic, often with the specific connotation of an automobile mechanic.

grease payment

A bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

grease someone's palm

To bribe a person.

grease the skids

To create conditions likely to produce or hasten favorable future developments.

hell on wheels

A situation that is tough, aggressive, lawless, and wild.

set of wheels

A car.

set the wheels in motion

to initiate a chain of events necessary to help one achieve a goal (more quickly)