|
|
Posts: 585
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland | I've asked around locally about greasing trailer wheel bearings and have gotten a lot of inconsitancies as to how often to do it and how to do it. Answers range from: "everytime I use the trailer," once every five years," and believe it not - "never." Looking for guidance to include:
1. how often do you grease the trailer bearings?
2. If you have "Bearing Buddies" (I do), how do you know when you have enough grease in them? (The pictures with the directions are not really good. I know a mechanism moves towards you as you add grease)
3. Any other tips are appreciated!!
Thanks - Tom |
|
| |
|
Posts: 4266
| I used to have bearing buddies on my old trailer. They work well as long as you don't overpack 'em and blow out the seals. Grease flies everywhere! As far as how often, if the plate moves out toward you, you have enough.
I have a new trailer for my rig where the grease is added from the rear forcing the water out if any is in there. Neddless to say you have to take off the hub to do it. So every year when I take my engine in and have it fogged, I have them grease the bearings too. I know I can do it my self, but I'm about as mechanically inclined as a three-fingered butcher, so I just pay a little cash every year to have it done.Getting old is a bitch, but it beats dying.
Beav |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1120
Location: West Chester, OH | The part of the Buddie that moves is a spring loaded piston which pushes the grease toward the bearings. When the Buddie is not full, the piston will continue to move toward you as you add grease. When full, the spring coil binds & the piston movement ceases. Stop pumping, as any additional grease will blow out past the seal.
My average trip is several hundred miles, so I top-off the bearings before & after each trip. Usually takes only 1 or 2 shots w/the grease gun for each wheel. If you are overfilling, or your wheel seals are failing, you’ll see grease slinging out on the inboard side of your wheels – easily spotted on a white wheel.
As the trailer & I age, I worry more about trouble on the road, so I now pull the wheels each season to inspect/clean/re-pack the bearings & replace the seals. There are also thin stainless steel sleeves (“Speedy Sleeves”) on my axle spindles which prevent the wheel seals from wearing directly on the spindle & they’ll need periodic replacement as well. If you’re really conscientious, perform your annual maintenance @ the end of the season, to prevent any accumulated moisture from sitting all winter on metal parts.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 941
Location: Freedom, WI | I had bearing buddies and liked them but, I switched to hubs that fill with oil (heavy trucks have that). Love them just look in the cap and see the oil, if it is milky drain and refill. Basspro has them they are called turbo lube, got mine from Boat US. There is a company the sells a kit to covert your hub to oil if the hub is big enough to mount the cover but I do not remember there name (they had a ad on muskiefirst for a while). |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1438
| Was that the LiquiLube hubs??? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 585
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland | Great responses. Everybody said how they do it. However, nobody really said when they do it? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 941
Location: Freedom, WI | Ya Liquilube that was it. The hubs on my trailer were not thick enough to drill and tap holes to mount the cover. On their website it did not show anyplace to purchase complete hubs. So I bought turbo lube kits instead.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 3910
| Kid - I replace the bearings at the begiining of each season and check the grease every few weeks or before every long trip. Some may feel that replacing the bearings every year is overkill, but bearings are cheap and I like the peace of mind. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 585
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland | thanks, tom |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1430
Location: Eastern Ontario | I trailler a lot so I have them packed and/or changed if needed every spring. Then I have them checked once or twice a year. All that prevention and I still had one go bad on me last fall, man a Friday night and I can see the fireworks in my rear view mirror. Had to get the boat towed on a flatbed to the launch the next morning as I had a guiding date. I once had berring buddys but they keeped falling off on me so I don't use them anymore. I would like to know the RPM's them 13 inch wheels do at 70 MPH. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I installed Liqua-Lube kits last spring and I'm very impressed with them, the hubs do not even get warm!! My gas milage is better and it is very easy to change the lubricant every year. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | If you have some grease coming out the hubs, does this mean you've blown out the seals? If not, how do you know for sure? I have some grease that is visible, and I'm cleaning it up fairly often. But my hubs are never hot after trailering.
If I've blown the seals but yet continue to keep them greased up, what kind of damage have I been doing to my trailer?
AWH |
|
| |
|
Posts: 111
Location: Big Lake, MN | I've been using bearing buddies for years and have always had good luck with them. I clean and repack my bearings every spring and only replace the bearings every two years. It makes sense to do this in the fall so you don't have water sitting in there rusting but I never have the time in the fall. As far as how much grease to put in bearing buddies; If you can rock or move the piston, the hub is properly filled. If the piston won't rock or move, add grease until piston moves outward about 1/8 inch.
Good Luck!
|
|
| |
|
Location: Minneapolis, MN | AWH - if you have any grease visible there is a good chance you have breached the seal which would allow water to intrude. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | Ok, so if I've blown out the seals, what do I need to do now? How much of a repair bill am I looking at? I know very little about trailers, so I'm a rookie here!
Thanks,
AWH |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | When I last did mine it was about $65 if memory is correct. I am not sure which brand I have on my boat but if I go any kind of distance I put some more grease in with the gun. I am positive mine are blown despite having gone by the instructions to the t. If I am towing over 100 miles I stop once and check how hot the hub feels, if it seems too warm I add grease. According to a friend that is a boat mechanic you should repack every year. |
|
| |
