Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

The hubs on my boat trailer have the grease fitting in the end of the bearing cap. I regularly pump them full of grease before towing. I don't think the bearings have ever been inspected or "packed". Is packing bearings necessary with this type of hubs or does the grease fitting cover this job?
If they should be packed, how often?

Thanks,

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

All wheel bearings on trailers should be removed and cleaned,inspected,and repacked once a year or 12k miles.Trailers that are stored for the winter should be done each spring.Think of bearing buddies like ice a chest , it will keep your beer cold for a bit, but it's not a frig.

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

Are we talking "Bearing Buddies" or "E-Z Lube" Hubs?

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

UncleWillie said:

Are we talking "Bearing Buddies" or "E-Z Lube" Hubs?

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What is the difference?

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

jestor68 said:

What is the difference?

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Bearing buddies are an aftermarket device that adds grease to the outside of the hub, none of it gets to the bearings.

E-Z Lube hubs are OEM and have a drilled spindle that applies the grease behind the inner bearing and displaces the old grease.

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

The question is regarding Bearing buddies.
Thanks,

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

UncleWillie said:

Bearing buddies are an aftermarket device that adds grease to the outside of the hub, none of it gets to the bearings.

E-Z Lube hubs are OEM and have a drilled spindle that applies the grease behind the inner bearing and displaces the old grease.

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Actually, grease pumped through the zerk on a BB will eventually find its way to the bearings, which is why folks who don't know better often end up blowing their inner seals as a result of over-filling. KD, go ahead and check and re-pack your bearings, and pay close attention to your inner seals to be sure this hasn't happened to you. I do love my EZ Lubes.

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

lncoop said:

Actually, grease pumped through the Zerk on a BB will eventually find its way to the bearings, which is why folks who don't know better often end up blowing their inner seals as a result of over-filling. KD, go ahead and check and re-pack your bearings, and pay close attention to your inner seals to be sure this hasn't happened to you. I do love my EZ Lubes.

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Agree!

Bearing buddings are intended to maintain a little positive pressure inside the hubs to prevent water from entering.
They are not meant to be a means of lubing the bearings.
If you keep loosing pressure and have to pump in more grease every launch, your seals are leaking.
The grease is going somewhere! ???

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

UncleWillie said:

Agree!

Bearing buddings are intended to maintain a little positive pressure inside the hubs to prevent water from entering.
They are not meant to be a means of lubing the bearings.
If you keep loosing pressure and have to pump in more grease every launch, your seals are leaking.
The grease is going somewhere! ???

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Did I mention I love my EZ Lubes?

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

I have BB's and pull them down every winter, (what winter in Texas ) around Christmas time .
I clean inside of hubs and inspect inside there for little bits of rust then clean again . I DO NOT leave my bearings to set for a long period of time with even the chance of there being water in the hubs . So far I have had one bad hub that had to be replaced and that was caused by a ruptured inner seal ! When pumpin in greese -- do not fill BB's till the cup spring is totally compressed =when totally compressed is when you will cause seal problems !!

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

bearings will need packed...

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

A little education for you: Basically, grease is an oil held in suspension in a "soap" base to thicken it. This prevents it from "slinging" out of the bearing.

Roller bearings need a surprisingly little amount of lubrication--think about the 50-1 ratio that outboard engines use. Look at the front bearings in a rear wheel drive car or truck: The factory only puts in a dollop of grease, just enough to pack the bearings thremselves while 90% of the hub is left empty. Admittedly, these hubs are not immersed in water regularly, but then again, neither are they repacked regularly--usually for the life of the vehicle

So BB or E Z lube, if you pump in grease through the fitting, enough oil will weep out and will get to both bearings to lubricate them. As long as the seals do not let in water, there is no need to remove the hubs and pack them and the bearings.

In fact, I have one trailer (for a tin boat) with leaking seals so I pump the BB full before each trip. It gets a lot of grease inside the fenders but that is the only harm so far. It has been that way for--oh, conservatively say ten years-- and I wonder if the bearings will ever fail. Someday I will remove the hubs for inspection--if I live that long.

While I sincerely embrace the concept of preventive maintenance, I don't go about making a ritual of it and don't prevent what may not be a problem. If seals started to leak on my 20 foot trailer, then I would definitely change them and repack the bearings. Until they do show a problem, I will simply pump in some fresh grease each season.

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

lncoop said:

Did I mention I love my EZ Lubes?

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I also have EZ Lubes and I love them also!

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

Frank Acampora said:

While I sincerely embrace the concept of preventive maintenance, I don't go about making a ritual of it and don't prevent what may not be a problem. If seals started to leak on my 20 foot trailer, then I would definitely change them and repack the bearings. Until they do show a problem, I will simply pump in some fresh grease each season.

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I'm with you on that... I absolutely do not tear down a hub every season, or every x miles. I watch the bearing buddies, if they drop down too much, I add some. On the rare occasion a seal goes out, that gets fixed IF the trailer is going to see highway miles. (I've got a trailer that goes about 10 mph for about 1/4 mile on dirt a couple times a year. Grease oozes out of that, zero seals left!)

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

KD4UPL said:

I regularly pump them full of grease before towing.

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If you are regularly pumping them up, where is all the grease going? Possibly out the rear seal onto your brakes? You should never have to add any grease once the hub is full.

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

bruceb58 said:

If you are regularly pumping them up, where is all the grease going? Possibly out the rear seal onto your brakes? You should never have to add any grease once the hub is full.

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Exactly. That's why I suggested a repack and inspection. If there are no issues you're only out a little time and grease. If there are issues and you resolve them you save yourself some serious headache.

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

Me to. Did I mention I love my EZ Lubes?

Re: Do greaseable hubs need to be packed?

Thanks for everyone's response. I will pull my wheels and service the bearings since I don't think it's ever been done on my '04 trailer. If all looks good I will probably let it go again for a good many years.