Check those wheel bearings - glad I did !!!

[Moody Blue]

In preparing for a long weekend get-away I thought I would check the bearings 'just in case'. I usually clean and repack them in the fall each year and think little of it after that. When I popped the dust cap off, a bunch of rusty water dribbled out - oh no !! Pulled the hubs and one of the inner bearings was siezed on the spindle. The other outer bearing looked fine but I decided to pull the seal and inspect the inner just in-case. Bad again. Ended up replaceing all 4 bearings and races and installing new seals. I don't think I would have made it 50 miles and I would have blown at least one wheel. Turned out to be a great weekend with no trailer or boat troubles. <br />How often do others check the bearings ? How much grease do you pack into the hubs to protect the bearings ? I am thinking of getting the bearing buddies but don't know if they are worth the money or if they really work. Any comments ?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Check those wheel bearings - glad I did !!!

Get the bearing buddies. Get a small size grease gun and give them a few shots of grease when you haul the boat out. The springs indicate if you need grease or not. <br /><br />They are worth every penny.<br /><br />Bob

 

[ALAG3]

Re: Check those wheel bearings - glad I did !!!

yeah, pays to check the wheel bearings. I just returned from a 300 mile trip each way and saw at least 5 trailers on the side of the road jacked up, in different stages of roadside wheel bearing replacement! Every time I passed one, I just chuckled and said, shoulda checked those bearings!

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Check those wheel bearings - glad I did !!!

Bearing Buddies work for me, but I've noticed one odd thing.<br /><br />Before I had them, I would repack once a season and the grease would still be there next time. <br /><br />With BB's, I pump grease every outing, and I use a lot of grease. Can't see where it's going, because there's not much evidence of splattering on the wheels, but they sure use up grease.

 

[irishflies]

Re: Check those wheel bearings - glad I did !!!

If you have drum brakes you should inspect them.My buddies were doing the same thing and upon inspection my drums were loaded with grease. There is no way to see the rear seals with drum brakes. Atleast so on my trailer.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Check those wheel bearings - glad I did !!!

You shouldn't have to add grease with "Bearing Buddies" (a trade name) once any air pockets from the original installation have been replaced with grease. Grease is not consumed by the bearings in operation. If you are "adding a few pumps of grease" before each trip, it is leaking out somewhere.<br /><br />BTW: There's not much you can do about it once you have your trailer, but "Spindle Lube" (again, a trade name, there are a few variations of this design) axles have worked great for me and others I have communicated with. With this system, the spindle is drilled along the length of the spindle and is cross drilled in the area of the rear bearing. There is a grease fitting in the center of the spindle and when grease is pumped through this fitting it travels to the rear of the inner bearing and out towards the cap. Any excess grease is pushed out through and around the bearings. Replacing all the grease is as simple as pumping new grease in and disposing of the old grease.<br /><br />

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Check those wheel bearings - glad I did !!!

Because most of my trailering is litterally 1 minute down the road and back to the ramp I am assuming that no heat is built up in the bearings thus the water just lays in there and is not evaporated. Do the bearing buddies keep water out of the hubs or do they displace water once it gets into the hubs ?

 

[tommays]

Re: Check those wheel bearings - glad I did !!!

there main purpose is to try and allow for heat expansion when driveing and then contraction when the hubs are put in cold water<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[BillP]

Re: Check those wheel bearings - glad I did !!!

Bearing Buddies keep grease in and that keeps water out. If you buy BBs take the hubs off and pack them full of grease, then install everything. Pack the BBs full before installations too. Then drive a little and top off the BBs if needed. You won't have to change bearing for 10 yrs with the type driving you do.<br /><br />I keep reading about heat and expansion and think it's more scare than reality...I drive 300 miles non stop in 90F and the BB springs don't move out enough to see or measure. They don't suck in after the boat is dunked either. The hubs get barely warm to the touch and the springs stay half way with wiggle room.