My wheel bearings are slinging grease

[NathanY]

And it is not just a regular looking grease, it is a light grey-green looking nasty looking stuff. How do I fix this? What is wrong with it?

 

[snapperbait]

Re: My wheel bearings are slinging grease

Sounds like the seals have given up and headed out on ya..<br /><br />Basicly you need to do a complete service job on the wheel hubs... New bearings, bearing races, and seals... It's not a hard job nor is it very expensive, but it does require some tools you may not have (a bearing race installation tool and a seal driver) but some auto parts stores will rent you the tools for free... You'll just have to leave a depost which is usualy the actual cost of the tool...<br /><br />You'll need two of these kits (one kit for each wheel) once you know the measurements of the bearings... http://www.iboats.com/mall/index.cg...id=231730989&current_category=trailer>bearing <br /><br /> There is an easier solution that is just about as cost effective as repairing the hubs yourself...<br /><br />You can buy new hubs that are pre assembled, greased up with new bearings and ready to install... They are not terribly expensive either.. (about $40 for the pair/both wheels)<br /> http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...=on&TEST=Y&productId=554812&categoryId=166845

 

[BassMan283]

Re: My wheel bearings are slinging grease

Wow! At that price, you definitely can't afford to pack your own. Of course, there IS a certain satisfaction to mashing grease into the bearings and driving in the races without dinging them. And the lingering odor of bearing grease impresses the ladies.<br /><br />She: "What's that smell?"<br />He: Wheel bearing grease. Had to repack the bearings on my boat trailer."<br />She: "My hero!"

 

[snapperbait]

Re: My wheel bearings are slinging grease

Yeah! Kind of takes the fun out of the job...

 

[dmorley]

Re: My wheel bearings are slinging grease

You need to at minimum take the wheels off and inspect the bearings and their races. If you even see part of the race has less shine then replace the race and bearings. You can tap the old races out with an ordinary punch. You don't need a special tool to install. Just use the old bearing race to tap in the new races and then very carefully tap the "tool" race out.

 

[NathanY]

Re: My wheel bearings are slinging grease

I work on outboards, not trailers. If I worked on it, then the tires would fall off while I was going to the lake, and then I would have to post something in the Stupid Human Tricks board. How much would it cost to have it done?

 

[snapperbait]

Re: My wheel bearings are slinging grease

If you can work on outboards this should be a piece of cake...<br />

<br /><br />Add the castle nut and cotter pin, and thats all there is to the assembly...<br />Here's the complete instructions on how to service your wheel bearings...<br /><br />As for how much it would cost, just guestimateing $100 with $30-$40 being for parts and an hours labor at anywhere from $50-$75 per hour...

 

[horndog]

Re: My wheel bearings are slinging grease

I just did my trailer bearings. I pulled a hub and took a look at it, bearing casing mangled, and the race had some crap on them, I assume a bearing.<br /><br />I just went to Bass Pro Shops and bought two new hubs with bearings, grease, and lug nuts. The only thing it didn't come with is the axle nut all for a whopping $32 a side!

 

[cpasseno03]

Re: My wheel bearings are slinging grease

Its a messy job but pretty easy nontheless. You dont NEED special tools, I have always done it with a hammer punch and wrench. Punch the old races out and punch the new ones in with a brass punch, following a similar pattern to torqueing lug nuts. (same with the seal (be careful)) Pack her with grease and tighten axle nut while spinning wheel to 20 ish '#s then back off and hand tighten, to the nearest cotter pin hole. Like someone already said, if you can do outboards you can do a trailer!<br />Craig