Road trailer bearing care?

[ebinmaine 67,633]

Many of us have utility trailers that we use to haul our Horses and various other things.

Lots of us have campers too.

 

I'm curious to know what all of your regiments are as far as wheel bearing and seal maintenance?

 

 

Also, do any of you use bearing buddies? Or do you just pack them well and forget it until the next time?

 

 

What say you, fine Redsquare folk??

 

 

[8ntruck 7,017]

Both of my trailers have bearing buddies on them.  I give them an occasional shot with the grease gun.  I'll have to check the brakes on the travel trailer next spring, though.

[ebinmaine 67,633]

19 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

Both of my trailers have bearing buddies on them.  I give them an occasional shot with the grease gun.  I'll have to check the brakes on the travel trailer next spring, though.

Do you occasionally pop the cover off and tighten the bearing? Or just shake the wheel?

 

[squonk 41,156]

Bearing buddies are junk. You should clean and repack the bearings every year if it's a boat trailer. 2 years on other trailers. 

 

My brother had bearing buddies on his boat trailer. I asked him once if he ever took the hubs apart to clean and repack. He said no he just pumped grease into the buddy twice a year. The following spring the wheel and hub came right off the trailer at the ramp! 

 

Wish I had a dollar for every trailer bearing set I sold because of bearing buddies

Edited October 10, 2022 by squonk

[ebinmaine 67,633]

1 minute ago, squonk said:

Bearing buddies are junk. You should clean and repack the bearings every year if it's a boat trailer. 2 years on other trailers. 

 

My brother had bearing buddies on his boat trailer. I asked him once if he ever took the hubs apart to clean and repack. He said no he just pumped grease into the buddy twice a year. The following spring the wheel and hub came right off the trailer at the ramp! 

 

When you clean and repack the bearings like I did yesterday, do you stuff the whole hub full of grease like a bearing buddy does?

 

I never have. Pack the bearing well and put a little extra around it upon assembly. Skim coat of grease on the axle shaft to prevent rust.

[squonk 41,156]

I pack a little in there just to help keep out moisture. Bearing buddy don't fill the whole hub unless you go Ape-sheet with the grease gun. Pretty much just greases the outer bearing. The biggest problem with the buddies I feel is they give the owner a false sense of security. Just what happened with my brother.

[ri702bill 8,340]

Hand packing tapered wheel bearings is another of those lost arts. Ther is NO substitute for taking the time to dis-assemble, clean and repack by hand the tapered bearings of any axle. THIS is the time where that "oh no" feeling comes in while regreasing - the less than round or crunchy bearing becomes quite evident. MUCH better than being on the side of the road with all the family members asking if you had checked it before starting the trip....

Edited October 11, 2022 by ri702bill

[wh500special 2,188]

Bearing buddies are fine, but they don't - and aren't meant to - replace normal maintenance and repacking.  They have a spring that is supposed to be under some compression when grease is pumped in, but not bottomed out.  Neglect and indiscriminate grease injection which blows out the rear seal is what gives them a reputation.  Used as intended, they are fine.

 

I would like to say I repack my trailer bearings each year, but I'm more sporadic than that.  Everything except our flat bed utility trailer has bearing buddies on them.  Haven't had a bearing failure in a long time, but it's always on the horizon no matter what kind of maintenance plan you're on.  The last one I can recall was a result of launching the boat through the ice going duck hunting one time and not noticing that the ice had knocked the grease cap off (This is what I presumed happened).  On the road the grease promptly left the hub and the bearings were right behind. 

 

Steve

[lynnmor 7,308]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 Pack the bearing well and put a little extra around it upon assembly. Skim coat of grease on the axle shaft to prevent rust.

 

Sounds like you did it right.  Getting the proper amount of play sometimes involves swapping the nuts side to side.  Keeping that play correct on 3500 pound axles is a problem since ALL the millions of these made were not designed right.  The inner bearing has about zero face to mate with the shoulder of the spindle.  I did the math and that face can be zip, zero, nadda.

 

I have had some Cheap Chinese Bearings fail immediately due to improper grinding, if you want to put bearing problems in the rear view mirror, swap the junk out for Timkens.

[ebinmaine 67,633]

7 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

swap the junk out for Timkens

 

No telling how old the current trailer bearings are.  

They are china stamped. They are in excellent condition.  

 

 

For my rebuild in the 86 F250 rear axle I bought all NOS high quality bearings.  

Took some patience on the fleeeBay... 

[Ed Kennell 38,227]

I have dunked my boat trailer wheels in salt water for 50 years with out any bearings failures.   Single and dual axle some with brg buds some without.    I pack the cups full and cut 2" chunks of bicycle tubes that I slide over the cup to make a seal with the hub to keep out the salt water.

 

Now the #@$#@%^  brakes, that's a different problem.   I have used both drums and stainless steel disc  and the salt water killed them all in one year.  I got tired of spending $500 every year to replace brakes and finally took them off..    

I just use a heavier tow vehicle and drive slow

[SylvanLakeWH 25,600]

Bearing buddies work if used as designed. Otherwise nope. They are not a substitute for correct and timely maintenance. I have used both. Wouldn’t buy them though. Came with trailers I’ve bought…

 

Regardless, I repack yearly. Never a failure on utility or boats. 

[JoeM 7,874]

16 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

do you stuff the whole hub full of grease

not a good practice. Causes excessive heat to be trapped in the hub. Mostly a problem with heavy loads, long trips, and high speed. 

 

A good high temp wheel bearing grease is essential. Don't use the all purpose stuff. 

 

I will from time to time raise the trailer and give the wheel a spin, listing noises and roughness. Trailers used on the road using good quality bearings, packed and adjusted right can go years without much attention. Boat trailers on the other hand need more love. (and marine grade wheel bearing grease) 

 

One other thing I do, when on long trips and have a stop for a break, I always fill the tires and hubs for excessive heat. 

I got indoctrinated into the towing club at 17. The owner of the garage where I worked had race cars and went somewhere every weekend. I did most of the driving, hub checking, hitch checking and tire pressuring.  From Pa to Ga. One one time I had an issue with losing tread rubber on two trailer tires that were under inflated when I left GA.

 

where is pete?

 

 

Edited October 11, 2022 by JoeM