How Often do You Clean/Repack trailer Wheel Bearings ???

[Brad]

I was wondering how often you clean/repack your trailer wheel bearings?

Although I used to do this service every year (or more frequently back in the days before bearing budddies), I currently do this service only once every two years on my EZ Loader trailer. This trailer has flow through spindles (i.e. there's a passage between the inner bearing and grease seal that allows grease to pass through and out the rear of the spindle), and I pump up the bearing buddies each time before I back the trailer into the water. Between the flow through spindles and frequently adding fresh grease via the bearing buddies, I feel that I am essentially replacing the grease in the inner/outer bearings and hubs over the course of the season. Because of the flow through spindles, blown seals (from over pumping the bearing buddies) do not occur. I have never had a problem with the bearings on this trailer servicing them at this interval.

Am I over doing it?

[hgmeyer]

I try to pull the wheels every 5000 miles or at least once a season... I also am careful to pull about 10-20 miles and then stop and check the hubs for "heat"... I've lost a trailer wheel at speed and NEVER want to do that "dance" again!... Would like to switch to liqui-lube hubs.

[J.P.]

I repack them just before I store the boat for the winter. I got rid of the bearing buddies. I use Lubrimatic marine wheel bearing grease and have not had a bearing failure since I started use this grease. I fill the hubs with grease. Sometimes I jack up the trailer and spin the wheels to check for a noisey bearing.

[perchjerker]

Every fall as a part of winter layup. That way, If you have any water, it wont sit all winter leaving you a nice mess in the spring. Usually mid season I pop off the caps and look at the grease, and look at the axle seals to make sure everything looks ok. While Im at it I will spin the wheels and give them a shake to make sure they bearings arent getting loose. And I feel the bearing hubs after towing to make sure they arent getting hot.
I have bearing buddies, used properly they work fine.

[Phil T.]

I usually pull, clean, inspect and repack trailer bearings at mid-season and again before winter storage. Slightly rouhg bearings have been found at both times of the year.
Even so, I've had my share of bearing failures, even back when I believed in Bearing Buddies.

[nemio]

Grease them often during season. Always wait ten minutes after a drive to let them cool before backing up in cold water.

[REW]

Wheel bearings on trailers really shouldn't be any different than on cars. The one thing that is different is the water issue.
A reasonable time would be 20,000 miles or every 5 years.
If you use bearing buddies, and make sure that you keep good seals in the wheels - this should be good enough.

At the end of each season, jack up the wheel and spin it. If it runs smooth, the grease looks clean inside the wheel, and no sign of moisture in the wheel, there is really no need to do it more often then every 5 years. This would be about the same as on a car.

If you think that there is some possibility that your wheels have injested water, or if there is any possibility that there has been a lack of lubrication, or if you jack up your wheels and spin the wheels and hear or feel any signs of rougheness - then by all means - service the bearings.
If you do jack up the wheel, and feel a sign of roughness - you will need to replace the bearings and seats. It is likely that there has been moisture in the wheels and has corroded the bearings.

With the system that you use; which effectivly pumps any collected moisture out of the wheels - a 3-5 year servicing time should be more than sufficient. (Assuming - that this is within the nominal 20000 repacking guidlines listed above.

take care
REW

[BlackSilver]

I have the same flow-thru spindles, and about twice a year (mid-season and at storage time) I pump till I see "new" grease at the outlet and check for end play. Never a problem. Felt guilty last fall (about 30,000 miles on the trailer) and pulled the hubs -- bearings and all surfaces were like-new perfect.

Walk softly and carry a big fish.

Hans/MN

[Brad]

This past weekend, I pulled the bearing buddies off the hubs to inspect the grease, and the grease looked the same as new. The seals aren't leaking, so I didn't clean and repack the bearings before putting the boat/trailer into storage for the winter. I really think the combination of bearing buddies AND the flow through spindles work effectively to reduce the service intervals on boat trailer wheel bearings. That is provided the seals are good and you regularly add grease via the bearing buddies. I really think the flow through spindles prevent bad seals (by preventing too much pressure on the seal).

I only put about 300 to 400 miles on my trailer a year.

[perchjerker]

Thats good to hear. Personally, I would still err on the side of caution. I would rather spend a 1/2 hr knowing that my bearings are in good shape than not doing anything and wondering.

[Husky]

Brad,
After reading your original post, it sounds like the spindles you have are different than the Posilube spindles Hans is talking about. The Posilubes have a zerk grease fitting on the outer end. When adding grease, it travels through the spindle and exits between the rear seal and bearing. It pushes grease through the rear bearing toward the outer bearing. The new grease eventually pushes all the old grease out through the new bearing where it can be wiped off and the end cap (rubber cap) put in place.
I would not understand why a bearing buddy would be used in conjunction with this type of spindle, so I am assuming your spindle has some other type of set up?

[Tom P]

I pressurize it just before I go and again when I come home. I checked them at about the 3 year mark. Looked great. Put a new seal on and put her back together without repacking. Plan on repacking at year 5 or 6 when I change my plugs for the first time on my V-Max. I did repack the bearings from day one of my new trailer with Molybdenum grease and use it every time. I would have to agree with REW, people repack too often just as they change their plugs too often when they don't need too. With the exception of some DFIs that burn through plugs.

[boat nut]

Every fall as part of my winterizing ritual. I was even thinking of not doing it every year, until I found a very small pebble in the seal which was rubbing on the axle sleeve. new seal, new sleeve, repack and grease and I was good to go. I see far too many trailers sitting on a jack at the side of the road to risk saving ten bucks and a couple of hours of my time. Besides, any time spent with my boat is good time.

[Kevin B]

I'm like Perchjerker, better to be certain. I'd rather get grease on my hands in my yard, when I want to, than while on vacation.
Hub disassembly each fall, even though I have bearing buddies, even if I am going to fish through the winter in warmer climate.
Did mine Sunday, no rough spots, nice grease, but upon degreasing & inspection there were small pit marks visible on the racers. Replaced the bearings and racers on that hub. Other one looked fine. Total cost for 2 bearings, 2 racers, 2 grease seals, tube marine grease (blue), 2 hours to do it, under $25.
TIP- Want to keep your hands a little cleaner during this dirty job? Buy one of those "bearing packers" for $5.95 at Autozone, and a package of 10 disposable latex gloves for $1.95

[targa2]

You have Easy-lube hubs. The recommended re-greasing of these is every 300 to 500 miles. This system is foreign to most people who have bearing buddies on standard hubs. Because the grease flows through the hub it is necesarry to re-grease regularly. Since the old grease moves through the system it must be replaced. If you are not getting a deposit of grease on the inside of the cover caps , make sure the seals are not worn. Simply look to see if their is grease on the inside of the rim. I have never had to repack these type of bearings by hand and I have been through more brake pads than bearings. The one and only bearing I lost was because one of the rubber plugs blew out and I lost my grease. I have now switched to solid caps and it is far easier to service that way anyway.

[Brad]

The spindles on my trailer have a passage between the inner bearing and seal that leads to another passage that runs through and out the rear of the spindle. So when you apply grease via the zerk fitting on the bearing buddy, the grease is pushed through the rollers in the outer bearing, through the hub, then through the rollers on the inner bearing, into the passage, and out the back of the spindle. Of course it takes numerous applications before the grease has traveled all the way through this system. Over the course of a season, I have a nice little pile of grease accumulated on the top of the axle after it comes out the back of the spindle. I don't necessarily need bearing buddies for this set up (any grease cap with a zerk will do), but I like the spring loaded diaphram on the bearing buddy for keeping the system pressurized (temporarily) while I'm backing the rig into the water. The system I have prevents me from switching to one of those new oil bath set ups unless I was able to plug the hole at the back of the spindle.

[Husky]

Thanks for clarifying, I've never seen that type of spindle set up. Interesting. I would just flush out the old grease about twice a season and be done with it. Inspections of the actuals bearings,races, and spindles coud probably be done every other year, unless you put a lot of miles on the trailer each year. This is what I did when I had posi-lube's on my trailer and it worked well.