Unknown bearing grease

[HodakaD]

I just bought a boat and am heading to Canada in three days. I pulled it 600 miles home from where I bought it and the bearings ran cool the whole way. I would like to give the bearings a shot or two of grease, but don't know what kind of grease is in the hub. It is a bluish color. I know color doesn't mean a whole lot, but it's there any great that I can put in the hub to supplement what's already in there that won't have an adverse reaction? I don't have time to take the hubs apart with my work schedule before I go. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Custom Eyes]

No way to tell what it is without analyzing equipment. If you can see that there's grease in the hub, it's still blue, and ran cool, I wouldn't even worry about it until you have time to flush and fill properly. You could do more harm than good by destabilizing what's in there already. It really doesn't take much grease for a hub bearing to operate safely.

[HodakaD]

This is exactly what I wanted to hear. I've been reading you opinions on grease and plan to repack my hubs work the Lubramatic Marine grease you recommended in another thread. Thanks.

[REW]

Often the greases that are labeled marine grease are blue in color.

[Custom Eyes]

Originally Posted by REW

Often the greases that are labeled marine grease are blue in color.

True. Most are blue or green, but I do recall at least one marine grease being red. Can't recall the name off hand. Some tacky lithium grease. Color still doesn't tell you what the thickener or base oil type is though. I've seen calcium sulfonate, lithium, lithium complex, aluminum complex, and even clay/bentone thickener systems used in marine grease, and on top of it, in both conventional and synthetic base oils.

[HodakaD]

Customeyes, What is your opinion of Lucas red n tacky as a boat trailer grease? I used that on my previous boat trailer.

[Custom Eyes]

Originally Posted by HodakaD

Customeyes, What is your opinion of Lucas red n tacky as a boat trailer grease? I used that on my previous boat trailer.

Myself, I would go with a calcium sulfonate, but there's nothing wrong with Red n Tacky. Just a different technology to get water resistance and corrosion protection. Calcium sulfonates like Lubrimatic are inherently water and corrosion resistant with no additives needed. Red n Tacky is a lithium complex loaded up with additives and polymers to accomplish nearly the same. Where the calcium sulfonate will excel is in a case of a failed seal and heavy water intrusion into the hub and bearing. It can handle allot more water than the lithium and still provide protection.

[Eric_CO]

I second leaving it alone. Even if they aren't perfect you should be fine.

Unknowingly one season I ran a bearing with water in it for thousands of miles. It was the blue type of grease. Opened the hub, water ran out but the grease was fine and sticking to the metal parts.

[Clairebear]

Single axle or tandem? The choice would be simple for me. Pull all wheels and replace bearings and seals. Likely takes less than 1 hour per wheel. Peace of mind.
Cheers and have a good trip.

[HodakaD]

It's a single axle trailer. I pulled it from Chamberlain South Dakota, where I bought it, to northern Wisconsin, and it was fine. It has bearing buddies and there is grease in them. Yes, ideally I would have pulled both hubs apart and inspected everything, but I don't have the time. I have a spare bearing and the necessary tools to replace if need be on the way to Canada. Hopefully that won't happen. Thanks for all the input.