Wheel bearings

[mark5w]

Yes, I use them. But only use them when the temp is warm and the grease will flow easily. By the way, I've read that many of the components that Dexter use are actually made in China. ESP the bearings.

[Lloyd]

Pretty hard now days to find a bearing that isn't made in China.

[socoguy]

Originally Posted by Lloyd

Pretty hard now days to find a bearing that isn't made in China.

You are certainly right about that Lloyd.

[harley]

I use mine a bit. After a trip ,when the shaft and bearings are still warm, I shoot in 2 pumps of grease. The 2 pumps displace the warm grease in the shaft and easily go to the rear bearing and easily flow forward into the other warm grease .
If you were to pump in cold grease into a cold greased bearing ,there is a more likely chance of the grease not moving toward the outer area and possibly go thru the seal.
This method has worked for my past 2 trailers.

[Burgy]

Never thought about doing it when they are warm. Good point Lloyd.

[4kids2dogs&RV]

I've never attempted to grease the bearings, this will be our third camping season. I'm not sure which type I have or where to start.
Can one of you more experienced folks point me in the right direction?

[r2millers]

John,
First you have to determine your axle/bearing type and fill procedure. As noted before with EZ lube type, it's pretty simple to pull off the rubber insert or cap, fill with a quality hi temp grease, after warming up to Lloyd's point every couple of times out.
If bearing buddy's which are used more often on boat trailer applications, pump carefully to replace the grease, but not too much pressure to blow out the rear seal.
If none of the above, you have to pull the wheel and hub off, remove the cotter pin, alignment ring, and nut. Once you wiggle the hub, the outer bearing will easily work its way out.
I use the palm method to repack the bearing until new grease works its way through the bearing. To do the rear bearing, you must pull out the seal and remove. Many won't do this because you should then replace that seal. Instead, they fill the cavity with grease before reinstalling. It works but not the best way to re-grease once you've gone to all of that work removing.
Doing it this way can be a half a day job and retightening the axle nut properly is crucial, hence the ez lube methods that the mfgs have developed.
It better to ensure you have too much grease rather then burning one up while out on the road.
Good luck.

[travelin texans]

This has already been argued on this & other forums & you will have too choose your method, either pack or pump. IMO never, never, never, pump always pack. Also it's not better to have too much as that could also contaminate your brakes. If you don't how to hand pack, find a friend, neighbor, anyone knowledgeable to help/guide/instruct you. If you pump, spin the wheel, pump slowly, & only about 5-6 pumps.

[travelin texans]

If you haven't done anything in 3 seasons, I would highly recommend hand packing this time to inspect bearings/brakes/spindles/springs/shackles while there.

[sleepyT]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

If you haven't done anything in 3 seasons, I would highly recommend hand packing this time to inspect bearings/brakes/spindles/springs/shackles while there.

John
I would go with travlin's suggestion, if for nothing else but to look at your brake shoes...Also if you have never hand packed a bearing they sell bearing packers at most auto centers...If you can pump a grease gun you can pack a bearing...

[4kids2dogs&RV]

Thanks all, guess I'll need to find a day in the next week or 2 to work on this. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Steve7]

There's some pretty good instructional videos on YouTube.

[2slick]

Originally Posted by r2millers

Thanks Lloyd.

I need to put my different trailer "brain" on when thinking about each type of system, wheel brakes and non wheel brakes.



Yes, with these brakes, the seal failure will create a braking mess and too much grease can blow any seal out.



I agree that without being submerged, the likely hood of a failure is less but I still feel that the extra assurance with forcing grease into the bearings is one less thing I need to worry about while traveling.



I guess I've just seen too many trailer bearing incidents over the years.



It is interesting how people seem to let car bearings go so long, yet so many seem to think there's a need to repackaged trailer bearing every other year.

That last paragraph is very true. I've always said there are more failures from improper bearing maintenance than from lack of maintenance.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by 2slick

That last paragraph is very true. I've always said there are more failures from improper bearing maintenance than from lack of maintenance.

Most cars/trucks today the wheel bearings are sealed & require replacing the entire hub rather than packing.

[2slick]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Most cars/trucks today the wheel bearings are sealed & require replacing the entire hub rather than packing.

I was referring to trailer wheel bearings. I think in 84 was the first vehicle I had with sealed bearings. I put tens of thousands of miles on vehicles with tapered roller bearings on the spindles before bearing service. Never a failure other than on a boat trailer. A little dirt or improper torque on a bearing will wipe it out quickly.

[Labbie]

Originally Posted by Lloyd

Pretty hard now days to find a bearing that isn't made in China.

I would have to disagree, I am in the bearing business for a large yellow tractor manufacturer and we get several bearings made here in the states for foreign companies. NTN has a manufacturing facility in Il, Timken has several in Ohio, and there are others. I believe Timken might be the last US owned. Now I can believe for our application it might be difficult to find made here, but I have not checked.

[r2millers]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Most cars/trucks today the wheel bearings are sealed & require replacing the entire hub rather than packing.

I think you are talking about 4 wd, front wheel drive, or awd drive vehicles.
The traditional rear wheel drives without front wheel drive still need the old same care. I usually repack my bearings when I replace the front discs.

[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by Labbie

I would have to disagree, I am in the bearing business for a large yellow tractor manufacturer and we get several bearings made here in the states for foreign companies. NTN has a manufacturing facility in Il, Timken has several in Ohio, and there are others. I believe Timken might be the last US owned. Now I can believe for our application it might be difficult to find made here, but I have not checked.

Well, I guess I should have been more explicit with my post.

I was definitely talking for our trailer bearings.
I have seen bearings in the past, marked Timken, but also marked,
Made in China.

[ajax5777]

The difference between our zerk hubs and boat trailer zerk hubs, the boat bearing buddies are spring loaded, as you pump grease into the hub you will see the plate the zerk is mounted to start to come outward, compressing a spring. When that plate reaches a certain point there is a very small hole in the hub where grease will exit, letting you know the hub is full. The spring loaded plate then holds pressure on the packed hub. Our ez loaders do not have this spring so there is no pressure on the inside grease seal.

[travelin texans]

I had 4 set of drum brakes on 2 axles that would disagree, some knucklehead pumped TOO much grease into those zerks, it had to go somewhere.
I'm upgrading to disc this fall & those zerks Will be plugs.