RV Wheel bearing maintenance

[kkreigh]

At what mileage/time interval do you grease/repack RV wheel bearings?

1. Normal usage

2. Heavy Duty usage

 

[HBarlow]

Most manufacturers and professional advice column writers recommend bearing service annually or every 20,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Start with clean and carefully inspected bearings and seals and then annually should be good.

 

[JMDancoe]

My two cents: Every time before you take a long trip out of your area (road repairs can get costly). Other than that, a lot has to do with humidity and such where you live. If you use something like the Mystik JT-7 grease, it is waterproof and once a year should be good enough for local camping. Just my opinion, Jim

 

[NIsaacs]

A well packed, good set of wheel bearings should go 100,000 miles no problem. Good wheel bearing grease and quality wheel seals are essential. The biggest cause of wheel bearing failure is adjusting them too tight.



Nick

 

[BIGNASTY]

Every year

 

[Reelay]

Depending on the mileage I have put on the trailer but I try to check and repack every other year. I check torque quit often as you will read why. I had a problem on the road towing my trailer when the tire and wheel came off on the passenger side rear wheel on the tandem axle. Luckily the hub sits high enough to miss the pavement if a passerby would not of signaled me of the missing wheel that ole truck would of pulled it until I stopped for a break. The tire shop who mounted my new tires failed to torque properly. I ended up getting a new wheel and tire the same day from the same dealer at no cost but different store that was in the area where my problem happened. Bearing was ok and race also so I repacked, pre loaded, backed off a little, installed castle nut, and reset the cotter pin. I also had to replace all the wheel studs on that hub. I now carry extra bearings, studs, and of course wheel grease.

 

[Mark31]

A well packed, good set of wheel bearings should go 100,000 miles no problem. Good wheel bearing grease and quality wheel seals are essential. The biggest cause of wheel bearing failure is adjusting them too tight.



Nick

Hey Nick,what kinda grease you use that you have 100k confidence in? Mark

 

[NIsaacs]

Hey Nick,what kinda grease you use that you have 100k confidence in? Mark

I just use a good grease that is labeled for wheel bearings, I have a tub of Napa now. I really doubt that most people will repack their wheel bearings every year, that is just a waste of time. Horse trailers, utility trailers, RV's any trailer with grease type wheel bearings will run years.



My '91 D250 has 312,000 miles on it with two sets of brake pads and wheel packs. They look great every time I do them.



Dexter has never-lube wheel bearings now as an option, also, most two and four wheel drive vehicles use the unit hub bearings now, non greaseable.



If a yearly wheel bearing pack makes you feel good, by all means enjoy. You will find they will look just like you did them yesterday.



Nick

 

[AEdelheit]

Man, every year is a good indication your using cheap parts or dont know how to repack bearings, are you sure the grease is getting all the way through the bearings? A good bearing job should be able to go atleast 50k or 5 years, really should last longer unless you drive through water. If you do alot of real tight turns and scrub the tires alot that can be real hard on bearings and your better off running them a little loser then tighter. If it was a boat trailer and used every weekend then maybe every year, get them hot while driving then put them into cold water could kill them pretty fast

 

[Dutch & Di]

We are 16 year fulltime RV'ers and Dutch re-packs them every 2 to 3 years. He does do a visual check through the wheels, brake calipers, etc at least once a week.
It also depends on how many miles have put on at the end of each year too. Diana

 

[JMDancoe]

Nick: Reference your last statement in your post. That's exactly the idea. I like them to look that way. I do however like the oil bearings if they are available, but still check them. 30 plus years on the road comercially, makes me over protective of my equipment and me. Like I posted, it was just my two cents.

 

[CROW]

Looking at a Dexter axle manual as I type. Bearings should be repacked every 12 months or 12,000 miles. This is for the type that does not have a grease fitting on the end of the axle spindle. Seems a conservative recommendation, but I follow it.

 

[AClayton]

Many variables here. Sort of like changing your oil... ... . some people do it religiously every 4k miles and some members have reported going 12k or more and put 100's of thousand's of miles on different Cummins trucks with great results. It is how much it is pulled, how much weight, how the bearings are adjusted, dusty enviroment and going down hills with the brakes on are all factors that contribute to the abuse wheel bearings take. In my opinion, it is more important to check the brakes annually and do a visual inspection of the bearings and test their preload setting. I adjust mine with just a touch of 'wiggle' while cold... ... . I have jacked my trailers up before after even a modest trip and have foound that to be spot on after the heat swells things a bit.

My personnal RV?? I have a Toyhauler with 3 axles: Had it 3 yrs now and while I check the preload and brakes about once a year, the bearings have never been touched. They still look good! I think towing speed and heat from excessive braking are the biggest factors for RV's and maybe even sitting most of the time. Boat trailers for the moisture and salty contaminants.

My opinion is the manufactures say to re-pack every year really means to just check them often to prevent premature failure. Like I said, brakes need the inspection more so than the bearings!

Alan

 

[NIsaacs]

Many variables here. I adjust mine with just a touch of 'wiggle' while cold... ... .



I agree, and always make sure the inner bearing is fully seated on the spindle so you get a true feel. Grease is heavy/thick, so it needs a slight amount of clearance to keep a film on all surfaces of the bearing. Too tight and the grease is forced off the contact surface and run dry. A wheel bearing fully packed will hold a lot of grease and last a long time.



Nick

 

[NIsaacs]

Nick: 30 plus years on the road comercially, makes me over protective of my equipment and me.



JM, that is a good way to be. I am anal about gear boxes and rear axles, I change them every 36,000 miles. Once they become dirty, the damage is done so I make sure they stay clean.



My post is just another outlook on the subject, doesn't mean it is any better then anyone else. But it works for me.



Nick

 

[JMDancoe]

Nick: Exactly!!! To each his own. Whatever makes "YOU" (as an individual) comfortable is the way to go. So long as you do maintain your equipment! Just reading the different posts here shows how true this is. Some do it less and never have a problem (I appreciate their good fortune), but know how my luck runs, so, I tend to over do things. For me, nothing ruins a trip faster that being down on the road, when I could have prevented it. Well, the July 4th is just around the corner and many will be "on the road again" and I wish all of you only the very best of times. Jim

 

[BIGNASTY]

Man, every year is a good indication your using cheap parts or dont know how to repack bearings, are you sure the grease is getting all the way through the bearings? A good bearing job should be able to go atleast 50k or 5 years, really should last longer unless you drive through water. If you do alot of real tight turns and scrub the tires alot that can be real hard on bearings and your better off running them a little loser then tighter. If it was a boat trailer and used every weekend then maybe every year, get them hot while driving then put them into cold water could kill them pretty fast

I use Timken Bearings Valvoline Pladium grease. EVERY YEAR is just to make sure of what's going on. WOW a WOPPING $12. 00 for wheel seals and maybe $5. 00 worth of grease. PEACE OF MIND GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY PRICLESS. All for a meager $20. 00 price tag and about 2 hours of work. See a bunch of trailers pulled off to the side with bearings problems just a little work and alot of preventive maint. makes vacations happy instead of hell.

 

[AEdelheit]

Well I can see doing because you want to, no problems there. Should have clarified that if
You need to do it every year because of problems something is seriously wrong

 

[BIGNASTY]

That's why its done EVERY YEAR to AVOID Problems on the road. Things happen but most are preventable IMO. We have used our TT more than most people that we talk to. We haven't sense moving to MT. But in Ca we went someplace every month for long weekends because of only working a 4on3 off shift once a month take an extra day VIA COMPTIME make into a 4 day and hit the Sierra's or Desert. The bigger vacations were all at least 3K ot 4K miles for the trip. Never had a mechanical problem on the road that left us stranded. Seems like people think just because not many MILES were driven they dont need the maint. IMO just the opposite is true.



I found it funny that when we encountered people that did have a problem and tried to help out. In talking to them they didn't preform routine maint because WE DIDNT DRIVE THAT MUCH LAST 2 YEARS!!!!!!

 

[Shadrach]

I bought a 1999 model last summer from the original owners. They claimed they only used it a total of about 12 weeks in 11 years with half of that the first year. ( The inside was in great shape ) I'm sure they never did the brgs but they looked fine when I did them this month. Shad