Trailer bearing maintenance

[David Muench]

Anyone have any tips, pointers, or web pages on trailer bearing maintenance? My Jeep hauler is a year old now, probably 1500 miles on it tops. I figure the bearings probably need something, but I don't want to just start tearing them apart. No bearing buddies on them. Do I need to remove the wheel and hub and repack the bearings by hand, or is there an easier way? Thanks.

------------------
'97 Jeep TJ - Tons of stuff.
2001. 5 BR3500 Chassis Cab 4x4 163"wb - ETH/DEE, SLT, K&N in stock airbox, autometer boost/pyro, GTS clear headlight covers, no bed (yet). .

 

[Boldt's Wagon]

http://www.dexteraxle.com/service_literature/six_hundred_to_eight_thousand/hubs_drums_bearings.pdf

 

[Deezul1]

Well I thought I had a real smart fix for trailer bearings, Use bearing buddies like the boat guys do and all you have to do is hit em with grease gun before a trip and keep em full of grease. And then one fine day I pulled the drums to check the brake linings and oh crap everything was full of grease, at least the bearings were fine. I dont know if my seals were bad or thats just what Bearing Buddies do- push grease past the seals. Could work great if the seals held.

------------------
96 SLT Laramie CC 5spd, 3. 54, no muff, no cat, 5"turn down tip. (its for sale)
. Member NRA/USPSA

 

[Bill Stockard]

I repack'em once a year whether they need it or not. Check the brake linings, linkage, drums, and magnets at the same time. I adjust the brakes twice a year and more often if I do a lot of mountain driving.

I have a bearing packer that I have used for years that I bought off the Snap-On truck. I don't remember the price, but seems like it was $25-30. I does a good job and speeds up the job.

Bill

 

[Bill Lins]

The trick to Bearing Buddies is to add grease until the outer cup just BEGINS to move. Adding more WILL blow out past the seals.

------------------
Bill Lins Wharton, TX 98 2500 QC SLT,12 (the CORRECT # of)valves,NV4500,3. 54 LSD,Manik grille guard,Semi-Psychotty Air,Amsoil everywhere, Reading aluminum utility body and bumper,Optima yellow tops- silencer ring & muffler stolen.

 

[DocStressor]

I have to second Bill's comment on bearing buddies. Most people overfill them and the seals fail. I re-pack only once a year (~10K miles) on a boat trailer. The bearings get replaced every other year. I have only fried one in three years and that was because the nut was over tight. I now back off 1 full turn after tightening with a wrench.

------------------
1999 Quad cab 2500, SB, SLT, 4X4, 5-speed, 3. 54, tow and camper package, Lance 820 camper, Lance cabover stabilizers, Rancho 9000s, Airlift airbags,Reese Titan V hitch, Mag-Hytec differential cover with Amsoil 2000 75W-90 lube, Amsoil air filter

 

[David Muench]

I was hoping to put bearing buddies on my Jeep hauler, but from what I've read lately, they're totally incompatible with brakes. I'd still rather use them if I can do it without hosing up my brakes.

I wish my Jeep hauler had those cool hubs that you squirt grease through without it ending up all over the brakes. The landscape trailer has em at least...


------------------
'97 Jeep TJ - Tons of stuff.
2001. 5 BR3500 Chassis Cab 4x4 163"wb - ETH/DEE, SLT, K&N in stock airbox, autometer boost/pyro, GTS clear headlight covers, no bed (yet). .

 

[Hot Shot]

I got 3-7000lb dexter torq axles on my gn. Pump 2-3 shots of grease on there about once every 2 months. No problems in over 100,000 miles.

------------------
2001 3500 QC 24V SLT Larimie, leather, BD Plug in Power, 275 injectors, BD Torque Convertor ,Valve Body, Pressure Lock, Torque-loc, Gauges,Black w/ Ranchhand bumpers Brownes HD Headache rack and a black wetherguard coffin. pullee 34Ft. gooseneck and a 32ft x 6ft stock trailer.
2000 Durnago SLT 5. 9litre V8

 

[illflem]

My Dexter axles have clear hub reservoirs that hold 90wt, they're a breeze. Have another three axle trailer that requires replacing the seals every time your repack the bearings $54 total. I just tapped in zerks on the rear of the wheel, when it's time to grease I just remove the axle nut cap and pump away while spinning the wheel. Sort of like a built-in bearing packer, just remove the excess grease and replace cap afterwards.

 

[LarryB]

If trailers are not submerged (boat launching) the grease and bearings are similar and should be repacked at the same intervals as front wheel bearings on a 2wd vehicle. I've had cars with over 200,000 miles and no service to the bearings. I dont think trailer bearings need repacking very often unless they are submerged. With effective seals, there is no place for the grease to go and it should be good for years.
My $. 02

------------------
1972 Chinook class C with 96/215 5spd, 4/5" exh, 4"BD, MagHytec, 85gal fuel, K&N RE0880, AutoMeter, 370's, BD gov kit, BD afc kit, 16cm, 16%btdc, yada-yada-yada
www.fostertruck.com/cummins

 

[boathead]

david,
don't know if you're interested in changing axles or spindles, but reliable sure lube spindles are much better than bearing buddies, because they force grease from the inner bearing outward toward the dust cap which is sealed by a rubber cap that you just pull off. a grease zerk is mounted on the spindle which is through drilled to just between the inner bearing and the inner DOUBLE LIP(imperative, if you use a single lip seal, especially with a bearing buddy, it will leak). when you apply the grease it pumps through both bearings and out the front of the dust cap, this basically repacks you bearings without removing the hub- take my word for it (1,000's of boat towing miles)this works, I have had no bearing failures with this system.
Hope this helps,
Paul