Should I service trailer wheel bearings if there is no play or any visible problem?

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yogi799

Member
Hey guys,

I have not touched my trailer wheel bearings in 4 years, ie. since the full service with new parts in. I grease them every year in the Fall but I have not disassembled them and done a complete R&R. I put about 1000 miles a year on the trailer.

I check frequently for any play and wobble and there is none. I am NOT looking for any extra work, so should I worry about the bearings and do a full service now or just keep driving until I see any play?
 
Use it and monitor heat with an IR gun..... I always allow my brakes and hubs to cool before backing into the water. Heat will draw water into the bearings...
 
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Mine is probable an over kill in some peoples eyes, but I do it to look for any issues that may turn into a problem.
I am in and out of the water some 50+ times a season, so I tear mine down at the end of every season.
It lets me inspect my inspect my system and bearings ETC.
I put in new rear seals, and hand pack all 4 wheels, and never add any the rest of the season.
If you fill using the buddy bearing, you can over fill, which will allow grease to get on your brake shoes and will prevent the brakes from working properly, which the guy that I bought my girl from did.
It takes me 4 hrs from pulling the wheels to to putting them back on and adjusting the brakes.
And over the years I am glad that I do it this way, because I have found issues, and fixed them before they turned into a problem.
 
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I haven’t ever repacked the bearings on my Heritage trailer and it’s a 2004. It has axles and four wheel discs from UFP. The first four years it was used constantly during the summers and then thousand mile trips once a year since. The trailer owners manual advised no bearing service required and 100,000 mile service life. Once a year I check for grease leakage and bearing play. I adjusted one spindle in all that time because it had a minor amount of play. I have to say that this goes against my 40+ years in the auto industry but I decided to trust the confidence level shown by manufacture in their product. I figure if I can’t see grease leaking out and I don’t have to add any and bearing play remains in spec, I’m good to go and I save myself the maintenance headache.

The caveat here though is that unless you have the same or equal setup that I do, you better service those bearings.
 
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CKSNAP said:
I haven’t ever repacked the bearings on my Heritage trailer and it’s a 2004. It has axles and four wheel discs from UFP. The first four years it was used constantly during the summers and then thousand mile trips once a year since. The trailer owners manual advised no bearing service required and 100,000 mile service life. Once a year I check for grease leakage and bearing play. I adjusted one spindle in all that time because it had a minor amount of play. I have to say that this goes against my 40+ years in the auto industry but I decided to trust the confidence level shown by manufacture in their product. I figure if I can’t see grease leaking out and I don’t have to add any and bearing play remains in spec, I’m good to go and I save myself the maintenance headache.

The caveat here though is that unless you have the same or equal setup that I do, you better service those bearings.
Click to expand...
One of the reasons that I do mine is because I have drum brakes, and I need and want to inspect them.
 
I disliked my buddy bearings. I never really knew if I put too much or not enough grease in. They just never seemed to behave equally or consistently. My wheels are now capped. The trailer dealer said they are good for at least 2 years with above average usage.

Drum brakes on rear axle only.
 
It is not so much the miles, as it is how many times you dunk it.
I try to not have any air pockets for the water to seep in.
 
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No matter how through I hand pack my trailer bearings, I still get traces of moisture and a few droplets of water.
I have always used white lithium grease. In the areas where there is moisture the grease gets a marbled gray-black look to it, otherwise it is still white. Bearings have plenty of grease on them, same bearings that came with the trailer in 1985. Launched and retrieved 17 times this year. When launching, cooled down period 15 min or more, retrieval 6 hrs to days. Tandem trailer drum brakes on 2 rear wheels. All 4 axils have the same look and pretty much the same amount of water droplets.

The more drastic the temp change the more water will be sucked in, so cooling axils will help, but not completely stop the invasion.
I am not a believer in the buddy bearings. If you have water trapped in the middle of the axil, you will push out some of the grease first, leaving the water still in there maybe. As I have said before, it takes me 4 hrs from start to finish to clean the bearings and repack them, and I get to inspect everything related to the wheels, not to mention piece of mind.

I would appreciate any input that will save me time next year, I am already 1/2 way done this year. :)
 
Never used white lithium grease for wheel bearings. Only door hinges, hood latches etc. Blue marine grease for wheel bearings. Its made for the marine environment and has corrosion inhibitors. Won‘t wash off with water. Great for prop shafts etc. If I were you and planned on keeping that trailer I’d convert it to discs with bearing buddies. A quick glance at pads, rotors and seal areas tells you all you need to know. And as I said before if the bearing buddies show they are holding pressure water cannot get in. And you don’t have to worry about dropping a hot axle in the lake.

Trailer Buddy | Grease & Oil Caps | Hubs, Drums, & Rotors | Dexter Axle Store

Buy Trailer Buddy - Grease & Oil Caps - Hubs, Drums, & Rotors at the Dexter Axle Store.
www.dexteraxle.com www.dexteraxle.com

 
Is white lithium grease waterproof?

White Lithium Grease is also water-resistant, highly tolerant to extreme pressures, and boasts a working temperature range that extends from –25Cº right up to 130Cº. On that note, White Lithium Grease is ideal for long-term lubrication, vertical applications, and where the prevention of water ingress is a requirement.

I tried the blue marine grease one year. When I decommissioned the trailer at the end of that season and inspected the bearings, the grease felt like chewing gum, and was hard to remove from the bearings. I believe that it did a very good job, the down side was removing it to clean and inspect the bearings. The solvent bath that I use to clean my bearings, would hardly touch it.

Years ago I thought about converting to disc, but never did. Everything was and still is working well, and I still would have serviced the bearings every year.
Thank you CKSNAP for your input. Input is always welcome, you never know who may benefit from it.
 
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