[SmokeyWren]

Packing wheel bearings, that is. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The experts say you should re-pack the wheel bearings on your trailers every year, or about every 5,000 miles, whichever comes first.

It's a nasty, messy job, and I hate doing it, but it's necessary if you don't want to have axle problems on the road, so somebody has to do it.

Last year I chickened out and had my RV dealer do the task on my 5er. Apparently they didn't do it "right". I took off on a long trip. A little more than 4,000 miles into the trip, on Friday afternoon, in the hot desert of western New Mexico, I burned up a wheel bearing and ruined an axle. It was around noon on Tuesday before I could obtain and install a new axle. Wasted 5 days, several hundred miles of driving the unloaded PSD to get the new axle, and not a fun job replacing that axle in the dirt of a desert campground. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

So today, preparing for a towing trip over Memorial Day weekend, I decided it was time to re-pack the wheel bearings on the 5er again. And this time do it myself so I know it's done right. I finished one wheel by manually packing both the inside and outside wheel bearings, then decided it would be worth a bunch of money to have a wheel bearing packer machine.

I got on the internet and found a Lisle Bearing Packer for around $25. Less than I expected. Then I decided that maybe an auto parts store would have one similar to the Lisle. I started with the itty bitty auto parts store only 4 miles up the highway, and sure enough they had one Lisle in stock. $25 and change out the door. They had another model by Lisle too, less than $10, that used a grease gun to force in the grease. But they didn't have any wheel-bearing grease in a cartridge that would fit a cartridge grease gun, and I didn't want to pack my wheel bearings with ordinary grease-gun grease, so I bought the $25 model.

(Do they still make the grease guns that don't use a cartridge? Just pack it full of grease and screw it back together? That's what I used as a farm kid in the '50s.) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

With that bearing packer and a medium-sized vice with a 6" span to squeeze on the bearing packer, I was able to pack 4 more wheel bearings in a few minutes. Much, much easier than the old-fashioned way of scraping the inside edge of the bearing dozens of times across your grease-coated palm. And a lot less messier. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The instructions say you can simply push on the bearing packer and create enough pressure to force the old grease out and the new grease into the guts of the bearing. But then it gave the option of using the vice - in case you use really-heavy grease. I had a suitable vice, so I used it. Worked great!

Click here to see the one I bought - although I bought from my local auto parts store, not from Northern Tool.

Well, gotta go out and do two more wheel bearings, and that nasty job will be over for another year. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/warmsmile.gif At least on that trailer. The three utility trailer will have to wait a bit longer. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[BadInfluence]

[ QUOTE ]
A little more than 4,000 miles into the trip, on Friday afternoon, in the hot desert of western New Mexico, I burned up a wheel bearing and ruined an axle.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the tiops, it's good advice. And, oh yeah, there's nothing worse than getting stuck in New Mexico . . . /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Roy_Boy]

Smokey, being you'r all set up now, you should swing over to my place.
I got a trailer with 4 axles that could use a bearing job /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif

 

[cummins359]

most grease guns can still be packed full of grease they just have to have a good tight plunger.

 

[Pappy19]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A little more than 4,000 miles into the trip, on Friday afternoon, in the hot desert of western New Mexico, I burned up a wheel bearing and ruined an axle.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the tiops, it's good advice. And, oh yeah, there's nothing worse than getting stuck in New Mexico . . . /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I wonder if he chose green or red?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif

 

[haul_n_horses2]

I have to do this myself. Thanx for the timely post. Does anybody have any experience with the Dexter EZ-Lube bearing lube system? Even though this makes lubrication a snap, they recommend a visual inspection of the bearings every 12 months or 12,000 miles.

 

[LongRider]

<font color="green">I use Kendall Super Blu wheel-bearing grease on everything, period.

It is available in gun-tubes and various size tubs.

Years ago, I bought a grease-gun powered bearing packer.

It has two disc-blade shaped halves that are joined by a threaded rod with a grease fitting in the end of it.

To use, take off the nut, place the bearing over the threaded rod, add the other half, and replace the nut.

The bearing should be captured/centered between the two discs.

Then, with a grease gun, pump the bearing full.

The only drawback to this is there will be a glob of grease, the size of the inside of the bearing, left between the discs; this is rather wasteful and messy. </font>

 

[Kanman]

I install Bearing Buddys on all of our trailers. They are very similar to the Dexter product Bearing Buddy few pumps on the gun via grease fitting and a quick wipe with a rag, reinstall caps and your done. Oil bath stuff is my favorite. I wish they were readily available for smaller trailers.

I "think" Dexter ez lube is a factory option only. I believe the axles/spindles are drilled out or something like that from the factory to accept the ez lube assembly.

 

[garyt]

[ QUOTE ]
(Do they still make the grease guns that don't use a cartridge? Just pack it full of grease and screw it back together? That's what I used as a farm kid in the '50s.)


[/ QUOTE ]
Take out the cartridge, take off the bottom cap of the grease gun, flip the plunger seal over, reassemble and fill up the gun with grease of your choice.
There ARE cartridges with wheel bearing grease 'though.

I had a similar experience with poor service and a bad bearing.
When we bought our 5ver used the dealer PROMISED he checked the brakes and repacked the bearings.
On our first long trip 1,000 miles away in lonesomeville Montana one back wheel seized and caught fire! We found friendly farmer that let us park in his yard. Found bearings and seals in 3 different places, filed away on the axle and manged to finish camping and get back home. (the other bearings were almost dry and I re-packed them).
Back home the embarrassed (and somewhat frightened)dealer put in a new axle and replaced the rest of the bearings and seals.
I check mine each year and carry one new set of bearings, seals, brake and drum assembly as spares.

garyT

 

[clamgulch]

In addition to repacking bearings, don't neglect to retorque aluminum wheels several times with a few miles driven between each tightening. I found out the hard way 2 years ago when I suddenly had 2 missing wheels- one of which apparently landed in a river, and the other had the stud holes so chewed up that it was ruined. Lost a day and several hundred bucks along with a fender lip.

 

[olddieseldude]

Not doubting your expertise, just asking. Assuming the trailer hasn't been fording creeks, why would modern wheel bearings on a trailer need attention any more than those on our cars or trucks?

 

[LongRider]

[ QUOTE ]
Not doubting your expertise, just asking. Assuming the trailer hasn't been fording creeks, why would modern wheel bearings on a trailer need attention any more than those on our cars or trucks?

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="green">That is a very good point.

Many cars, and quite a few pick-up trucks, go to the great auto graveyard in the sky with the wheelbearing grease that the manufacturer put in them at the factory.

I would go as far as to say that over half of the cars and pick-ups on the road never have their bearings serviced, before they meet their demise from other causes.

It does seem like after I replace a set of trailer bearings with ones from the auto-parts, that they never give any more problems. </font>

 

[CorvetteGuy]

because people tend to oveload trailer more often then cars/trucks

And trailers sit for longer time periods then cars, and during that time water can collect in the bearing area.

Coming from a guy who owns 11 trailers... i use bearing buddies on every single axle.

 

[wingfoot]

You got the "Nasty" part right...I have since purchased a trailer with Dexter's Nev-R-lube axles..supposebly guaranteed for five years or 100K miles..This spring I was having withdrawal symptoms from not being able to get grease all over my hands..and other parts of my body..but I'm letting my bearings bump...I did take a look at the dust covers on these things..they look like what we saw in the 50's.."Moon hub caps"...I, out of curiosity, tried to remove one..couldn't get the thing off..

So, after all this rhetoric, anyone had good/bad experience with this type of bearing package? Can I forget my bearings (not the brakes though).

 

[SmokeyWren]

[ QUOTE ]
Not doubting your expertise, just asking.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't claim any expertise when it comes to trailer axles. I just report what I've learned from others.

[ QUOTE ]
Assuming the trailer hasn't been fording creeks, why would modern wheel bearings on a trailer need attention any more than those on our cars or trucks?

[/ QUOTE ]

A big percentage of trailer axles are designed, engineered, and manufacturered by Dexter. Here's what Dexter says:

"BEARINGS - How often should I grease the bearings?
Along with bearing adjustment, proper lubrication is essential to the current function and reliability of your trailer axle. Bearings should be lubricated every 12 months or 12,000 miles."

http://www.dexteraxle.com/faq_s#9

On our 4x2 pickups, Ford says we should "inspect/adjust 4x2 wheel bearings for end play" every 30,000 miles. They don't specifically mention packing the front-wheel bearings (The rear wheel bearings are lubed from the diff.) But I remember from 50 years ago when re-packing the front wheel bearings on rear-wheel-drive cars and pickups was a routine maintenance requirement before any long trip.

 

[LMJD]

I hate packing mine too, and I sure don't do them once a year, more like whenever I do a brake job or check my lining. You can get 100% wheel bearing grease for the chassis lube type grease guns in cartridges. Lubriplate, makes them, also Valvoline, Napa stocks both. I use them with the cone type cheaper packer you referred to, but the one you bought looks less messy. (If there's such a thing when it comes to packing wheel brgs.) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif
[ QUOTE ]
They don't specifically mention packing the front-wheel bearings

[/ QUOTE ] The owner's and/or shop manual for my '91 F250 4X4 calls for front wheel bearing pack at every 60,000 IIRC. I use the black moly type that Ford uses on all my vehicle's brgs, had real good luck with it.

 

[Steve Spaulding]

I've used the Lisle greasing tool for many years, but always by hand. I can see where sticking it in a vise would be easier... I'll try that next time.

 

[05F250PS]

Unless the specific bearing design is meant to purge, adding automatice greasing devices will just accelerate the date of bearing failure...

 

[CorvetteGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
Unless the specific bearing design is meant to purge, adding automatice greasing devices will just accelerate the date of bearing failure...

[/ QUOTE ]

And how did you come up with that tidbit?

 

[Kanman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Unless the specific bearing design is meant to purge, adding automatice greasing devices will just accelerate the date of bearing failure...

[/ QUOTE ]

And how did you come up with that tidbit?

[/ QUOTE ]

ALL of the auto greasing devices I have ever seen run a positive pressure. Bearing Buddy runs at 3 PSI.