How often should I get the wheel bearings repacked? Had to replace axles about a year ago and the guy told me I should probably repack the bearings once a year since I only take a few trips a year. Is that right?We usually take one major winter trip and one major summer trip, a couple of short trips ------ totalling around 10,000 miles/yr.

Actually 10,000 miles a year is some pretty good towing. There are years we don't hit that as full timers.I am not sure what you are pulling or the weight, but to be extra safe you could grease/pack every year, even though you would probably be okay doing it closer to every 20,000 miles.

In some respects it's a game of odds. My career of 40 yrs was in the bearing business so I know about bearings and proper lubrication. Your mechanic is right based on the way most all owners maintain their wheels. In between trips your rig will be stationary. The lubrication of your bearings is the oil in the grease. Think of grease like a sponge; grease is a sponge, wheel bearing grease is a lithium base, a carrier that holds the oil in place. Sitting for long periods, some of the oil will separate from the grease and when the wheels actually turn after that long period of being idle, there is a microscopic scar that can be made on the bearing raceway. That scar is like a defect on a blacktop road. Once it starts it grows faster as traffic runs over the scar and soon there is a pothole; or bearing failure. Rotating the wheels in storage will help prevent these scars from starting, as will taking the load off the wheels. As stated earlier, most will not do this so the best alternative is to repack annually. There are other factors, such as moisture due to changes in temperature and humidity that can affect corrosion rate. Temperature changes during storage can cause moisture to build and as that oil leaves the bearing surface they can start to rust. Again, microscopic in nature but can occur and cause premature wear and eventual failure.

C-Bears wrote:Actually 10,000 miles a year is some pretty good towing. There are years we don't hit that as full timers.I am not sure what you are pulling or the weight, but to be extra safe you could grease/pack every year, even though you would probably be okay doing it closer to every 20,000 miles.x2Its all about the miles. I have been using my Truck Camper for the past couple of years. My bearings on the 5th wheel were changed about 5k miles ago. I will not hesitate to use the 5th wheel without repacking the bearings. I think the 20k rule is good.

I have done mine about every two years. My OFF-ROAD POPUP camper gets used the most and I do the walk around everytime we stop while enroute checking for over heated brakes and bearings... Both my fifth wheel and OFF-ROAD POPUP trailers where purchased in 2008.Good reminder for doing my OFF-ROAD Camper before we get started again big time this season...Roy Ken

when I worked I did DOT inspections on a lot of company trucks and trailers. If a salesman used the trailer every day the bearings would last a few years without trouble. About 35,000 would be a good place to check them.Go 5000 miles on one trip and then park the trailer for a year and you might have trouble the next time out. As MTPockets1 said, keeping the bearings turning is the best maintenance.

How Often to Pack Wheel Bearings | Good Sam Community

64 Replies

Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Jul 01, 2015
Campinfan, shhhhhhhhhhhh You cannot admit stuff like that on this forum. :W

Let me see, now that I am older than dirt, I have had tow TT's and am on the fourth fifth wheel and have repacked nary a one. :R
Campinfan
Explorer III
Jul 01, 2015
bpounds wrote:
PokerCamper wrote:
Thanks! I have a tire service company that handles trucks that's very close to where I live and will be calling the owner back tomorrow (he was out when I called today) to see if he'll do our FW. It's where I had it inspected after we bought it last year, so I'm hopeful. I was going to have them put new tires on it next spring, but maybe I'll just move that up by a season in order to make sure this gets taken care of. The previous owner towed this cross country and we put about 1600 miles on it last summer, so I'd really like to get it done. Appreciate the input! :)

You Cougar should have EZ Lube hubs. You can definitely do that yourself. Here is a video from Dexter detailing how they work, and how they are to be serviced.

Dexter EZ Lube

Service

If you still don't want to do it, they can be done the traditional way.

Good Video!
Campinfan
Explorer III
Jul 01, 2015
PokerCamper wrote:
OK, I am now completely freaking out. We leave on our first trip of the year a week from tomorrow and it's going to be about 1500 miles. My fiver is a 2012 that we bought used last June and it has been parked since October. The previous owner was obsessed with maintenance and had it serviced every fall by the dealer so I know it's been taken care of, but I'm concerned about the suggestion that the bearings be packed annually. I handled the winterizing and other seasonal issues OK, but am not a mechanic and wouldn't remotely consider doing this myself for fear of doing something wrong. At the same time, I probably don't have time to make an appointment and have this done for me before we leave. Somebody please tell me that we're OK so I can stop worrying. :)

I had one trailer 4 years and one 7 and never repacked the bearings. It was just fine. I have known many people who are like me and have not done it either. Not saying it is a good thing but never a problem. Yes, I know it could be but don't sweat it if you bought it last year. When was the last time you had the bearings on your automobile repacked? I am just saying, RELAX, you bought a rig from a meticulous person.
Sport45
Explorer II
Jul 01, 2015
With axles that are only a year old I wouldn't sweat it. Make the trip an get them repacked when you return.

If a local college has a training program for automotive techs they can probably take it in on short notice. You could get the bearings packed for a tub of grease and a small donation to their department. Electric brakes probably aren't part of the curriculum, but they adjust the same way as automotive drum brakes.
PokerCamper
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
minnow wrote:
There are many, many Youtube video's on how to do this. It is very easy to do yourself.

As I mentioned, I'm not much of a mechanic. I've watched a few videos and while it seems very straightforward and easy to do with the right tools, I am not willing to try it with a week to go before our trip. I'd much rather pay a professional this first time and then, if I think I can do it myself, try it the next time in the fall when I have plenty of time available to make sure I get it right.
bpounds
Nomad
Jun 30, 2015
PokerCamper wrote:
Thanks! I have a tire service company that handles trucks that's very close to where I live and will be calling the owner back tomorrow (he was out when I called today) to see if he'll do our FW. It's where I had it inspected after we bought it last year, so I'm hopeful. I was going to have them put new tires on it next spring, but maybe I'll just move that up by a season in order to make sure this gets taken care of. The previous owner towed this cross country and we put about 1600 miles on it last summer, so I'd really like to get it done. Appreciate the input! :)

You Cougar should have EZ Lube hubs. You can definitely do that yourself. Here is a video from Dexter detailing how they work, and how they are to be serviced.

Dexter EZ Lube Service

If you still don't want to do it, they can be done the traditional way.
minnow
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
There are many, many Youtube video's on how to do this. It is very easy to do yourself.
PokerCamper
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Thanks! I have a tire service company that handles trucks that's very close to where I live and will be calling the owner back tomorrow (he was out when I called today) to see if he'll do our FW. It's where I had it inspected after we bought it last year, so I'm hopeful. I was going to have them put new tires on it next spring, but maybe I'll just move that up by a season in order to make sure this gets taken care of. The previous owner towed this cross country and we put about 1600 miles on it last summer, so I'd really like to get it done. Appreciate the input! :)
tragusa3
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
I can testify that new trailers come with minimal grease. Our last trailer had failure at about 3k miles. I've used the new trailer for 600 miles of local trips this year, but will pack well before next season.

I also think there are lots of people using buddy bearings and not getting proper lubrication. I was one. I will always hand pack now.
bpounds
Nomad
Jun 30, 2015
PokerCamper wrote:
I just contacted the dealer where the previous owner of our 2012 Cougar FW bought it and they have no maintenance record of the wheel bearings or anything else for that matter. Now I'm really concerned since we're under the gun for departing for our 2 week vacation a week from now. Of course, as I predicted, the dealer can't possibly get us in for an appointment before we leave so I'm worried and don't know what my next option is since I don't have the knowledge, skills, or tools to do this myself. Any thoughts or ideas are welcome.

Any mechanic can handle wheel bearing service. That's like Autoshop 101. You don't need an RV shop to do this. Just check around for a small auto repair shop with a decent size parking lot for you to park.

And if you don't get it done, very very unlikely that you will have any problems on your trip. It happens. But it is rare. I would bet most travel trailers out there don't get this done regularly, if at all. It is just the obsessive types like us that hang out here on RV.net that make a big deal of maintenance.

Far more importantly, get your brakes adjusted while they are working on the hubs.

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How Often to Pack Wheel Bearings

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