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

bpounds
Nomad
Jul 01, 2015
PokerCamper wrote:
I just had another thought. I have a 4 inch ramp that I bought last year in the event that I need to replace a flat / blown tire while traveling. Can't I just hitch up the truck, pull up onto the ramp to lift the wheel I'm working on off the ground enough for it to rotate, and then reverse / repeat the process for the other three wheels? That way I've got the constant stability of being hitched to the truck and don't have to worry about jacking anything up.

That will work fine, and it's probably a good idea for you to do that, so you get some practice using that thing. The jack you have would work fine too. Just put it right under the leaf spring, directly under the U-bolts, and jack one wheel up at a time. No need to use the jack stands if all you are doing is pumping up the EZ Lube fittings. You won't be placing your body under anything, and you won't be removing the tire/wheel.

I would just use the jack, because hitching up and running back and forth over that trailer aid ramp would be a pain in my butt, but if you're going to rely on that gizmo, best get some practice so you know how/if it works.

A cheap bottle jack works fine, if you get the correct height. And the scissor jack for your truck probably works too.
Campinfan
Explorer III
Jul 01, 2015
Dave H M wrote:
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

I didn't say nuttin.....
Sport45
Explorer II
Jul 01, 2015
PokerCamper wrote:
I just had another thought. I have a 4 inch ramp that I bought last year in the event that I need to replace a flat / blown tire while traveling. Can't I just hitch up the truck, pull up onto the ramp to lift the wheel I'm working on off the ground enough for it to rotate, and then reverse / repeat the process for the other three wheels? That way I've got the constant stability of being hitched to the truck and don't have to worry about jacking anything up.

Yes, you can.
PokerCamper
Explorer
Jul 01, 2015
I just had another thought. I have a 4 inch ramp that I bought last year in the event that I need to replace a flat / blown tire while traveling. Can't I just hitch up the truck, pull up onto the ramp to lift the wheel I'm working on off the ground enough for it to rotate, and then reverse / repeat the process for the other three wheels? That way I've got the constant stability of being hitched to the truck and don't have to worry about jacking anything up.
ckwizard777
Explorer
Jul 01, 2015
Bigger will make it easier but 2-ton should do it.
I place the jack right under the spring perch and lift up the wheel and service it one at a time.
PokerCamper
Explorer
Jul 01, 2015
One more probably dumb question from me, the uninformed noob. The dry GVW of my Keystone 26SAB is just shy of 7000#. I've got a hydraulic floor jack that I've used to work on my riding lawn mower but can't remember what it's rated for weight-wise so I have to look at it when I get home. Assuming it's probably not more than a 2 ton jack, I need to get something else.

Not having done this kind of thing before, I presume that I need a 4 ton (minimum) lift capacity hydraulic floor jack and a pair of ratcheting jack stands on the frame, positioned one in front and one behind the wheels, in order to do this safely. Am I right or am I missing something?
ckwizard777
Explorer
Jul 01, 2015
MFL wrote:
Dave H M wrote:
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

OH BOY, now you've done it Dave! You better take bearings, seals, lots of spare parts, on your next trip.:B

Jerry

Maybe up there in the great white north you guys can get away with it but down here in the Texas heat I follow Dexters advise and do it every spring.
Gives me a warm fuzzy :)
Padlin
Explorer
Jul 01, 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.

My regular car mechanic does the job for me.
MFL
Nomad II
Jul 01, 2015
Dave H M wrote:
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

OH BOY, now you've done it Dave! You better take bearings, seals, lots of spare parts, on your next trip.:B

Jerry
PokerCamper
Explorer
Jul 01, 2015
bpounds wrote:
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

OK, I can definitely handle that! The brochure for my 2012 Cougar says that E-Z Lube hubs are standard on all models, so I should be golden. Thanks so much everyone, I am feeling a lot more confident now after seeing that video and hearing from others that it's not as big of a deal as I'm making it out to be.

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How Often to Pack Wheel Bearings

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