Need Wheel Bearing Advice

The Dexter manual is clear on all this. you need to inspect your brakes annually or every 12,000 miles. So you have to take the hubs off. That gives you the chance to do the bearings too. As stated above, you can't check them for spalling unless they are cleaned of grease first. Then you repack them with new grease and do all the stuff it says in the manual (or have it done--I can't do that work myself, no clue.) Now you are good to go till next time.

The brakes can rust out even (or especially when) sitting parked because of air holes they have that let moisture in (as Dexter tech rep explained) so even with no miles you still have that annually time rule.

Make sure you use the right grease with correct "viscosity index". First time I had it done to the 5er, the shop used a grease (something 707) that was in the Dexter manual but had the wrong index. Later, I called Dexter on that, and they said "Oops", and changed their manual (about 10 years ago)

The grease zerks on an RV are some sort of sales gimmick. According to Dexter's requirement for manual repacking, there is no reason to fit them, but Dexter does. Makes no sense.

While you are at it get them to check your equalizers. The bolts wear through the holes they go through in no time--can happen in 10,000 miles even, and you are past that by a bunch.

OP here. Thanks for all the info and advice. I plan to try to do the work myself, with the help of internet research, Youtube, etc. Being retired, I at least have the time and hopefully the patience!

Any further advice is welcome.

Just one question: Do you check your car/truck wheel bearings every year or 12,000 miles? I sure don't and honestly see no sense in doing it on my trailer. IMO every few years when I check the brakes works fine. Eight years, 20,000 miles and still going strong. I've read several accounts on this forum about problems that ensued after wheel bearing "maintenance". Sometimes you're better off leaving well enough alone.

Your equalizers will only wear out if you haven't already replaced the bolts with wet bolts, and decent bushed equalizers like the EZ-Flex from Dexter. They should be standard equipment.

x3. They are ment for water use not over the road. It takes about 15 minutes a wheel to disassemble, clean, repack and re assemble. As I drive both on and off road, I do it in the spring when I wake up the trailer for the season. Then you know what you got. What have I found over the years? Leaking seals with grease into the brake drums and a bad bearing. I also carry an extra set to seals and 2 sets of bearings, grease with me. having already been stuck with a brake problem in the middle of nowhere as taught me to carry critical spares. Things that need to make me roll again.. Look up grease tt bearings on youtube, many examples. Happy Trails

donn0128 wrote:

Dennis12 wrote:
Buy yourself a set of Bearing Buddys and you will not ever have to question your bearings again.

ABOSLUTELY NOT!
Bearing buddies are spring loaded and are designed to push the grease and water out past the inner seal.

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Bearing Buddies are spring loaded and are designed to maintain a constant positive pressure, so water doesn't enter the bearing during a boat launch after towing, where the cooling of the bearing might otherwise suck water in. The spring doesn't have nearly enough pressure to push the grease past good seals.

Bearing Buddies have a spring loaded floating plate that when full of grease DO NOT push grease past the seal but have a release passage where the grease comes out the front near the grease zerk where you can see that the hub is full of grease.
They are great for boat trailers, but also good for any trailer.

Dusty

To the OP, be aware that some repeatedly come on here boasting about their lack of maintenance, comparing automotive systems to trailers. I have seen enough of the cheap junk used on trailers and recommend that you disregard the comments about leaving well enough alone, or at least get the phone numbers of those that suggest that, so they can come right out and get you back on the road.

After having a number of cheap Chinese bearings start to fail from both materials and workmanship, I will always replace them with quality bearings such as Timken at the first opportunity.

fj12ryder wrote:
Do you check your car/truck wheel bearings every year or 12,000 miles? I sure don't and honestly see no sense in doing it on my trailer. IMO every few years when I check the brakes works fine. Eight years, 20,000 miles and still going strong. I've read several accounts on this forum about problems that ensued after wheel bearing "maintenance". Sometimes you're better off leaving well enough alone.

I'm more on this side of the fence about leaving them alone. And I've never checked my vehicle bearings - on any vehicle.

I have tpms which report heat, I check my hubs often, and everything seems fine after 6 years with no bearing service.

fj12ryder wrote:
Just one question: Do you check your car/truck wheel bearings every year or 12,000 miles? I sure don't and honestly see no sense in doing it on my trailer. IMO every few years when I check the brakes works fine. Eight years, 20,000 miles and still going strong. I've read several accounts on this forum about problems that ensued after wheel bearing "maintenance". Sometimes you're better off leaving well enough alone.

Your equalizers will only wear out if you haven't already replaced the bolts with wet bolts, and decent bushed equalizers like the EZ-Flex from Dexter. They should be standard equipment.

I agree 12mo/12k miles seems a bit much to go by the book. Although I do believe the first repack and inspection is important on a trailer. Once you know it is done right I would also let them run for an extended period. I did my first pack at two years and needed one bearing that was light on grease. Then I went 10 years and put in new bearings when I switched to disk brakes. Old bearings and grease looked fine when removed.

Lynnmor wrote:
To the OP, be aware that some repeatedly come on here boasting about their lack of maintenance, comparing automotive systems to trailers. ...

And exactly what is the difference between the two systems? The last time I looked at the front wheel of my Dodge truck, it was a Timken-style tapered roller bearing, just like what is on my trailer.

And some of us are not "boasting about lack of maintenance" but rather discussing sensible alternative maintenance intervals. IMO, shared by others I might add, is that the 1 year or 12,000 mile repacking interval is simply a CYA by the people involved in building these trailers, and trailer assemblies.