I need a little advice....I have a Jayco TT 23' (27' overall) that weighs about 5300# loaded. I bought it new in Jan of '16 and have put about 19,500 miles on it. There are grease fittings on the hubs.After about 15 months and 7,500 miles I had the bearings checked and they said nothing was needed. I watched them and they did not add grease, they just inspected all four and said I was good to go on the long trip I was planning.I then put another 12,000 miles on it, without ever adding grease. I didn't even realize there were grease fittings until now. (I know, stupid of me. I carefully maintained other things, but this just wasn't on my radar).So, the question is - do I just need to add grease through the fittings, or do I need to disassemble and "pack" the bearings? I'm about to go on an 80 mile trip. If they need to be disassembled, can I get by with adding some grease now and pack them before my next longer trip?Thanks, as always, for the good advice.

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

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. Boat trailers generally do not have brakes, so this is OK. Using them on an RV with brakes could contaminate the brake shoes making them useless.Correct use of this type of bearing assembly is to add a couple of pumps of grease every 10,000 or so miles, or yearly.

Provided the guys who checked them did a good job and insured the bearings were well greased, then you can add grease, or do a bearing repack the same time you do the wheel bearings on your car/truck. If the bearings are well greased they should be good for a long time.I agree that Bearing Buddies on a boat trailer are a good idea, on a regular trailer, not so much.

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. Boat trailers generally do not have brakes, so this is OK. Using them on an RV with brakes could contaminate the brake shoes making them useless.Correct use of this type of bearing assembly is to add a couple of pumps of grease every 10,000 or so miles, or yearly.X2^^. Loved them on my boat trailers. Would never put them on an RV with brakes.Rob

**IF** You decide to keep them, be very careful to only put 2-3 pumps of grease in each.. Like everyone stated above, too much grease and you will blow out the seal and contaminate the brakes..My last fiver had them, I never used them, always hand packed the bearings... that way I could also inspect for pitting, or foreign stuff . .

Need Wheel Bearing Advice | Good Sam Community

27 Replies

Lynnmor
Explorer
Sep 24, 2018
First, the guy that "checked" your bearings actually checked nothing. You can't see the condition of all the metal parts thru grease.

Second, most manufacturers recommend 12,000 miles or 12 months for bearing service and brake inspection, you are way overdue.

Third, adding a small amount thru that worthless grease fitting will do nothing. In order to grease the outer bearing you would need to pump grease till the inner bearing is filled, then continue pumping till the cavity is filled and then old grease from the inner bearing is completely forced out thru the outer bearing. Just plain nonsense.

Personally, I would never put a new or used trailer is service till I completely serviced and adjusted the bearings and brakes. I have seen too much and believe you have been lucky.
phillyg
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2018
Yep, overgreasing can contaminate the brake shoes and ruin the seal. A lot of folks use the old school, but messy, hand-packing method
ford_truck_guy
Nomad
Sep 24, 2018
**IF** You decide to keep them, be very careful to only put 2-3 pumps of grease in each.. Like everyone stated above, too much grease and you will blow out the seal and contaminate the brakes..

My last fiver had them, I never used them, always hand packed the bearings... that way I could also inspect for pitting, or foreign stuff . .
Second_Chance
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2018
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. Boat trailers generally do not have brakes, so this is OK. Using them on an RV with brakes could contaminate the brake shoes making them useless.
Correct use of this type of bearing assembly is to add a couple of pumps of grease every 10,000 or so miles, or yearly.

X2^^. Loved them on my boat trailers. Would never put them on an RV with brakes.

Rob
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Sep 24, 2018
Provided the guys who checked them did a good job and insured the bearings were well greased, then you can add grease, or do a bearing repack the same time you do the wheel bearings on your car/truck. If the bearings are well greased they should be good for a long time.

I agree that Bearing Buddies on a boat trailer are a good idea, on a regular trailer, not so much.
donn0128
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2018
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. Boat trailers generally do not have brakes, so this is OK. Using them on an RV with brakes could contaminate the brake shoes making them useless.
Correct use of this type of bearing assembly is to add a couple of pumps of grease every 10,000 or so miles, or yearly.
Dennis12
Explorer
Sep 24, 2018
Buy yourself a set of Bearing Buddys and you will not ever have to question your bearings again.

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Need Wheel Bearing Advice

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