Greasing bearings question

However, I will admit hand packing bearing and cleaning up brake shoes looses some of it charm when you are sitting on the ground covered with grease and brake dust and grime.

Not necessary to be "covered" with grease or brake dust. As an owner increases in skill while working on the hubs, the mess will be less.

I use an over-turned pail as a seat. It is just about the right height.

After removing the hub, the hub can be worked with on a bench to remove the inboard seal, the bearing, and clean up the hub. I usually direct compressed air on the shoes and drum, using a longer blow-down gun. That keeps brake dust off me.

The bearings can be placed in a container of cleaner and agitated to remove old grease. Typically, I wipe them down with rags, put them in a bearing packer, apply grease, and immediately install in the hub. The seal is then installed, hub mounted on spindle, outer bearing greased and installed, and the nut threaded on to hold the hub and bearings in place.

Lastly, tighten nut to preload bearings and then back off until the wheel spins freely. This last step is done with years of experience behind me. An owner may wish to use a torque wrench, instead. YMMV.

I packed my bearings 10 years ago with red Mobil 1 when the trailer was 2 years old. Probably time for brakes now and decided to go disk this year. Cheap China bearings were all fine and still a very red tint to the grease. I have no zerk.

> Grease every where

WayneAt63044 wrote:
I recently had a bearing failure after a quick inspection 2 months earlier. I removed 2 of the 4 drums and found plenty of grease on the bearings but I didn't clean and fully examine the bearings. They had the original black grease in Lippert axles 5 years old. I replaced the bearings and brakes on the failed unit at a campsite and then inspected the other 3 more thoroughly when I got home. As it turns out 3 of the 4 were bad (galled rollers on the outer bearings). All new now with red grease #2. Just greasing from the zerk fitting will not reveal the true condition of the bearings. Also, you should not mix different types of grease. Do you know what is currently being used before adding your grease? Lippert apparently used a black grease and the new Dexter drum/bearing assembly came with red grease. That's my recent history; hope it helps someone to avoid a catastrophic failure. I don't know if it is relevant or not but my 3 prior trailers all had Dexter axles and zero failures. I've always done my own bearing maintenance over the past 21 years.

My Lippert axles came with red grease.... It of course will turn black with use.

crazyro wrote:
Replacement parts - is there a specific brand to look for?

TIMKEN!!

Best bet to find Timken is at a bearing supply house, and call ahead and ask if that's what they carry.

It is always better to take apart and inspect, but it means nothing if you do not know what to look for.

Just what percentage of the TT owners even know what a drum brake is let alone how to check one out. The same with bearings and hand packing.

The trailer axle industry knows this and has addressed the issue with fairly simple solution.

It is true that much of the TT maintenance information appears on YouTube and other sources for those who like doing things themselves.

However, I will admit hand packing bearing and cleaning up brake shoes looses some of it charm when you are sitting on the ground covered with grease and brake dust and grime.

I suspect that most folks will leave it to the dealership though my experience with them was not been very satisfying.

dodge guy wrote:

OldSmokey wrote:
I'd like to know why trailers are still equipped with 19th century bearings.. what's wrong with sealed bearings of the type fitted to cars and trucks ??

You mean like the ones on my 2013 explorer that had to be replaced at 45k miles (3 1/2 years old) and cost $150 each. The old school bearings are the much better way to go. There are even after market companies that offer kits to convert 4WD truck unit bearings over to the old school serviceable bearings. It is a much better bearing provided you have good quality bearings to start with.

bad bearings ?

my wife has nearly 200,000 miles on her truck and the bearings are just fine.. and you know how women drive.. :B

I'd suggest to pull the hubs, replace the seals, and use the tool and process listed by Passin Thru, above. There all all manners of grease available but a good quality synthetic bearing grease is what you should use.

I agree with Badger. I recommend you buy http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bearing-Packer-Oil-Grease-Lubricant-Hand-Tool-Pack-Fill-Maintenance-Handdy-Lisle-/132192786879?epid=1448636837&hash=item1ec74dd9bf:g:ZlQAAOSwY3BZGZAG and use hi temp bearing grease and don't over grease. I am an aircraft mechanic and do mine this way. Do not spin a dry bearing after cleaning it as they can shatter. They are hardened Chrome-Alloy. It's no wonder wet roads get slick, you guys are greasing them.

I would only use German or American bearings. I always did the bearings at every tire change on my old Harleys. It was widely accepted that Chinese bearings were asking for trouble with a lot of evidence to support that. That's most of my experience. I have repacked car and trailer bearings, it's easy. On the Harleys I used only the green extra heavy duty grease. As long as they were repacked regularly they would last darn near forever. If memory serves they were Timkens. Very good bearings.

I have a cheap Chinese Harbor Freight trailer that I use for hauling any and everything. I abuse it. I put whatever grease is handy in those bearings. It seems to be fine. My philosophy with that thing is as long as the bearings aren't dry, we're good. It's been going for years like that.

Thank you all for your help. I've never done a bearings jobs so wish me luck. :)

Replacement parts - is there a specific brand to look for?