How to tell if your wheel bearings are bad.

[navy80to04]

I took all 6 hubs off of my RV and it looks like the bearings have spun on the spindle. I have very slight galling On spindles and brown heat marks on bearing were it touches the spindle.
On the outer bearings and 2 of the inner bearings too. Nuts were at the right adjustment And grease was black. No seals were bad. Only grease on outside of 2 rims. So grease got hot and came out around dustcap on 2 wheels.
Replace all 12 bearings and races? and of course all the seals.

[fj12ryder]

Very true, many times too much grease is as bad as too little.

[martipr]

Bearings are not greased, bearings are packed. There is a great difference and if you don't know it learn or let someone who does pack them. In 47 years of aircraft maintenance I have seen many, many thousands dollars of damage and one death from improperly packed bearings.

[AH64ID]

I use Amsoil NLGI #2 wheel bearing grease.

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/grease/synthetic-multi-purpose-grease-nlgi-2/?code=GLC3P-EA

[Lynnmor]

ken burke wrote:
What is the best grease to lube rv bearings? Any high temp grease will do?
thanks kwb

I only use grease made just for wheel bearings. Do not mix different types of grease.

[ken_burke]

What is the best grease to lube rv bearings? Any high temp grease will do?
thanks kwb

[Dog_Folks]

WOW 40 responses and 5 pages.

This is almost as good as a WalMart thread.

Carry on.

[Dave_H_M]

What did the origin of manufacture say on the bearings?

Sometimes I wonder if timken has the boxes made in the usa and shipped to China?

[AH64ID]

RJsfishin wrote:
Each our own thoughts on that too.

Just going by what the manufacturer recommends.

[RJsfishin]

Each our own thoughts on that too.

[AH64ID]

To do it correctly will require the replacement of a seal, seeing as the zerk doesn't alleviate the requirement to remove the bearings and repack them.

[RJsfishin]

Quote:
. I WILL NEVER USE BUDDY BEARINGS OR AXLE GREASE FITTING. REPACK OR STAY HOME. Just my view. Not for anyone else
-------------------------------------------------
Well I'm glad you added the last part.
And if you had a boat trailer, you would probably be using them, or else you would spend a lot of money before you would probably learn,.....the expensive way.

Zerk greased axles can work perfectly fine if they are done right.
And to do it right, it takes experience. In reality, if you are experienced to do stuff correctly, you should never have to replace a bearing, or a seal. Enuff said !!

[RAS43]

AH64ID wrote:

ernie1 wrote:
I have bearing buddies on my boat trailer and I wonder if it helps to load the bearing cavity with grease to keep water out.

That is where releasable bearings started, and then RV owners wanted them. IMHO they are a sales gimmick and not for any additional serviceability, as referenced by the OEM service intervals above.

X2 filling the hub is great on boat trailers, not so much on RV's. More marketing than anything. Kind of like nitrogen in tires! IMO

[down_home]

I had to replace bearings on our boat trailer. It has grease fittings and rubber bellows and spring to keep pressure on grease inside. I could see steam after launching and the bearing grease fitting cup was down further than should be. I greased them all and went home slowly.
The bearings wer galled and even pieces of bearing flaked or broken off.
The bearings were cheap Chinese. The outer races had irregular line or seam where two halves were pressed together and then ground.
I now use a green synthetic lithium grease, for lawnmower, which is all I have that needs greasing. Don't remember the name right off. It's about nine dollars a tube. You cannot wipe or wash it off and it takes some doing with everything else.
never had to replace, bearings on our Fifth Wheel, I think, They were Dexter, non service. I may have repacked them, I don't remember, but it wasn't recommended.
Not sure what Dexter or other mfg reccomends.
Sorry to hear Dexter is now made in China.

[AH64ID]

ernie1 wrote:
I have bearing buddies on my boat trailer and I wonder if it helps to load the bearing cavity with grease to keep water out.

That is where greasable bearings started, and then RV owners wanted them. IMHO they are a sales gimmick and not for any additional serviceability, as referenced by the OEM service intervals above.