When replacing the inner bearing grease seals, does it matter what brand the seal is? The reason I ask is because I bought National brand seals today at my local parts store for almost $12 each and now I'm finding seals online for less than $3 each. That's a substantial difference. Is the expensive one really any better. This is for my boat trailer, but this question would apply to my travel trailer as well since they both use double lip grease seals. Thanks.

Some seals are designed to be used with the EZ lube or in the case of marine stuff "Bearing buddys" style grease system and are built to take the pressure (in theory..) created during the greasing process. Those seals cost more.If you don't use that "feature" then the cheaper, more common seals work fine for RV's but for a boat trailer, I'd get the better ones becasue they have a tighter seal. Scott

Yes the better seals are worth it. As mentioned before they are better able to handle the pressure and vacuum that develops in the hub cavity due to heat cooling cycles. Really, it it worth $ 36.00 to have one of those $3.00 seals fail while on the road?

National is a name brand and a manufacturer for others. I'd pay the $12 for that quality anyday.

Agreed on the quality for a trailer that is going to dunk the warm bearings under water. If your trailer has the bearing buddy caps then the more expensive seals are hopefully double lip seals which are required. The cheaper seal might be only a single lip seal which will leak with the bearing buddy system.

I worked in industrial maintenance at one of the largest meat slaughter and packing facilities for 10 years. National and Chicago Rawhide seals are what was used in those extreme environments. From 100 below 0 degree blast freezers to 120 degree and up kill floors. I would stick with National or CR instead of no name brands. If you are worried about cash, try the cheapies. Maybe they will hold up? I'll pass. If you're broke down in the middle of nowhere, use what you can get!

Question on inner bearing grease seals | Good Sam Community

JRscooby
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2020
spoon059 wrote:
JRscooby wrote:
I don't understand the "Decide good day to pack bearings, run to store"
I have a single axle trailer. I always have at least bearings and seal for one wheel in camper. When I pack my bearings, if that is all the spares I have, I order more.

Cool. Some people aren't like you.

I have a list of things that are likely to keep me from towing my trailer home.
1)Tire. Spare wheel and tire, and on a long trip another unmounted tire. (Have used the spare twice. Once mounted the other tire so would have a spare)
2)Lights. Extra bulbs and wire/tools to repair.Have changed couple of bulbs.
3)Bearings. Carry tools, grease and parts. Have never had to work on my trailer except at home. When I put brakes on I carried the old hubs. IFAIK, they are still running on separate boat trailers, so somebody else could get their thing home.
4)Brakes. Carry a spare magnet and used springs. Never needed.
5)Wreck. All I can do there is carry insurance.
If you do your own work, and plan to keep the rig, IMHO it is better to buy maintenance parts, like filters and seals, when you can shop for discounts on good parts
kellem
Explorer
Feb 01, 2020
plasticmaster wrote:
kellem wrote:
What's funny is (1) they don't need as much attention as you think

(2) it's very simple, my wife did the bearings the last time while I was at work.
Wow! This is awesome! I'll be sharing this post with my wife! Maybe she can start doing the bearings.

Lol, I wasn't completely truthful.
She finished them up but I had trailer jacked up and wheels pulled before it got dark.
She must have took a lot of breaks, she used half a box of latex gloves.
plasticmaster
Explorer
Feb 01, 2020
kellem wrote:
What's funny is (1) they don't need as much attention as you think

(2) it's very simple, my wife did the bearings the last time while I was at work.
Wow! This is awesome! I'll be sharing this post with my wife! Maybe she can start doing the bearings.
OleManOleCan
Explorer
Feb 01, 2020
opnspaces wrote:
Agreed on the quality for a trailer that is going to dunk the warm bearings under water.

If your trailer has the bearing buddy caps then the more expensive seals are hopefully double lip seals which are required. The cheaper seal might be only a single lip seal which will leak with the bearing buddy system.

I even use the Bearing Buddy caps even on my Utility trailer. I have towed my last trailer across a couple of shallow creeks, and thru many places of standing water.
I use Bearing Buddies on all trailers.
kellem
Explorer
Feb 01, 2020
What's funny is (1) they don't need as much attention as you think

(2) it's very simple, my wife did the bearings the last time while I was at work.
spoon059
Explorer II
Jan 31, 2020
JRscooby wrote:
I don't understand the "Decide good day to pack bearings, run to store"
I have a single axle trailer. I always have at least bearings and seal for one wheel in camper. When I pack my bearings, if that is all the spares I have, I order more.

Cool. Some people aren't like you.
JRscooby
Explorer II
Jan 28, 2020
I don't understand the "Decide good day to pack bearings, run to store"
I have a single axle trailer. I always have at least bearings and seal for one wheel in camper. When I pack my bearings, if that is all the spares I have, I order more.
spoon059
Explorer II
Jan 27, 2020
I'm willing to bet that you are paying for the convenience of going to your local store and buying them. Its quite rare that people know ahead of time the size of their grease seal, rather they pry it out and take it to their local store and ask for a replacement.

Its like buying milk at 7-11 at 2 in the morning for $8, as opposed to waiting until the supermarket opens at 7 and buying it for $3.

I had every intention of finding my axle info ahead of time and ordering seals... but I forgot and one Saturday the weather was nice and I had time. Luckily my bearings were in superb condition, my grease was clean and red and I didn't have to take off the back seal to pack them... cause I didn't buy new seals on line and would have had to run to Napa and pay 4x the cost to buy off the shelf.
kellem
Explorer
Jan 27, 2020
I always get double lip seals,Amazon.

Believe it or not,everytime I pull a bearing to re-pack using EZ lube they need no maintenance. Jack the frame and spin the wheels when greasing.....I'm done pulling them.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Jan 26, 2020
theoldwizard1 wrote:
Take the National part number and look it up on Amazon and Rock Auto. You will be surprised at the price.

What he said.

I get a lot of parts from Rock Auto. They often will ship and drop them at my door cheaper then what I can get them at the local parts store. I've even had the parts store guys tell me that the part is no longer available only to go home and look it up at Rock Auto and it's still available there.