Do I need to have the bearings packed on my new trailer ( I have had it for one year but only used about 10 times- short distances only)?  Is this required every year no matter what the usage?

It would be a good idea to have the bearings inspected when you take delivery of any new trailer, or used trailer new to you. We bought a new trailer and found a couple of months later, that one side had no grease. The spindles and bearings were burnt and shot. All the bearings and spindle on one side had to be replaced. If we had made a long trip at high speeds, the bearings would have seized, shearing the spindles and dropping the wheels.

Depending on your local motor vehicle codes, will determine if you are required to have an annual safety inspection. If you do, they will be checked as a matter of course.

Most manufacturers will state that a yearly inspection is required. However, unless you pull the trailer 30 -40k a year, it's unlikely that a properly packed bearing will actually need attention that often. In the old days of pre front wheel drive cars, the front wheel bearings were often repacked at 50K. They were the same tapered roller bearings commonly used in your trailer.

Short trips adding up to 20K make take a couple of years. Unless the hubs are totally submerged in water or mud, there is no reason to expect any abnormal wear on the bearings. I use "Bearing Buddies" on most of my trailers. The newest trailer has not had the drums pulled for three years, the longest I travel between inspections is five years. I've never had a bearing failure with this system, even in a marine environment.

Being overly cautious is better than not doing any maintenance. Some places charge as high as a couple hundred dollars for the service. I would definitely have it done soon, and then determine what direction you want to take in the future.

Gard

You guys keep us in business.  Thanks.  We highly recommend that boat trailers be repacked once a year, and other trailers based on mileage and the conditions under which it is used.  Haven't you noticed boats sitting on the side of the road with a wheel off, especially in the early summer?  Gard, I would have expected you to promote more frequent maintenance. 

We pack wheels for a flat rate of $20.00 per wheel.  (8k axles and under)  That means removing the bearings, cleaning all old grease off bearings and races, inspecting, and repacking in new grease.  Since the hubs are pulled off the spindle, this is an opportunity to visually inspect the brake assemblies and note any existing, developing or potential problems.  We will not reuse old seals, but most seals are under $2 each.  This takes 1-1/2 to 2 hours, and is not a profitable service for us.  However, rarely do we just pack wheels on a trailer.  Usually there is some electrical work or other repair.

We see so many instances where a trip or a weekend or a scheduled job is ruined by bearing failure.  Trailers pulling in with missing hubs are quite common.  It is a lucky day when the spindle is not ruined and just a hub and bearings solves the problem.

We also love EZ lube axles, the type of axle of any brand that has a grease zerk in the middle.  Most of the trailers we sell have this type of axle.  They are great when used correctly, but misuse is rampant.  When too much grease is pumped in, it can blow the seal out and pack your brake assemblies solid with grease.  It takes about an hour to degrease the assembly and the hub and then the shoes are usually compromised and prone to come apart.  Also, you never see the bearings.   Like I said, job security.

I didn't mean to rant and rave, but it just seems much better economically to do good maintenance instead of risking a hub or even axle beam replacement.

KAY

Since we have recommended Bearing Buddies and synthetic grease to our customers, none of them have had any further bearing failures in a marine environment. The bearings are always free of water, the grease is clean and dry, the seals are not compromised, and the hubs will not suck moisture as they are cooled down while completely submerged in water. The only yearly maintenance, is the addition of a small amount of grease to the zerk fitting, to replenish the reservoir.

Sorry, but you haven't  seen any of my boats or those of our customers on the side of the road. Nor have you seen any other of my several trailers. You and the marina, will also not have them as a yearly customer.

You're quite correct about cleaning a bearing before it can be inspected. Unfortunately this important step is often neglected. I've watched shops claiming to repack bearings, do so, by smearing clean grease over the old dirty grease and reinstall the bearing. To properly clean, repack a bearing, replace a seal, torque the axle nut and install the safety cannot be done in a few minutes. It takes almost a half an hour per wheel, and at today's shop rates, can add up to a hefty bill.

I'm all for proper and proactive maintenance. I made a living doing so on a professional level, where many lives routinely depended on my abilities. I don't favour unnecessary maintenance, particularly that which is prescribed by people, who stand to monetarily benefit from an erroneous recommendation.

Do you still change your oil every 3K? That unnecessary advise is currently promoted by everyone who changes oil for a living. Even the auto makers don't agree with that. Would I be I wrong to recommend an extended mileage oil change, based on the type of oil and the service in which the vehicle is used? Did you notice that I stated the manufacturer's recommendations, before I explained mine?

Your statement  "and other trailers based on mileage and the conditions under which it is used." echoes what I said.

I do whatever is necessary for the longevity and reliability of the vehicle I'm working on. The safety of my family is paramount, and I will do nothing to jeopardize their well being. To date my efforts have worked quite well.

Gard

Amazingly enough, some of the trail rides and hunts we go to, require some off road travel and some creek crossings!  Dang!  BTW, in 40 years of pulling trailers of many types, have never had one have a bearing go bad going down the road...

By all means repack those bearings, Several years ago we had made a custom trailer, inspected it during the manufacturing period were very confident how well it was made, had it just a few months and a bearing seized, fortunatly my Brother in law was following us and got my Husband to pull over just as the tire came off, long story short limped home (nowhere to find a bearing on Sat. evening) checked the others and they were cheap china made bearings found of the three others two were dry and would have also given problems very soon. Now are religous about checking and repacking yearly.

Pat Moore

If you keep a close check on your tires and bearings you will have a good idea of whats going on.  I always walk around my trailers after a decent length road trip.  If a  bearing starts to feel warm is their a reason for it?  Were you overloaded or doing heavy braking, etc.  Then at the next stop check and see if anything has changed.  You should be able to tell how urgently they need repacking.  I haven't had a bearing failure, but have bought a couple of trailers that needed repacking from the dealership. I have seen a friend in front of me lose a wheel on a major highway and it was not a fun experience, but they never checked their bearings.  They do now. 

I hope you didn't just jinx yourself......

flyingh wrote: Amazingly enough, some of the trail rides and hunts we go to, require some off road travel and some creek crossings!  Dang!  BTW, in 40 years of pulling trailers of many types, have never had one have a bearing go bad going down the road...

You should service your axles every year unless your trailer is used very little. Inspecting bearings is only part of the process. Your brakes need to be adjusted, cleaned and checked for damage as well. I have found more damage due to broken springs and adjusters as well as worn magnets than I have bearing problems witch can be just as dangerous as a blown bearing. A shorted magnet cause you to loose all brakes at once.

I would rather a tire come off than to loose my brakes going down mountain side thats for sure.

The Mobil synthetic greases, will work very well as a wheel bearing grease. The SHC 460 is specifically intended for wheel bearings while the SHC 100 is not. You have access to a good product. You need not have to look any further.

Gard

It's tough on bearings that are not moving and frozen solid for hours, to suddenly have hundreds of tons of pressure slammed upon them, as they are instantly spun up to 150 MPH. Then they are super heated by multiple plate disc brakes, and brought to a complete stop, where the grease and bearings continue to bake. Then they are spun up to about 140 MPH, stopped, and again frozen.

This happens many times every day.

The synthetic greases certainly improve the bearings' longevity. Without them, the maintenance would be drastically increased with multiple bearing failures. Those same greases, used in a trailer, will ensure a long bearing life.

"Mobilith SHC 100 is an antiwear and extreme pressure grease primarily recommended for higher speed applications such as electric motors, where reduced friction, low wear and long service life are required. It is an NLGI 2 Grade / ISO VG 100 grease with a synthetic base fluid. Its operating temperature range is -40º C* to 150º C"

Dexter currently offers three different bearing configurations in their axle/hub assemblies.  These include the "standard", E-Z Lube, and Nev-R-Lube, and they have different inspection/maintenance requirements (see link).  This could lead to confusion depending on what type is being used on a trailer.  The Nev-R-Lube can't be repacked, but end play should be inspected yearly, and replacement is recommended every 5yr/100k miles.

http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/1080235/f/6-8K_Service_Manual_3-08/Hubs__Drums____Bearings_2-08.pdf

If you put a dab of grease on each wheel stud before you reinstall the wheels, you will attain a better torque figure and the nuts won't rust to the studs.

You obviously have no knowledge about the reservoir of a bearing buddy, what it is, how it is used or to what capacity. Since the introduction of Bearing Buddies, the marine field has been blessed with much fewer bearing failures due to water intrusion. At one time, the bearings had to be repacked after every immersion. Now its every several years. Many trailer manufacturers are now installing them as standard equipment.

The trailer owners using Bearing Buddies can now enjoy a reliable trailer with little maintenance. Joke? Hardly

A "better torque figure" means, that a wet torque figure is more accurate and delivers a more consistent torque than a dry assembly. If you use a wet torque, it is a common practice to reduce the stated load figures by 10-15%. Some assemblies are only rated at a wet torque value, but a dry assembly, unless specifically prohibited, can be assembled wet with much more accurate results. It also allows a much easier disassembly.