Packing the wheel bearings?

[the other side]

What is the rule on having your wheel bearings done/packed? I don't even know what to call it! Should you do it after every trip, 3 times a year, once a year? Some of the larger travel trailer people I've asked don't EVER do it. Everyone I ask has a different answer and now I'm really confused. My tear is a Silver Shadow and is a 2010 (if that makes a difference).

[mvperini]

I check and repack my wheel bearings at the begining of a every camp season, unless you drive through water all the time you may want to check them more often. i was always told better safe than sorry, same reason i like to run new tires on my trailers every few years


Mike

[the other side]

The only time I will be going through water is when it rains. No creek beds or brooks or such. I was going to get mine done tomorrow. We don't get to do alot of camping so the tear kind of sits for long periods. Will that matter? It seems reasonable to do it once a year to me. Like you said, unless you are going through water all of the time. I'm a quick learn. I'm hoping the guy will let me watch him so I can do it myself next time (if it isn't too much of a pain).
Thanks for the info. I get nervous with this kind of stuff because I know nothing about it. I still worry every trip, that I connected the tear correctly to the car for the first hour, because I read in here one time one of the guys said he looked in his rearview mirror to see his tear doing a wheelie behind him. Now I will worry about doing that for the rest of my life!

[Wild Bill]

I have seen some "new" axles that they seem to me to skimp on the grease. Seals keep the grease where it belongs when it warms up. They sould be replaced each time, cannot get the rear bearing out without damage to the hub seal. Depending on how many miles you put on a year, tire and hub size, all are factors in how often. I do mine every 3rd season or so. Always write on the hub or drum with a marker the date they were repacked and on the frame where you can see it. Then you will know when you are due again. After a long highway run during when you stop always do a walk around and touch the hubs to see if they are just warm, which is ok or hot to touch, that is bad. This is a subject we see come up often. We should do a video on this. Good Luck. Bill

[pete42]

Packing wheel bearings isn't hard once learned.
you do need to know a bad bearing from a good bearing what to look for and when to replace the bearings.

In your situation I would have them packed any good garage, tire dealer, brake place, should be able to do the job, call and ask.

I packed mine in the spring this gave me a chance to not only see if the bearings are good
but to also check the hubs, the brakes if you have them and everything under the trailer.

A good friend took a 9500 mile trip last year in their Casita.
last week while getting the trailer ready for their first trip he discovered that the brake had come apart,
seems the spring that pushes the shoes apart had broken and let the adjuster fall into the drum.

he just replaced both hubs and brakes for $200 checking his bearings saved a possible disaster.

pete

[toypusher]

http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Proje ... l-bearings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpM-iit5n-k

[Wild Bill]

Just watched several you tube videos trying to find one to recommend and did not see one that mentioned to inspect the spindle for pits or cracks, hub for damage, inspect the bearing races or drums for cracks, Springs, hangers, u bolts etc. One guy even said with the wheel on that 1/4 inch of "play" was acceptable!! None showed pitted or dark metal (heat Damage) bearings so that you will know what a bad one looks like. I recommend that you have someone who knows what they are doing walk you thru the process the first time. The unknown factor is that persons level of knowledge and experience. I have found u-bolts on trailers, missing or rusted or broken, cracked hanger welds, broken springs and cracked spindles, while repacking bearings, A good experienced mechanic will inspect all of this and know what to look for. One site said every 20k miles. A long time to wait in my opinion. Most do it yourself people can do this job. This should be demonstrated at a large gathering. It would be as popular as a dutch oven cooking demo!! Bill

[toypusher]

Just watched several you tube videos trying to find one to recommend and did not see one that mentioned to inspect the spindle for pits or cracks, hub for damage, inspect the bearing races or drums for cracks, Springs, hangers, u bolts etc. One guy even said with the wheel on that 1/4 inch of "play" was acceptable!! None showed pitted or dark metal (heat Damage) bearings so that you will know what a bad one looks like. I recommend that you have someone who knows what they are doing walk you thru the process the first time. The unknown factor is that persons level of knowledge and experience. I have found u-bolts on trailers, missing or rusted or broken, cracked hanger welds, broken springs and cracked spindles, while repacking bearings, A good experienced mechanic will inspect all of this and know what to look for. One site said every 20k miles. A long time to wait in my opinion. Most do it yourself people can do this job. This should be demonstrated at a large gathering. It would be as popular as a dutch oven cooking demo!! Bill

You could always do some research and post pics of all the things you mentioned above for everyone to see what burned bearing, etc. look like.

[CliffinGA]

Personally if the trailer or tear has not had a lot of use 1-2 yrs if I'm not sure as in my new trailer, I go ahead and repack them. If I'm using it alot then at the beginning of the year before the first trip in it.

Cliff

[Yota Bill]

cannot get the rear bearing out without damage to the hub seal.

actually, the easiest way to remove the rear (inner) bearing also does not damage the seal, so it can very well be re-used. Granted, the seal is cheap enough to replace, but if your just repacking the bearings, that seal would be the only reason to drive to the parts store. I've re-used countless seals, never with any issues.

Remove the dust cap, then take out the cotter pin, remove the nut and washer. Wiggle the hub slightly and the outer bearing will pop right out...leave the hub in place, and thread the nut back on, then quickly slide the hub off the spindle, while also pushing it down (or up, or sideways). The bearing will catch on the nut and pop the seal right out, leaving both on the hub and undamaged.

[jandmz]

The way my dad taught me to remove the rear bearing is, first don't take the tire off the hub and follow Yota's directions to remove the outer bearing. Then lay a rag on the ground and lay the hub and wheel over the rag. Use a wooden broomstick or dowl rod from the outside and set it against the inner side of the inner bearing. Tap gently with a hammer moving the stick to several places around the bearing. The seal and bearing will drop onto the rag. It will gently work the seal out without damaging it. Both he and I have reused bearing seals for years without problems.

[Wild Bill]

Heck, I may just have to have my son help me and do a video.

[the other side]

If you made a video I'd watch it! I'm hoping the guy that does it tomorrow will let me watch, but it would be better for me to learn if he'd make me do it (that won't happen)!!! I am unfortunate because both my dad and my husband can't even change a lightbulb! If there is a demonstration at a gathering, hope I'm there. If I don't have the same parts on my trailer as the demonstration trailer I'd be lost.

[john warren]

its easy to do, so i always do it while getting the trailer clean and ready to go in the spring. i have never had a bearing fail, but would feel pretty stupid to have my vacation ruined by neglecting something that easy.

if you don't know how or don't want to do it yourself, its pretty cheap to pay a local mechanic to do this, most are willing to do it on the side for the cost of a 12 pack or so. or even a nice dinner.

[Dale M.]

Umm... Think about this... You drive your car-truck-van for 50-75000 miles and never pack front wheel bearings.... You could put 20-30,000 miles safely on a properly greased set of trailer bearings... The only EXCEPTION in my mind is a boat trailer where every time you take boat out the bearing get dunked... It this case its prudent to do it at beginning of boating season ( use water resistant wheel bearing grease for boat treilers)...

How may utility trailers and camp trailers do you see along side of road with wheel off and car gone to town to search for bearings compared to boat trailers....

If you do it right the first time ( the initial check when you bring trailer home the first day) there is no reason a pack/repack can not last up to 5 years with out problems....

What I do with my trailers is after a long run 100-150 miles is put hand on hub, if its a little warm there is a probably no problem if its hot its trying to tell you it needs attention.... You will know the difference from warm (everything ok) to hot (problem)...

IT all comes down to three things: quality of grease, quality of bearings (yes I fear Chinese bearings) and quality of workman ship...

As a side note my 2005 Chevy PU has sealed, pressed on front wheel bearings, you cant even greases them, you just pop three bolts loose and whole bearing assembly is "replaced" that is how good bearing have gotten...

Dale