Grease spraying out

[scalveg]

I recently finished a trailer kit I bought off a friend who never got around to building it.

After finishing it, I took it on a test drive and got it registered and then sent my wife off on a trip for the weekend. She said that it towed fine, and that the hubs were never more than warm to the touch, which sounds normal from what I've read.

However I was inspecting it after she got back, and I noticed the inside of both wheels had grease spattered all over them! There was still plenty of grease in the hubs so I don't think any damage was done, but wtf?

The hubs do have zerk fittings in that vicinity. Are my zerks leaking grease as I drive down the road? Isn't there some kind of little ball bearing valve in there that should keep grease from popping back out? Should I replace them with better fittings? (I think I have seen replacements on the redtrailers web site)

Or am I off base and the grease is coming from elsewhere?

Thanks for any advice!

[Nitetimes]

Are the caps on the hubs???
I'm not exactly sure where the grease is coming from???
Are the little rubber plugs in the caps?
If yes to the above there might be too much grease in the hubs.
You really don't need a lot of grease in the hub itself, just in the bearings.

[scalveg]

Yes the main dust caps are on the hubs, but are you saying the zerk fittings should have their own little caps? That could be it, then!

The outer half of the wheels are clean, so I don't think it's coming out that end.

It's the inner wheel surfaces (that face up under the trailer) that are all greasy.

I think it must be the zerk fittings one way or another!

[Steve_Cox]

Inside of the wheels grease splattered. Either it was over-filled with grease or the seal itself is either missing or damaged. Since both sides did it, and I am going to assume the seals are there most likely thing is over-filled with grease, as it warms up and expands the seal is the point of least resistance to overflow, not a big problem, just a mess. I'm not a fan of zirks on hubs, people have a tendency to not take them apart and clean, inspect and repack the bearings, seems so easy to just pump in more grease. The zirks shouldn't leak, they have a ball check inside them.

[madjack]

Inside of the wheels grease splattered. Either it was over-filled with grease or the seal itself is either missing or damaged. Since both sides did it, and I am going to assume the seals are there most likely thing is over-filled with grease, as it warms up and expands the seal is the point of least resistance to overflow, not a big problem, just a mess. I'm not a fan of zirks on hubs, people have a tendency to not take them apart and clean, inspect and repack the bearings, seems so easy to just pump in more grease. The zirks shouldn't leak, they have a ball check inside them.

...a plus 1 type ditto here...............................................

[Nitetimes]

Yes the main dust caps are on the hubs, but are you saying the zerk fittings should have their own little caps? That could be it, then!

Not there own so much as a rubber plug in the center of the dust cap. But it doesn't sound like that is your problem. Gotta agree with Steve and Jack, make sure seals are in and don't put any more grease in there!

The outer half of the wheels are clean, so I don't think it's coming out that end.

It's the inner wheel surfaces (that face up under the trailer) that are all greasy.

I think it must be the zerk fittings one way or another!

[scalveg]

Wait, rubber seals?

I tried to follow the trailer directions as best I could, but I don't remember any rubber seals in there.

I take off the metal dust caps, and there's the castle nut with its cotter pin. I take that off and there's something that's basically a big steel washer. I take that off and there's the outer bearing.

Is there supposed to be an extra part in there that I missed?

Hmm after finding http://www.etrailer.com/faq_wheelbearingpack.aspx online, it looks like there are supposed to be rubber pieces that go on the outside of both bearings. Oh man no wonder it was spraying grease everywhere.

I'll have another look at the instructions and the tray of parts that came with the trailer kit!

Thanks!

[Arne]

grease fittings can be a problem... people pump grease in and push the inner seals out.... the reality is that bearings require very little grease, and the best way to put it on the bearings is by hand... I clean all the grease out of the hub and grease the bearings and that's it.... filling the hub with grease is good for boats, but bearing buddies have a grease pressure release on most of them so the pressure can not build up enough to push out the seals....

bottom line, take the wheels of, then the hubs and clean everything up, then grease each bearing and reinstall...

Additionally, it might not blow the seal out, but the grease will be pushed out between the axle shaft and the seal.... and it will migrate all over the inner portion of the rim. It will not come out the outer side (usually) because the seal between the cap and the hub is so tight... the inner seal is the weak link in the chain.

[madjack]

...the seal in question is the rear seal..it should look like a steel, cupped and flanged washer with a rubber gasket sealed into the center of it...the rubber goes over the spindle and the metal cup press fits into the back of the hub...
madjack

[Nitetimes]

It sounds like the seal Jack is showing you might be missing, if so you need to pull both bearings out of both wheels and clean them well and repack them, the smallest amount of dust/dirt in your grease can grind your bearings to nothing in a short time.
This is the seal/plug I was referring to and it don't sound like that is your problem. Sorry if I confused you.

[tonyj]

NOOOO! The seal Jack is showing you is the inner bearing seal. If that were missing, your bearings would already be toast.

Unless you are planning to launch your trailer into the water, do not fill the hub with grease. Give it time. You may have too much grease in the hub, but there is a good chance the excess has already leaked out. If the hubs are only warm after driving, you are okay (except for the mess on the inside of the wheel).

The next time you remove the hub, remove all that extra grease in the hub. Pack the bearings, not the hub!

[Arne]

" Pack the bearings, not the hub"

Very well put...

[Steve_Cox]

Wait, rubber seals?


I take off the metal dust caps, and there's the castle nut with its cotter pin. I take that off and there's something that's basically a big steel washer. I take that off and there's the outer bearing.

Is there supposed to be an extra part in there that I missed?


Thanks!

In the kit the inside bearing, bearing race and seal should have been installed already when you got it. You get to slide the hub onto the spindle, put on the outer bearing, flat washer, castle nut, cotter pin and dust cap.

[scalveg]

Okay I didn't disassemble the hub but the assembly starts to make a bit more sense now, and I am more confident that the pieces are assembled properly after I inspected the back side of the hubs.

So it sounds like these zerk fittings that are installed on my wheel hubs are something that the trailer kit manufacturer put on, but basically are not really a good idea in real life. And I was so excited to be able to add a grease gun to my tool kit!

I'll continue to use the trailer for now but I'll clear out the grease and repack just the bearings in a few months.

Thanks for all your advice!