repack bearing question

[willik]

I recently acquired a UHaul CT. I don't believe that it has ever had the bearing repacked. The reason I believe this is that I had my brother-in-law come over today to help me re-grease the bearings. We were unable to break the seal. In fact, we only got one bolt loose. We retightened it and I'm going to have to have someone else do this. I have 2 questions.

1. Who would be the best to do this work? A tire place?

2. I've read several threads in which people mentioned that they had to re-grease the bearings mid trip... what are the signs you need to do this soon and the sign you need to do this mid-trip?

[eamarquardt]

Some tire stores have folks that are quailified to do brakes/brearings some don't. You'll have to ask them or get a friend in your area to suggest a fair mechanic.

Repacking the bearings is "periodic maintenance". I'd repack em every two or three years just as a precaution. It's not a difficult task but you'll need to have a couple of spare seals before you start. If you have new seals and grease it will take about an hour.

Your best test while on the road (but stopped) is to put your hand on your hub. Your bearings should not run so hot that you can't hold your hand on them. 110f to maybe 120f. If they are running hotter than that (and you haven't been on the brakes hard) I'd say something is wrong. Running hot is probably your best early indicator that something is wrong. If you can detect other symptoms (noise, vibration, wobble, smoke, shavings) while you're driving down the road, I'd say you've got a big problem requiring new bearings or more.

Some folks carry a spare hub just to be safe.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Gus

[Dale M.]

I don't under stand the phrase "break the seal".....

And "only getting one bolt loose" is not to explanatory...

As for bearing packing... Good quality bearings and a good quality modern grease and it done properly should allow you to tow anywhere for 25,000 to 50,000 miles with out any serious maintenance....

Before automobiles went to sealed bearing in front wheels it was common to run them "forever" and only (maybe) repack them when you had brake job done.....

Only caveat here is boat trailer wheels where bearing are dunked into water many times a year and in that case a quality marine (water proof) grease should be used and yes bearings should be inspected and repacked at beginning of every boat season.... The is why you see so many BOAT trailers beside the road with wheel off and not utility or travel trailers....

Dale

[asianflava]

I'm confused as well. What bolts are you referring to, the lugs? and what seal?

Once they are packed (correctly) they should be good for several years and several thousand miles. Regreasing hubs mid trip seems a bit excessive to me. I liken it to getting an oil change mid trip because you will be a few hundred miles over when you get home.

I'm getting ready to repack mine for the first time since building the trailer 5yrs ago. As you can see by my avitar, the trailer has been to quite a few places. The only reason I'm even doing it is because I want to check the spindle nut because I encountered a loose hub a while back.

If you really want to have someone else do it, try a RV store. They should be very familiar with trailer bearings.

[Arne]

In theory, there is no reason to repack bearings very often. I suppose the grease might age after a while, but really don't know.

I do know I have a honda odyssey with 142k on it, and the rear (non-driving) wheels have never had their bearings repacked.

If it is done right the first time (and I always check bearings on new trailers I buy), it should be ok for years.

I did buy a boat trailer once that had a hot bearing, but that was because the retaining nut had been over-tightened, I assume at the factory. I removed the bearing, it was ok, so I repacked them and put it back together.

On one utility trailer that I had backed into the river to launch a small boat several times, I looked and the bearings had some rust pits. I cleaned them, repacked and they have been in constant use since then, pits and all.

[angib]

I think wilik got the answer to his question over on the FiberglassRV forum:

Uhaul bearings are sealed. You do not grease them... the grease in them is never changed. You don't do anything with them until they wear out, and you can tell that they are worn on inspection because they have too much free play, which is a check that should be done with any wheel bearing, sealed or not. When they are replaced, they are usually part of an assembly which bolts in. Bearings work very well and routinely last the entire life of a car which travels ten times as much as a trailer.

Which explains quite a bit.

Andrew

[willik]

Yep. That answer showed up for me... Which explained why we could only loosen the nut on the one bolt... Thanks.

[frank_a]

As mentioned above here, checking wheel bearings is easy. After you've driven a few miles, get out and feel the hub. If it's hot, go home or to a repair place and get it fixed. Warm is okay, but if you're going a distance, keep checking them when you stop with the hand on the hub method.

I don't like my hubs to be anymore than lukewarm, even on a hot summer day. I'm compulsive about continually checking them.

Frank

[emiller]

I just did mine yesterday. I have only had to replace non grease bearings once on my 1991 ford Taurus back in 1998. Usually those type bearings last a long time. It was held on by a C-Clip.