Grease bearings

[Perchie15]

Wth am I really suppose to take off the wheel to grease the bearings on these axles???

[ultrarider]

Doesn’t it have the EZ lube grease fitting nipple on the end of the axle spindle? FYI. Be sure to use the correct grade grease. Some are not compatible.

[Perchie15]

Maybe but there’s a cover that goes over the grease nipple these are same covers in my boat trailer and I always have to take that cover off to grease them but with this trailer the hub is in the way to take the silvertin /black off.

[ultrarider]

It should just be a rubber boot that covers the grease nipple. Pry the edge of the rubber boot to allow it to release from the inside of the cap.

[Perchie15]

Yeah that rubber boot is inside the tin like grease nipple cover. I’ll try that I always end up popping the darn tin like covers off on my boat which sucks

[ultrarider]

My wheel looks exactly like yours. No need to remove the entire cap over the spindle. Just the rubber boot cover over the nipple. You can also buy extra rubber covers in case one is dry rotted from Etrailer.

[Perchie15]

Awesome I’ll try that once I’m off work but gotta find the proper grease first also. Obviously a wheel bearing grease too! I know that much!

[ultrarider]

FYI- I use Lucas. Red N Tacky

[Perchie15]

Thank u sir

[ultrarider]

This-

[16WhiteColly]

I like the Lucas HD Green grease.

[Jagiven]

If you have not looked up the instructions. Lift the wheel off the ground, and spin it as you sloooowly pump in grease. If you pump the grease in to fast you will blow out the rear seal, and contaminate the brakes.

If you have never repacked them, I would do it the first time by hand.

[stateboy]

You'll need a new rear seal if you pack them by hand. The front bearing will come out when you remove the castle nut but the rear won't come out without removing the rear seal. I wouldn't remove the rear seal to grease the inner bearing without a spare rear seal on hand. I say that because I've never had much luck removing the rear seal without some degree of damage taking place.

Also, if you pass on the hand packing of the seals, you have plenty of room to do the job once you pop that rubber seal off covering the zerk fitting. I circled in yellow where you can place a flathead screwdriver to get under the lip if the seal. And as stated already SPIN THE WHEEL as you pump the grease in or you'll end up replacing that rear seal after all. [emoji16]

I also use the Lucas red n tacky. I did mine today. You'll want to make sure you pump enough grease through the fitting until you displace the current grease and see the color of grease you selected coming out the front. Some greases may not be compatible with others is the reason to push so much grease through the zerk fitting.

[JFlightRisk]

If you use the EZ lube fitting, buy 3 or 4 tubes of grease if you're doing 4 wheels. Running to the store because you ran out eats up some valuable time. Yup, I did that.

[16WhiteColly]

EZ lube axle, pump it slowly while spinning the wheel or you will blow the seal out and saturate the brake shoes with grease. Doing 4 wheels will take awhile.

[mokurt]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

If you use the EZ lube fitting, buy 3 or 4 tubes of grease if you're doing 4 wheels. Running to the store because you ran out eats up some valuable time. Yup, I did that.

That sounds excessive.
It certainly does not require that much grease even when packing by hand.

Pumping too much grease in can blow past the the seal right?

[stateboy]

Originally Posted by mokurt

That sounds excessive.

It certainly does not require that much grease even when packing by hand.



Pumping too much grease in can blow past the the seal right?

Whether you clean out the cavity that the spindle runs through or not between the inner and outer bearings, you're still replacing that grease between the two bearings by using the EZ lube method. The grease comes through a hole between the inner bearing and real seal. As you inject grease into and through the inner bearing (while rotating the wheel), it passes through that cavity, filling it up, before reaching the front bearing and coming out by your zerk fitting.

It may not require 3-4 tubes but I believe he was just trying to suggest to have it handy so that you're not running out of grease in the middle of a grease job. I'd rather have it on my shelf instead of the store shelf when I need it.

PS - I normally use three tubes for four bearing sets (tandem axle) with the EZ lube method. I want to make sure the grease I'm putting in comes out the color of the grease (or close to it) that I have in the grease gun. If I hand pack, it is much less since I'm not filling that void between the bearings. As far as too much grease, the excess should be allowed to come out around the zerk fitting while spinning the wheel to make the happen before putting the rubber cover back in place.

[ARoamer]

Be sure to get a lithium based grease. My wallyworld carries the Red-n-tacky which is compatible with the factory grease.

The Lucas green has a Polyurea base and can be used, but you MUST clean all the old red lithium grease out before using.
E-mail from Lucas-


Dustin Smith (Lucas Oil Products)
Jul 20, 2021, 6:13 MST
Good Morning,
Thank you for contacting us at Lucas Oil Products. The X-Heavy Duty Grease is not compatible with the Red "N" Tacky Grease. The X-Heavy Duty Grease is a Polyurea thickener type and the Red "N" Tacky is a lithium complex thickener type. Have a great day.



Jul 20, 2021, 5:32 MST
Division * US
Topic * {topic
Questions, Comments / Suggestions-

* IS Lucas Oil Xtra Heavy-Duty Grease, Green compatible with lucas red n tacky grease? Can they be used together?

[16WhiteColly]

I use the Lucas HD green, but I did clean out all the hub, because I was installing new bearings and self adjusting brakes at the same time. I do not like mixing grease.

[Wyobartt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT0RKDGgDm8