Greasing Wheel Bearings

[OafDawg]

First find out what kind of grease the factory uses before pumping just any "high quality" grease in. I was going to use Lucas Oil "green grease" and found it wasn't compatible with the "red and tacky" grease the factory uses due to the polyurea base the green grease uses. Bad news if the two mixed. https://media.noria.com/sites/archiv...lity-chart.gif
Figure 1. Relative Compatibility Rating
B = Borderline C = Compatible I = Incompatible

[GHen]

I also repack myself. The factory used poor quality grease, need to get all that out before using the high temp disk brake grease that my mechanic recommended. He also recommended to never use the zerk fitting to add grease because of various reasons.

[SmokerBill]

I use Mobil 1 synthetic grease. Good stuff. I use about 1 tube of it total to repack all 4 hubs, and never pump any more into the zerks in the next 2 or 3 years, 10 or 12 thousand miles. Never had a problem. Hubs are always cool when I check them at gas fillups.

Three times servicing them using this method and the bearings are still in good shape, and the grease is still red and clean.

Good grease lasts a long time, and in my opinion there's no reason to use keep pumping more in. And if the zerk has dust or sand on it, you're just pumping contaminants into the bearings.

[Duke4857]

Originally Posted by Quantum

What tools are required that you don't have? Having to do this every 12 months or 12,000mi it would seem like investing in the tools is a good idea.

I just bought a bearing packer from Princess Auto (Canada's Harbor Freight equivalent), which will make the job that much easier when I do it in the spring.

My RV dealer sells the seals for $3 each and a tube of grease (the sticky red stuff) is about $5. $17 total cost to repack my bearings seems worth it to me. Just think how many tools you can justify to your wife if you can save $203 every time you repack the bears.

I have a wheel bearing packer. I find that it it more work and a bigger mess than getting my hands in the grease and doing it that way. Just my 2 cents worth. I do not do enough wheel bearings to have the packer out all of the time.

[Quantum]

Originally Posted by Duke4857

I have a wheel bearing packer. I find that it it more work and a bigger mess than getting my hands in the grease and doing it that way. Just my 2 cents worth. I do not do enough wheel bearings to have the packer out all of the time.

Good to know. I guess I'll try it once and see how it goes. It's an $11 test. [emoji846]

[gkalmond]

My wife saw a video online about someone’s trailer bearings burning up going down the highway and suggested we check ours. With 12k miles on the trailer, I agreed. I read all the above but because we were leaving on a trip shortly, I went to the local commercial trailer repair shop. Didn’t want to risk a mistake and end up stranded in the driveway. Six hours of labor plus parts = $800+ bill - ouch! Next time, I’ll definitely attempt this myself.

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

Originally Posted by gkalmond

My wife saw a video online about someone’s trailer bearings burning up going down the highway and suggested we check ours. With 12k miles on the trailer, I agreed. I read all the above but because we were leaving on a trip shortly, I went to the local commercial trailer repair shop. Didn’t want to risk a mistake and end up stranded in the driveway. Six hours of labor plus parts = $800+ bill - ouch! Next time, I’ll definitely attempt this myself.

Ouch! For sure -

We get a new set of bearings (the shop gets them for less cost than labor to repack, plus RV bearings aren't that high quality) each spring for around $150 for a single 3500# axel at a wheel and alignment shop. We're averaging about 10,000 miles a year on the trailer and we carry two complete sets of bearings, races, seals just in case.

I think you're wise to pay attention to bearings, but I'd look around for an honest professional shop. I feel $150 an axel is fair and I have confidence in their work. Sorry about the high price you were charged. A good auto garage or frame or alignment or spring shop could do the job. I'd investigate further. Good luck and best wishes for a great RV season.