# Trailer Wheel Bearings



## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

After reading about DallanC's misfortune and also what bwhntr posted on oil soaked bearing I was concerned with our tandem boat trailer and wheel bearing conditions.  

Wheel bearings haven't been looked at for 3-4 years even though every month I lube the buddy bearings as 'das' boat is getting her yearly work-out to the max...anyhoo decided not to tempt Mrs Fate Fairy and listen to my lil voice...took 'das' boat and trailer to the local Les Schwab early today. Told Jon who came running out what I desired...rotate trailer tires, check wheel bearings, axle/spindle and let me now.

...thinking it would be a couple hours not more than a half hour later I get the dreaded phone call Les Schwab and Jon...WOW :shock: what a surprise as Jon stated wheel bearings looked brand new, spindle and axle were great, buddy bearing full no problems noted...but he did mention maybe buddy bearing were a little too full...my monthly preventive maintenance...  

I asked the price -)O(- an low-n-beholden NO CHARGE and thanks for coming into Les Schwab is what Jon stated. Wahooooooooooo more fishing stuffage left to buy as $$$ in the coffers.

I'm going back to this Les Schwab tire dealer with and our 'lil' house on wheels right shortly...will be getting new tires, wheel bearings and brakes inspected and tended to. I'm sure the NO CHARGE won't happen this time but its having a piece of mind with 'das' boat trailer knowing all is okay.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Glad you had no issues! I didnt think of Les Schwab doing bearings, I might have them do my travel trailer as well. I dont mind packing bearings, but jacking and pulling 4 tires in the hot sun is less fun than watching someone else do it hehe  I had Les replace my boat tires 2 years ago, friendly folk with good service and prices. I use them whenever I can.

I broke out the "hot wrench" last night and 8 quick cuts later the old axle was laying on the lawn. Couple quick measurements, and I had the new saddles welded on the new axle and in she went. 8 nuts later I packed the bearings and tossed on the hubs. The new axle is center drilled so its like buddy bearings but it forces grease from inside the axle out, cool improvement in axle tech IMO.


-DallanC


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Bearing Buddys are the best.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Al Hansen said:


> Bearing Buddys are the best.


-1 Al, those are old school, these new ones like Dallan bought are great. Unless they are in the water a lot, you shouldn't ever have to manually pack the bearings theoretically. My dad's boat trailer has lost so many of those bearing buddies...


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I should say I had bearing buddys on my axle that lost the bearings. I blame myself for not greasing enough, as well as possibly using a poorer quality grease rather than a premium marine grade grease that wont break down as quickly in water.


-DallanC


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

DallanC said:


> I should say I had bearing buddys on my axle that lost the bearings. I blame myself for not greasing enough, as well as possibly using a poorer quality grease rather than a premium marine grade grease that wont break down as quickly in water.-DallanC


For us being two ole crusty retired AF jet engine mechanics with years on the flightline, in shop working on engines and also working on all the non-powered age equipment, inspecting, servicing, R2ing components...we've become very conditioned after now 30 plus years of doing equipment walk around pre-flight inspections every trip on all our equipment and note anything out of the ordinary. We do these walk arounds prior to depature and upon arrival back home...called 7 level followed by 9 level. Your post and me noting a slight discoloration on one of the trailer wheels. Had me going....hmmmm. Hence the trip to Mr Schwab...I touched all for wheels after several trips...all felt the same temp...but needed the piece of mind of KNOWING...

We'll fix it if we have the tools or take it to a reliable source. Yep one trip all pre-flight inspections were good. Came home walk around missing a buddy bearing. Got a new one installed ops check good that was 3 years ago...every month we use top grease rated for water repellancy and for buddy bearings. Little dab will do you but in my case maybe a little to many dabs or pushs on the grease gun per Jon at Les Schwabs...

This year early soft water...I walk the bump boards to grab the bow of the boat and second trip one bump board felt like the spring action on a diving platform...wouldn't have noticed it with the boat on the boards. Crawled under the boat and board was totally rotted out. Got them replaced. Taking the time the best one can and the ounce of preventive maintenance helps for us anyways prevent costly repairs and down time. Yep schitzz will happen unexpectably...the Mrs Fate Fairy as I call it...but I like keeping the Fate Fairy odds hopefully in our favor.

Huge29...do you every have a +1 to someones reponse...come-on Mr. doom-n-gloom lighten up...some things work and guess by your post...hmmm buddy bearings suck...well again its called taking the time and doing a pre-flight inspection every trip...hmmm do a 7 level followed by a 9 level to catch the little ahhh schitzzs so they don't turn into the giant schitzz pile....love ya Huge29... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

k2muskie said:


> Huge29...do you every have a +1 to someones reponse...come-on Mr. doom-n-gloom lighten up...some things work and guess by your post...hmmm buddy bearings suck...well again its called taking the time and doing a pre-flight inspection every trip...hmmm do a 7 level followed by a 9 level to catch the little ahhh schitzzs so they don't turn into the giant schitzz pile....love ya Huge29... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


I don't think you really love me! j/k
I simply stated that bearing buddies are old school, the new hollow axle is very slick. Comparing the two is akin to comparing the 486 computer to a laptop of today, simply much more advanced and easy to use. We have had trailers with both kinds and the one is much much easier, just not having to take it all apart for a whole afternoon making a huge mess is not something I miss. The bearing buddies certainly can work and are far better than a sealed hub, but there is simply a much better option now available and these are getting to be fairly standard equipment on anything made in the last 5 years or so.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

But Huge29 I do luvvvvvvvvvv you...somebodies gotta give ya a hard time and let it be ME... LOL. Anyhoos thanks for all the input on the BBs. Currently they are working for us just as long as I don't get to pump happy on the ole grease gun and continue with our preventive maintenance and walk arounds. 

I sure hope DallanC is back in the saddle again so he can have some tug-o-war action. --\O --\O


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> Al Hansen said:
> 
> 
> > Bearing Buddys are the best.
> ...


Old school huh. Used em on a motorcycle/atv trailer for over 20 years and never had a problem and never "lost" one. I too probably over greased em. They are still on the trailer that I gave to another motorcycle enthusiast about 5 years ago. Old school still works for me. :^8^:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

k2muskie said:


> But Huge29 I do luvvvvvvvvvv you...somebodies gotta give ya a hard time and let it be ME... LOL. ....................................


OK you two, get a room. :lol:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

A bit of advice. After pulling your boat from Happy Valley to Flaming Gorge Reservoir, stop and let the bearings cool off before you put the boat in the water. The fish aren't going anywhere, trust me. Take five, have a smoke, a beer, hell two beers. When cold lake water hits the hot bearing housing the change in temperature causes water to suck into the bearings.

Odd, but bearing seals are made to let water in but not let water out. My mechanic use to turn the inner side of outer bearing seals around backwards causing the seals to "tighten up" on the axle when the cold water shocked it. That way I could back da boat in a freezing cold lake like Jackson Lake with a bearing assembly that glowed in the dark.


I should get my boat out.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Al Hansen said:


> Huge29 said:
> 
> 
> > [quote="Al Hansen":bizy5do1]Bearing Buddys are the best.
> ...


Old school huh. Used em on a motorcycle/atv trailer for over 20 years and never had a problem and never "lost" one. I too probably over greased em. They are still on the trailer that I gave to another motorcycle enthusiast about 5 years ago. Old school still works for me. :^8^:[/quote:bizy5do1]
Nothing wrong with them, just like that '72 Chev you still drive around, but if at some point in the distant future you want A/C, power steering, power windows, etc. there is a company that can fulfill that demand. :mrgreen: 
The new ones just rid the need to get all messy and I like getting all dirty and messy as much as the next guy, but... Here is a cutaway of what the newer ones look like. 








They always have the black rubber seal/cover looking like this from the outside.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Thats them. What I really like about these over BB's is that the excess grease comes back out the front to be easily cleaned up. I couldnt believe the layers of grease that coated the inside of my rims as its forced out the back of the bearings when I'd hit the BBs with a grease gun. I litterally scrapped 1/2" thick grease off in places with a putty knife.


-DallanC


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Thats them. What I really like about these over BB's is that the excess grease comes back out the front to be easily cleaned up. I couldnt believe the layers of grease that coated the inside of my rims as its forced out the back of the bearings when I'd hit the BBs with a grease gun. I litterally scrapped 1/2" thick grease off in places with a putty knife.
> 
> -DallanC


Helps balance the tires.......  at least it does on my Chevy. :roll: :mrgreen: o-||


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

Here is my take on BB and maintaining grease hubs. I own 6 different trailers and all of them have at least two axles or more. Needless to say that is a lot of hubs to maintain. Luckily only two of those trailers are boat trailers.

If your trailer doesn't see the water, then the BB is great and you probably need very little maintenance. As for boat trailers that is a different story. As Wyogoob pointed out a hot hub entering cold water allows for the water to penetrate the seal and mix in with the grease. This is what breaks the grease down. BB are a neat way to replace the old grease with new, but where does the old grease go? Well, it typically goes out the inner seal and all over your tires or if you have brakes it dumps into your brake drum. FYI, grease and brakes don't work well together. If you are running BB you need to open the hubs and clean them out and repack with new grease every 3000 miles.

The greasable spindle that Huge recommends is a better design to the BB and works great. IMO it is still grease and still needs maintenance.

I switched my boat trailer out to oil baths. This is what semi truck trailers use. The advantage is the hub is 100% sealed so no water can penetrate and maintenance is required only every 40,000 miles (as long as the seals don't fail). I made the trip this past week from Roy to Flaming Gorge and was impressed with the new oil bath hubs.

Good luck to whatever system you go with. Just know that pumping grease into your BB is NOT considered maintenance.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Can you post a pic of the oil bath style?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

What is the cost to convert to the oil bath?


-DallanC


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

My googleFu turned this up:

http://www.pacifictrailers.com/Kodiak-T ... ring-Kits/

It does look like a slick system!

-DallanC


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> Can you post a pic of the oil bath style?


Here is a pic similar to the ones I installed:
http://www.americanarv.com/americana_oil_bath_bearings10.asp



DallanC said:


> What is the cost to convert to the oil bath?
> 
> -DallanC


I replaced all my bearings the same time I convereted to the oil bath adding to the cost. This isn't always neccessary, I did just for the piece of mind. It cost me about $180 for the new kits and bearings. I did find the same kits I used online for about half the price of what I paid:
http://www.pacifictrailers.com/Kodiak-Trailer-Disc-Brake-Oil-Bath-Bearing-Kits/


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I just picked up a little beater tent trailer and the one side didn't sound very smooth when I spun it supported by the jack. I tear into it and it is a little rusty and the inner one is seized on. I snooped around on teh net a little and found a guy recommending using a dremel with the cutoff disc and what a great way to do it rather than a large cut off most likely damaging the spindle. Once cut through, the chisel was able to break it loose. I also learned what a great tool a dead blow mallet is, nice power, but none of the crazy loud noise, torque on the hand or the damage.


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

Nice job. I actually hate packing bearings. It is nice to have the piece of mind when they are done right.


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