a different wheel bearing question

[followme21]

I have an early 90's Prestige double axle trailer. The rear axle has bearing buddies, the front axle has grease zerks under the dust caps on the end of the spindle, when I give the front axle grease, some of the old grease comes out of a little hole on the back side of basicly the spindle. Is this normal? Similar to old cars when greasing the front end parts?

 

[kjsAZ]

Yes, that's how they work and one should actually push grease through once in a while to exchange as much grease as there is in the hub. You have to lift the trailer up as you want to rotate the wheel slowly while you do it. The version you have with the "grease hole" behind the wheel has a little disadvantage as the grease gets pushed from the outer bearing through the inner one. The better version is the one where the grease first goes behind the inner bearing then goes through it and then the outer and comes out around the center fitting. Still a lot better than the spindles without anything.

Are you sure that the rear axle doesn't have the fittings hidden under the BB's? Or was one axle changed one time....

 

[followme21]

Thanks for the reply, I'm not positive about that rear axle, I've only owned it for 4-5 years, and that's just the way it has been. I will do some more investigating in the morning. Thanks again.

 

[kjsAZ]

just look at the back of the spindle. If it has a hole you know that you have to do a "front-end investigation". I've seen trailers where the owners thought to improve by adding BB's to the SureLube spindle

You never re-packed the bearings in 4-5 years?????

 

[bruceb58]

I've seen trailers where the owners thought to improve by adding BB's to the SureLube spindle

Since the 2 do totally different functions, I don't see an issue with that. Ez-lube axle on my pontoon trailer got grease past it's rear seal since it didn't have positive pressure that Buddy's provide.

 

[kjsAZ]

yes, that's true but you don't have access to the fitting any more unless you hammer the BB's off. Much better to get the grease into the bearings the way it's routed inside the spindle and not via the front of the outer bearing. Then you can also push some grease in/through on a more regular basis which makes it much easier to see whether water mixed with the grease.

 

[oldjeep]

You never re-packed the bearings in 4-5 years?????

Shouldn't have to if you pack them correctly and stop blowing out the seals with BB's

 

[bruceb58]

Then you can also push some grease in/through on a more regular basis which makes it much easier to see whether water mixed with the grease.

I take it you have never used EZ-lube axles. With mine, I tried that but I decided to take off the hubs anyway. Lots of contaminated grease back there that didn't get pushed out.

I have learned it is way easier and wastes a whole lot less grease by just pulling the cotter pin and the hub nut and yanking them off to see what is going on at the inner bearing and seal.

 

[kjsAZ]

I had them (sure-lube) on my last trailer and checked the bearings after 3 and 6 years, no bad grease inside. The current one unfortunately has the old style spindles. What's very important is to slowly rotate the wheel and to slowly push the grease through the hub.

They aren't 100% fool proof either but you can do a lot less damage than with BB's. I've seen a local trailer place pumping the BB's up to their stop as a "service" for customers......

 

[bruceb58]

IWhat's very important is to slowly rotate the wheel and to slowly push the grease through the hub.

yep...I always do that. Still no guarantee. Way easier to just pull the hubs.

 

[followme21]

Thanks for the replies, I did look and the rear axle does have the hole for the greese to get pushed out just like the front axle. So somewhere along the line the "sur-lube" as your calling them, have been replaced with bearing buddies. But I have had those rear bearing buddies off and all I see is the outer slotted nut, cotter key etc. Can a person just purchase a pair of sur-lube covers from a marine dealer or what? And is that what they are called?

 

[kjsAZ]

well, you have to have the fitting in the center of the spindle. Otherwise it isn't a sure-lube (or whatever other trade name....). The covers with the rubber plug are available as spare parts.
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Grease_Caps-sf-E~Z_Lube_Grease_Caps.aspx