Bearing grease question

[marunr]

Hi,
I just bought a new (used) travel trailer and decided to repack the bearings yesterday. I ran out of wheel bearing grease so I grapped my triple guard grease and used that. Now I'm having second thoughts. Will this grease hold up?

 

[rndn]

Re: Bearing grease question

No it will not hold up. You must use wheel bearing grease, no exceptions.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bearing grease question

I disagree,............
V
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[rndn]

Re: Bearing grease question

I agree that any grease is better than no grease, but that wasn't the question. Wheel bearing grease is designed for the extreme pressure a wheel bearing places on it that the regular grease is not designed to take. I know from first hand experience that regualr grease is not up to the task as I trashed a pair of bearings because I used regualr grease.

 

[FastOrange]

Re: Bearing grease question

I used regular grease last year and when I repacked my bearings this year (3000 miles later) every thing was still in good shape. However I did use bearing grease this year.

 

[marunr]

Re: Bearing grease question

Thanks for the responses. I went ahead and repacked them with wheel bearing grease, but rndn, I didn't use any old grease, It was triple guard grease. I guess I assumed it was better than wheel bearing grease because it's designed to hold up to such extremes. Maybe it just won't hold up to the pressure of a wheel.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bearing grease question

I have, in my formerly nicotine stained fingers a tube of Citgo Milti-purpose Grease (NLGI No. 2) and here is what the label says:

"Because of its excellent mechanical stability, resistance to water washout and high level of rust and EP protection, Mystik JT-6 may be used with complete confidence in boat trailer wheel bearings and in a wide variety of automotive, farm, industrial, and marine applications."

There was a time when wheel bearings were "ball bearings" not the rollers we have today. Those bearings required a high fibrous grease. Multi-purpose grease is ok to use on "roller bearings". If you are experiencing bearing failure due to what you feel is grease related, I suggest it's not the grease at all but more than likely improper assembly and bearing adjustment when finishing the job of packing the bearings.

 

[Wotam]

Re: Bearing grease question

Like modern motor oils, greases are a technology that has advanced a lot in the past decade or two. There are a variety of 'premium' multi-purpose greases available today that will do the job on wheel bearings.

Of course, reading the label is always a good idea before using a product... as there are a lot of greases out there NOT rated for marine wheel bearings.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bearing grease question

If you are experiencing bearing failure due to what you feel is grease related, I suggest it's not the grease at all but more than likely improper assembly and bearing adjustment when finishing the job of packing the bearings.

Ayuh,...........

I've been running Fleets of equipment for years on Gun Grease........
And the only Failures have been from Lack of Grease,.........
Or,....
Too Tight a Bearing Preload........

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Bearing grease question

You should never mix grease of different bases. If you don't know what the base material of the previous grease is, you should clean all traces of the old grease out before packing with new grease.

http://www.mindconnection.com/library/handyman/greasecompat.htm

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Bearing grease question

Ayuh,...........

I've been running Fleets of equipment for years on Gun Grease........
And the only Failures have been from Lack of Grease,.........
Or,....
Too Tight a Bearing Preload........

I am on this page as well !!!