How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

[sturdavj]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

I'd like to know the same. I'd also like to know how easy it is for a somewhat "non-mechanical" guy to install these things. The extent of my mechanical abilities is that I put a tow bar/hitch on our Pilot, and I can swap out an electrical outlet and have an "average Joe" toolbox of Craftsman tools. But anything beyond these simple tasks and I start running the risk of tripling the project cost because I screw it up, and then have to pay a competent technician/expert to spend even more time fixing my errors.

I have seen BB (buddy bearings) sold at a Fishermen?s Supply / sporting goods/ trailer supply store/ Farm supply store, you might be able to find them at Wal-Mart.

If you have the standard type hub with what is referred to as a dust cap, then you simply remove it with a #3 flat bladed screw driver and a light weight hammer. Start by placing the screw drive blade between the hub and the lip of the dust cap, and begin tapping lightly on the screw driver handle while at the same time moving the blade around the outer circumference of the hub. You should begin to see the dust cap separate from the hub as you progress. Repeat process for the opposite hub.

To install the BB you will need a dead blow hammer or a rubber mallet; a block of soft wood will work in a pinch. Start by aligning the BB lip in the same space the dust cap was removed from, once the BB lip has contacted the inner hub 360* then begin by softly tapping the outer shoulder of the BB (taking care not to damage the Zirk fitting), continue to do so until the BB is seated on the shoulder of the hub. Repeat process for the opposite hub. Once both BB are in place then with a lube gun using a high grade of marine bearing grease pump the BB reservoir full of grease. My BB have a weep hole (approximately 2/3 up from the BB bottom seating shoulder) that as long as it is clean will provide a tell tale as to when I have pumped the appropriate amount of grease into the reservoir.

There may be other types of hubs that will require different methods of R&R, but the ones I have serviced are as described above.

 

[sturdavj]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

I forgot to add that because some of the mountain lakes I fish are accessible only by miles & miles of gravel roads I also use the vinyl bonnets made by the folks at Buddy Bearings. They fit over the end of the BB, much like that of a cap.

They help to keep a lot of the dirt/dust & gravel particles out of the spring area. The bonnet also cuts down on the amount of grease slinging that might occur if the BB happened to be overfilled, but hey? this never happens?.

 

[cadunkle]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

I repack mine twice per year, near beginning of season after a few launches and then again at the end of the season. I have bearing buddies on both axles and give a couple pumps after getting home after each outing. This is while I let my engine idle on the muffs for 10 minutes or so to flush out the nasty. I usually launch in brackish water, occasionally in salt, so I try to keep on top of the basics.

I trailer each time I go out, which in summer is almost every weekend, sometimes twice per weekend. 5 miles or so to the ramp. If I kept the boat i the water and only pulled it a couple times a season at most I probably would only repack at the end of each season.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

I just found this on YouTube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGv7UOtZjSY

 

[reelfishin]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

where did you guys buy your bearing buddies at?
Online?
how did you know that size you needed?

and retail stores sell them?

I bought mine at Walmart, the stainless ones, I do have a few trailers though with the Redeye caps too, they work as well and aren't as messy, but since their aluminum, I limit those to freshwater trailers.

The most common size is 1.98. I believe they make 4 or 5 sizes.
Pretty much any trailer under 2450lbs that I have used the 1.98" size.
All you need to do is measure the old dust cap where it goes into the hub, then get the appropriate bearing buddy cap and tap it in place, and pump it up with grease.

 

[bowman316]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

they say you need a micro meter thou to measure it, because a small difference matters

 

[boat1010]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

There are so many things to take into concideration. If you have a heavy boat the bearings take a lot more beating. You can very easly overfill bearing buddys. if you do it on the wheel that has the breaks on them can cause some big problems. The greas gets on the break shoes and then ya have no breaks. If it happens on only one side you have big problem. I guess the best thing is to repack the after each season if you live where you boat only in the summer. that way if there is any moisture in there it doesn't sit over the winter months. The small time it takes to repack them is not worth the pain of having a bearing fail on the hi Way. It can sure ruin your day..

 

[204 Escape]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

:redface: O.K., here is a dumb/inquesitive question. Our EZ Loader trailer has buddy bearings. "Should" the bearings be "hand packed", or should I rely on just the buddy bearings ??

 

[22E6441]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

:redface: O.K., here is a dumb/inquesitive question. Our EZ Loader trailer has buddy bearings. "Should" the bearings be "hand packed", or should I rely on just the buddy bearings ??

Both.

Hand packed is for the initial install. Bearing buddies are for preventative maintenance.....a squirt before every trip, and sometimes multiple squirts for a long trip.

I changed my bearings last year, so I hand packed them, then installed the bearing buddies.

If you've never had them out, might be time to give them a good check.

Bearings are super easy to change out or clean and reinstall.

 

[cribber]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

My wheel beaings are oil bathed... The most I travel is about 8 miles or less to a ramp. My fave ramp to launch is just under 5 miles...

 

[204 Escape]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

I agree 22E6441, it is on my list to do when it gets warm. Even though the trailer only has about 8-900 miles on it, I want the peace of mind of knowing that they are packed, and tight.

 

[sdcoll]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

while on topic i just had something come to mind...do barring buddy ever go bad or need replacing?....i need to replace my barrings and was wondering if the BB should be replaced also?

 

[kamby]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

I need to get a set for my boat trailer, last season my dad was coming back from idaho and never greased the bearings and lo and be hold the tire about fell off, the balls in the bearing shot out on the road and cause the axel to heat up and smoke thus ruining the axle, he was towing it with a gmc sonoma with a big 6cyl no problem hauling the boat, but if the boat decided to flip over it woulda taken the truck with it.

The closes repair place was olympic boat centers and they got my dad for 500 bucks plus it took them 2 wks to come up with a painted axle that they sprayed with galvanized paint, so now if i go into salt water i have make sure i hose the trailer of real good, like i usualy do anyway but for the most part i just take the boat into the near by fresh lake and run the boat around to flush the motor, and i launch the trailer really deep to help rinse it off.

One my way home from picking the boat up in spokane i lost the dust cap on the highway, didnt realize it till i took the boat out of the water when i made a quick fishing trip out there. oops..

 

[burp]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

11 years and nearly 20,000 miles of towing (4,000 lbs per axle) and I have yet to repack or replace a wheel bearing........Reliable Sure Lube hubs are great!

 

[boat1010]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

:redface: O.K., here is a dumb/inquesitive question. Our EZ Loader trailer has buddy bearings. "Should" the bearings be "hand packed", or should I rely on just the buddy bearings ??

Repack them by hand when you install the bearings then use the bearing buddy after that.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

Do mine at the start of each season and then a shot before each trip into the bearing buddies and another each time the trailer has been submerged. Just in case. Check the temp of the bearings each pit stop on the journey if we are going a good distance.

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

I've never repacked mine. I have shure lube hubs, but I do make sure to pump them every spring until grease comes out the back. That way I know they are filled 100%. Usually takes 2 pumps. Tires spin smooth with 0 noise,

 

[TJLMERC330]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

I just bought a brand new Venture trailer for my RIB. The MFG recommends hitting the Bearing Buddies after any time the tires are submerged (which will be never) ...... but they also recommend re-packing every year.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

i just found out i will be re-packing mine tomorrow, maybe even replacing them, we will see. and, i just bought new bearing buddies for it, so it will be good to go after that.

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: How often do you Repack your Wheel Bearings?

If no water gets in because of BB's or the shure lub hubs or just good seals, what would be the point of repacking them everyear? I mean people dont repack they truck or car's bearings every year. I also see on the RV forums of repacking every year. Why? They are not submerged, they are the same size tires as most of the smaller cars out there. Its not like they are spinning faster.