How Often To Replace Bearings

[Captain Caveman]

I know that this one is going to get many opinions, but that's what I want to hear. How often do you completely replace your trailer wheel bearings?

I've done it a few times on older trailers. My current boat came from the showroom floor in 2009 so it's got five years and gets about 5,000 miles per season. I keep the bearings well-greased by checking them every month and adding grease when needed and at the end of each season. Am I cheating wheel-bearing-death by not swapping these out after 5 years and and 25,000 miles?

I don't mind swapping them out but hate wasting something that still has useful life.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

Cave.... I'd offer just inspect em per usual......if they look just fine.. keep em.. based on your faithful greasing and checking... your good......if not sure, and want peice of mind... get new ones......

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

if you keep them maintained and inspected, they will outlast your trailer. However if you want to change them, then change them.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

Never. I just clean them out, inspect and repack them every year or so. Haven't had a bad one yet. As for adding grease during the year - if you have to do that then it is leaking out somewhere.

 

[robert graham]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

I can't think of a reason to replace a well adjusted and lubricated bearing....

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

How often do you replace the wheel bearings on your auto? There's your answer!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

Replace the wheel bearing? When they wear out . . .

Of course, that has not happened to me in 15 years of trailer ownership. . . Grease is your friend, and shou keep th bearings from wearing out.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

Okay, maybe I was just getting jumpy hearing about guys that do it every couple years

 

[H20Rat]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

Keep grease in them and make sure there aren't any obvious leaks. I don't subscribe to the pull-apart-and-repack every year theory. In many, many years of trailer ownership, I have yet to have a trailer wheel bearing go out on me. Again, grease and seals!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

One thing you can do too is when you get to your destination, or if you stop along the way, feel the hubs. They may be a little warm, but should not be hot, especially too hot to grip. If they ever get really hot, change the bearings and seals..... Anytime I travel I always check the hubs every time I stop.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

I replace mine if they go bad OR every 50 years whether the need it or not.... Ps I just turned 40 so.......

 

[gm280]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

I've never read or heard of any scheduled maintenance where bearings (and races) were to be changed, ever! You change them if they fail or get water pitting and such. Otherwise continue until...

 

[ondarvr]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

My dad bought a trailer in 1971, I have it now and it still has the same bearings in it. 43 years, almost time for the 50 year scheduled replacement discussed earlier.

 

[robert graham]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

One thing you can do too is when you get to your destination, or if you stop along the way, feel the hubs. They may be a little warm, but should not be hot, especially too hot to grip. If they ever get really hot, change the bearings and seals..... Anytime I travel I always check the hubs every time I stop.

Darn good advice...and easy to do...hubs should be just ambient temperature...no heat generated in a well adjusted/lubricated bearing.

 

[bryanzzz]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

Darn good advice...and easy to do...hubs should be just ambient temperature...no heat generated in a well adjusted/lubricated bearing.

Good advice Robert Graham, bearings should run no more than 20 deg F over ambient temp. Each time you pull up to the ramp, back to the house or gas station feel of your hubs and tires (with correct tire pressure), should be close to same temp. Difference between boat hubs and truck hubs is you probably do not back your truck hubs into water. Grease seals can fail/leak, do you see grease on the inside of your rims??? Indication of grease seal failure. I use Royal Purple synthetic grease, hubs run cool, one other thing, google Sure Lube/Easy Lube Hubs, I have not had a bearing failure since using these hubs on trailers I have built. Hope this helps you guys.

 

[superbenk]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

I change them if/when the seals give. It only runs ~$30 for a single axle so why not if I'm already doing the seal?

 

[bspeth]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

new to me trailer,changed em for piece of mind.

 

[JimS123]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

I change them if/when the seals give. It only runs ~$30 for a single axle so why not if I'm already doing the seal?

The seal is a consumable. The bearings are not.

I replaced one set of bearings since 1968. They were on the one and only second hand trailer I ever bought. The only reason they were replaced was because they were corroded from lack of maintenance.

If they are damaged replace them. If its an older trailer , better keep them as long as you can. I would't trust a new set of chinacrap bearings.

Are USA made bearings still available today? All the seals I see are not USA!

 

[T_Herrod]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

If it's not broken don't fix it.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: How Often To Replace Bearings

I change them if/when the seals give. It only runs ~$30 for a single axle so why not if I'm already doing the seal?

it only costs $25 to paypal me 1/4 of 100 so why not? an even better deal than throwing away good bearings for new ones and you won't get greasy