Is filling the bearing hub alone enough?

[gonefishie]

Or do you really need to clean out the hub, pack the bearings and refill the hub through the grease fitting?

Wanna hear something shocking? I have not pack my bearings in 6 years and I use the boat a lot. All I have done is pump new synthetic grease into the hub 2-3 times/yr. Took the wheels off yesterday and check for abnormal feel and noise. Found nothing, smooth as butter. The hubs are Super Lube hubs.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Is filling the bearing hub alone enough?

Absolutely no reason to tear them down if they are not contaminated

I have spindle lube axles. Check for contamination a couple a times a season. I have one axle with a chronic seal problem, but I also have 2 axles that have not been opened up in over 3 years.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Is filling the bearing hub alone enough?

Short trips=piece of cake. Longer trips=beware.

 

[Fed]

Re: Is filling the bearing hub alone enough?

The wheel bearings in my car have done 200,000 miles and the caps have never been removed, no reason my boat trailer will be any different.

 

[Hank496]

Re: Is filling the bearing hub alone enough?

The wheel bearings in my car have done 200,000 miles and the caps have never been removed, no reason my boat trailer will be any different.

So you submerge your car axles in water on a regular basis?

Water in the bearing hub will lead to corrosion and pitting of the race and rollers. In the case of long distance driving, heat build up will boil the water into steam creating pressure that will blow the grease out. Both will lead to burned out axle ends.

The bearings should be inspected, i.e. removed, cleaned and re-lubed, on a regular basis. How regular is a function of things like amount of driving, weight of the boat, typical temperatures etc. Clearly the guy hauling a 10,000 lb express cruiser 200 miles each weekend in 90 degree weather, should be inspecting his axles more frequently than the guy who basically uses his trailer for winter storage and uses it twice a year to launch in the spring and haul out in the fall.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Is filling the bearing hub alone enough?

My trailer has the grease fitting on the end of the axle shaft and when I pump marine grease in, it forces the old grease back out in my direction and I wipe it off and replace the rubber cap. So far the grease always looks good. I pump about 2 shots of new marine grease in every time I launch the boat(especially in salt water). I also run the Bearing Bra rubber caps over the hub as a double seal against water. No problems at all, and it's a 1999 trailer.

 

[Fed]

Re: Is filling the bearing hub alone enough?

So you submerge your car axles in water on a regular basis?

No Hank I was pointing out that if you don't let any water into your bearings then they will be fine for a very long time.
My previous 2nd hand trailer was done once when I got it then untouched for seven years of salt water dunking.
I'm using bearing buddies but I'd really like to have the set up that robert graham has in the post above this.
When I was young I replaced more than my share of wheel bearings until I wised up.