Removing grease from bearing protectors

[jmfrost]

I'm pretty sure I used the wrong grease for my Trailer Buddy bearing protectors last year (first time ever using bearing protectors). What would be the best way to remove the old grease? I figured I'd start with removing the protector and cleaning it out, but started to question that when I realized that any solvent I use may eat through any rubber seals in it. Suggestions?

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Removing grease from bearing protectors

Take off the protector, remove the spindle nut/cotter key and washer, yank the hub off and wipe the entire assy out clean with rags ie, hub bearings, protector etc. Inspect the bearings and rear seal spindle surface especially for signs of heat or rust. Get new rear seals, bearings if needed and use emory cloth to clean the rear seal surface on the spindle of any pits. Clean the parts in a bit of mineral spirits and HAND repack the bearings, seals, inner hub and rear seal with copious amounts of marine grease. Bearing protectors don't work well if there's voids inside the hub that trap air. Your hubs could hold up to a half a cartridge of grease each side doing it this way. I do NOT trust just greasing from the bearing protector EVER.

 

[jmfrost]

Re: Removing grease from bearing protectors

Sounds like more work than I anticipated.

 

[derekpfeiffer]

Re: Removing grease from bearing protectors

LOL It's really not that bad...also if the surface that the seal runs on is too damaged (grooved) you'll have to install a speedi-sleeve for the seal to run on.

Good luck!!

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: Removing grease from bearing protectors

What grease did you use?

 

[jmfrost]

Re: Removing grease from bearing protectors

What grease did you use?

Can't remember exactly what it was, but I remember it said heavy duty grease and it's deep red in color. After looking through the manual I discovered that it said not to use a heavy fiberous grease. Back tracking a little here, I came to this conclusion because the pretectors suddenly started slinging grease all over the wheels because the bras came off. I tried cleaning the protectors really good and putting another bra on them and eventually it would get slick and they would fly off again. It wasn't doing this until I started using this grease and I was having to pump more grease into them after every trip. There are no signs of grease on the inner side of the wheel. These are Trailer Buddy protectors and claim that the rear seal can't be blown, unless you fill them with a pneumatic tool (which I haven't done).

 

[nlain]

Re: Removing grease from bearing protectors

You dd not fill them all the way up did you, if you did when the grease warms and expands it is going to come out some where, you only want the springs in the buddies compressed about half way not all the way. You may not have done this just a thought that popped in my mind. Either way the instructions above are correct and it really is not that bad a job.

 

[jmfrost]

Re: Removing grease from bearing protectors

No. The instructions say to pump grease into them until the blue ring extends about 1/4".