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Trailer Bearings Mar 14, 2024 9:58 am #38854

  • walldady
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I have been greasing the bearings regularly . It has been a while since I inspected them . Is there a preferred Grease to use . I will prob. repack , at least , or maybe replace , for preventive measures . 

Good Luck and Safe Trips ,,,,, Walldady

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Trailer Bearings Mar 15, 2024 4:26 pm #38862

  • little bill
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I honestly do not know. But I bought a new ez loader trailer in 2009 that I have run all over. Several trips to Canada and Erie and locally. It has oil bath hubs and I have never touched them. Don't know if I am the rule or the exception but for me they have been wonderful.

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Trailer Bearings Mar 16, 2024 6:54 am #38870

  • Trent
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Buy bearing buddies if you don't have them because they keep store grease in the cap and keep
constant pressure on the grease that keeps the bearings greased.

The other thing is that it's easy to know if they are full or not. Add a little grease until it comes out the vent. Stop and wipe grease off and your ready.

Take you boat and trailer to your next fishing spot and when you get there get out and check your hubs and see it they are warm or hot. If they are hot you need to check the bearings for proper clearance. Normally you tighten the nut until you see it affected the wheel as you spin the tire the back it off ¼ turn and lock it in place. Take it on trip and see if they are still hot. If they are then change the bearings and seals.
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Trailer Bearings Mar 16, 2024 8:42 am #38871

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I have the bearing buddies , and that is how I grease the bearings . The hubs are not getting warm or hot .  It has just been a LONG TIME , since I inspected the bearings ....

Good Luck and Safe Trips ,,, Walldady

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Trailer Bearings Mar 16, 2024 9:51 am #38872

  • little bill
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No heat, no problem.
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Trailer Bearings Mar 20, 2024 7:56 am #38887

  • Trent
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Like others have said, if the hubs are getting hot then there isn't any problems. Just keep them greased.
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Trailer Bearings Mar 24, 2024 8:32 am #38909

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Answer to one question - Lucas Oil Marine grease is very good. There is some technical specs that show why, but they boil down to it being very good.  

Oil Bath - I love them and use it two of the boat trailers I own.  I do drain and refill with fresh Lucas Hub Oil. It's "stickier." 

For you guys who say don't fix it unless it's broken, I bet you've never been broken along a busy Interstate. I maintain my wheel bearings at least annually, new seals and replace the bearings every few years with American made Timken bearings. I average about 10K annually on my trailer. If you only put 1 or 2K on your trailer annually, I'd still inspect the wheel bearings annually. 

As mom used to say, "It's all fun until something bad happens."
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Trailer Bearings Mar 24, 2024 3:12 pm #38918

  • Steelie Don
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I wonder which style of hub and bearing lubrication is better, oil bath or the grease and zirk fitting type? My trailer has grease fittings but I like the idea of the oil bath.
My Searunner 190, "Four "D's" and a "C". Retirement money well spent.

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Trailer Bearings Mar 24, 2024 4:44 pm #38920

  • little bill
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Don't know if one is better then the other. Just have had excellent luck with the oil bath. I am 77 years old and have tried them all. Didn't have any problems with grease using bearing buddies but my oil bath hubs are maintenance free. I asked the marina about changing oil and they said if it was not milky to run them. 14 years still going. Only down side I see is if i should break a hub and lose the oil it will heat up quicker then a grease hub.

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Trailer Bearings Mar 25, 2024 10:17 pm #38936

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I guess the only other question I have about the oil bath system is how often in time or mileage is it recommended to actually replace the bearings to prevent a failure?  I am guessing it is a pretty straightforward process to convert to oil bath hubs also?
My Searunner 190, "Four "D's" and a "C". Retirement money well spent.
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