Table of Contents
How do I know if my trailer bearings need replacing?
Jack up the trailer and secure it on adequate capacity jack stands. Check wheels for side-to-side looseness – There should be a very slight amount of play in the wheel, typically 1/8-inch or less. If the wheels are loose or spin with a wobble, the bearings must be serviced or replaced.
How do I know if my trailer bearings need grease?
Keep your hand on the wheel and spin it. If you feel any motion that is not smooth, hear any noises, or if the wheel does not spin freely, the wheel bearing is defective or needs lubrication.
What happens when trailer bearings fail?
Improper maintenance of your wheel bearings isn’t just a risk to yourself; not properly servicing your wheel bearings can compromise the safety of the passengers in the tow vehicle and those that share the road with you. Failure to maintain axle bearings can cause your wheels to fall off while the trailer is in motion.
How much does it cost to replace bearings on a trailer?
Some Class A RV owners have stated that it cost anything from $300 to $500 to replace the bearings. Depending on how much you use your trailer and how many miles you get on it, you can wait till about 20,000 miles before your wheel bearing has to be repacked.
How often should you grease trailer bearings?
When Should You Grease Your Bearings With a larger travel trailer, you should grease your trailer wheel bearings every 10,000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. If you have a smaller travel trailer, however, you’ll need to grease your wheel bearings every 2,000 miles.
How often should trailer wheel bearings be replaced?
Many trailer manufacturers recommend this maintenance every year if your trailer gets normal use, or at least every 20,000 miles.
Can you over grease trailer wheel bearings?
They keep grease packed into the hub. munchy wrote: More grease is never the right answer. Overgreasing can actually cause the rollers/balls to slide over the bearing surface rather than roll over them.
Should I fill my trailer hub with grease?
1 and 2), pump a ring of grease into the entire circumference of the wheel hub and coat the hub cap inner wall. The housing should only be half full of grease. Too much grease causes churning and higher temperatures. Semi-fluid grease must be used with a vented hub cap.
Can you over grease trailer bearings?
There’s no such thing as too much grease for bearings! You would not pack grease in the hub otherwise and not in the drum since the brakes would not be able to grab with grease in the hub. Grease caps, dust caps, and bearing protectors have to be installed right to avoid losing them.
Can I just replace the wheel bearing and not the Hub?
On some cars, you can just replace the bearing and call it a day. On others, the hub assembly must be removed and replaced. The most difficult type involves removing the hub assembly and setting it in a press. If you’re not sure what type of wheel hub assembly you have, stop by or give your local Pep Boys store a call.
How much does it cost to repack trailer bearings?
Trailers tend to be cheaper to repack professionally (think $100-$200), but don’t underestimate the power of the upsells a mechanic might try to give you. If you’re serious about cash, you can likely save a few bucks by repacking your bearings yourself.
Why do trailer wheel bearings go bad?
When you show up to a boat launch your trailer wheel bearings are heated from the friction they experience during the trip. Upon being dunked in the water the hot wheel bearings draw water into the wheel bearing housing as they cool rapidly which can lead to rust, corrosion and grease breakdown.
How long do wheel bearings last?
Wheel bearings have an average lifespan of 136,000 to 160,000 km (approximately 85,000 to 100,000 miles). This is only a rule of thumb though, the actual lifespan of a wheel bearing depends on the quality of the wheel bearing and the operating conditions.
How much are bearing buddies?
Bearing Buddy Stainless Steel Bearing Protectors (1.980″ Diameter) with Auto Check With Bras – Pair List Price: $36.99 Details You Save: $5.50 (15%).
How much wheel bearing play is too much?
For context, the tolerable end-play for truck wheel bearings is the same: 0.001 to 0.005 inches, also expressed as 1 to 5 mil or 0.025 to 0.127 mm. In other words, it’s perfectly acceptable to adjust wheel bearings so that they are just a little bit loose, but not too loose.
Is red and tacky grease good for wheel bearings?
Lucas Red N Tacky Wheel bearing grease is certified by the National Lubricating Grease Institute and is ranked in the highest performance category there is. Featuring rust and oxidation preventative inhibitors that make this grease more water resistant.
Can you put too much grease in a bearing?
When it comes to regreasing bearings, more is not always the better option and actually can be a costly mistake. Too much grease volume (overgreasing) in a bearing cavity will cause the rotating bearing elements to begin churning the grease, pushing it out of the way, resulting in energy loss and rising temperatures.
Should you grease a trailer ball?
You do not need to grease your trailer hitch ball. That is entirely up to you. However, greasing it is recommended. Greasing will help ensure that the trailer hitch ball keeps its structural integrity, and it will help prevent it from squeaking.
