QA

Quick Answer: How To Grease Wheel Bearings On A Boat Trailer

How often should I grease my boat trailer bearings?

The most effective way to keep your rig rolling is vigilance. How often to grease boat trailer bearings? Keep the bearings greased and take them apart and service them at least once per year.

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.

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.

How much grease do you put in a trailer wheel bearing?

It is equally important to retain the grease around the bearing. For traditional greases (NLGI Nos. 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.

Can you mix Marine grease with regular grease?

Don’t Mix Grease, but Change If Needed If you can, start with completely clean parts and new grease. Otherwise, greasing more often will flush out the old incompatible grease faster.

Do you grease boat trailer rollers?

When the pin and split pin are in place, put grease all over them to ward off rust. Going through this procedure with all the rollers should take you around 20 minutes in total. Getting the boat on and off the trailer should now be a lot easier. Check your winch cable regularly for signs of wear.

How do you keep water out of boat trailer bearings?

Grease-Filled Protection Grease is kept around your boat trailer bearings by a seal on one side of the hub (preferably a double-lipped seal) and pressure from froma rubber plug or grommet positioned on the outside of the hub.

Can you put too much grease in a bearing buddy?

Can Bearing Buddy Bearing Protectors Be Over-Filled with Too Much Grease It is possible to over-fill a hub that has a Bearing Buddy bearing protector such as #BB1781. The convenience of easy filling through the zerk fitting can often mean we can be tempted to keep adding more grease.

How often should you grease bearing buddies?

Every 3,000 to 3500 miles or annually, whichever comes first. Manufacturers recommend to remove old contaminated grease from the hub and repack with new grease instead of just adding more.

Do you need to put grease on wheel bearings?

Not only should grease be packed into the bearing, but some grease should be applied to the housing and on the wheel end’s inside surfaces where the bearing sits. This will help prevent corrosion. The housing should also have some grease in the cavity surrounding the bearing, but it should not be filled.

Is Marine grease good for wheel bearings?

Bottom Line. The story today is not much different than it was years ago: Automotive bearing grease is OK in a pinch, marine wheel-bearing grease is better, and synthetic marine-wheel bearing grease is best. The name brands are familiar, with a few new players offering new formulations.

What is the difference between marine grease and regular grease?

Technically marine grease has additives that make it hydrophobic (repels water). Standard grease is somewhat hydrophobic but not nearly as good as marine grease and standard grease will mix much more readily with water. Marine grease is much more resistant to this mixing.

Is Green Grease good for wheel bearings?

A: Yes, Green Grease is recommended for boat trailer and trailer wheel bearings.

Which grease is best for bearings?

Table of contents 1: Editor’s Pick: Royal Purple Ultra Performance Grease. Best for Performance: Allstar Timken High-Temp Synthetic Wheel Bearing Grease. 3: Best on a Budget: Sta-Lube New Generation Wheel Bearing Grease. Lucas Oil Red ‘N’ Tacky Grease. Mag 1 High-Temp Disc Brake Wheel Bearing Grease.

Can you use WD40 on wheel bearings?

Chances are you just have to clean and lubricate your bearings. Remove your wheel and pop out the bearings with the edge of your axle. It’s important to use a silicone-based lubricant. WD40 or others like it will dry out your bearings and attract dust and dirt.

What type of grease do you use for wheel bearings?

For high-temperature components, such as wheel bearings, a high-temperature silicone-based grease is required. These greases are designed to hold stable under high temps and against the elements commonly seen in wheel bearings.

Do you put grease in a dust cap?

Grease caps protect your wheel bearings from the dirt, dust, sand, water, salt and road grime that can (and will) destroy bearings. That’s why it’s important to not only pack the bearings with grease but to also completely fill the caps with grease.

How do you protect trailer bearings?

Ensure your bearings have a cap, cover or bearing buddy. Covers can and do fall off; however they should be replaced immediately. So not submerge the bearings of the trailer in the water, without a bearing cover of sorts. You’re only inviting water in, and major problems down the line.

How tight should boat trailer bearings be?

Correct Torque Rating for a Trailer Wheel Spindle Nut The nut on the spindle should be tightened until snug, with no side-to-side play in the hub and then backed off slightly, about maybe a 1/8 of a turn.

What is marine grade grease?

WD-40 Specialist® Marine-Grade Grease is a lithium-based grease that provides superior lubrication and corrosion protection in wet and moist environments. It resists water wash-out and allows the grease to stay in place in the presence of water while providing rust and corrosion protection.

How do you know when a Bearing Buddy is full?

The air pockets inside the hub cavity and Bearing Buddy® will work their way out past the piston (or blue ring) on the Bearing Buddy®. You should see the piston extend out or the blue ring past the front of the Bearing Buddy® when it’s properly filled.

Do bearing buddies grease both bearings?

Expert Reply: Bearing Buddy pumps grease into the center of the hub all the way back to the grease seal. It would then fill the cavity inside the hub and continue to the inner bearing.

How do I keep my bearing buddies from falling off?

If they are off just a little, when the wheel spins the Bearing Buddy can kind of wobble and work itself loose. The do-it-yourself method is to get the Bearing Buddy started then place a block of wood across it and tap it in with a mallet. The wood distributes the force of the mallet more evenly than not using it.