Wheel Bearing Repacking - 101

[Dave]

There have been a few questions about repacking wheel bearings so I thought I’d highlight the basic steps that I use. Feel free to throw in other hints, even corrections, as well.

Repacking wheel bearings is pretty easy, inexpensive, takes about an hour to do but, it could get messy. Have plenty of rags available.

First, loosen the lug nuts on the wheel you’ll be working on. Breaking free the lug nuts with a hand wrench, while the tire is off the ground, is very difficult to do. Now, jack up that side of the trailer so the wheel is off the ground. Make sure the trailer is supported securely and completely remove the lug nuts and wheel.

Next, remove the bearing buddy or dust cap. Do this by lightly tapping on the outer edge, alternately all the way around the perimeter, using a rubber mallet. Using a metal hammer and wood block also works well.

Now, remove the cotter pin, axle nut and washer. The hub assembly can now slide off the axle. Remember to catch the outside bearing as you slide the hub off the axle. Wipe off and discard old grease. Next, remove the bearing seal on the backside of the hub. Damaging this seal while removing it is unavoidable. Plus, a new seal should be installed anyway and is less than $3. After the seal is removed, remove the inner bearing. Wipe clean all bearings and the inside of the hub of old grease.

Inspect the bearings, race (this is the part in the hub where the bearings ride in) and the axle. ALL parts should be knick and pit-free. If the bearings or race are pitted, buy new ones! If the axle is pitted, it should be polished down to remove any pits or gouges. Steel wool might work well for this.

Axle clean

Bearing race is free from pits and scratches. (I happen to knock out this race from the hub while tapping out the seal. Usually, the race will stay inside the hub)

Packing the bearings with grease the old fashioned way is easy but a little messy. Lay a glob of grease on the palm of one hand. With the bearing in the other hand, push the bottom side of the bearing into the outside edge of the pile of grease in the other hand. Think of it as slicing the pile of grease with the bottom edge of the bearing.

As you do this, new grease will be “packed” into the bearing and old grease will be pushed out of the top of the bearing. Continue packing new grease all the way around the bearing until you see new grease being forced out of the top of the bearing.

Old bearing grease being forced out the top of bearing while being "packed" with new grease.

Installing the inside bearing first, spread some grease onto the race and set the packed bearing in.

This photo shows an unpacked bearing for clarity. Pack the bearing first.

Next, align the new seal into the hub and gently tap it in, level with the hub.

The inside bearing is done. Proceed to pack the outer bearing the same way.

Slide the hub assembly onto the axle. Push some grease into the hub housing. Install the outer bearing, washer and axle nut.

Firmly, but not aggressively, torque the axle nut until the bearings “seat” into its race and new grease. Loosen the axle nut only until the cotter pin slot on the axle nut matches up with the cotter pin hole in the axle. The hub should spin somewhat freely now. Make sure you install the cotter pin to hold the axle nut in place. If you forget, the axle nut would loosen and the whole hub and wheel assembly might pass you on the freeway someday.

Reinstall the bearing buddy or dust cap by lightly tapping it into the hub.

Reinstall wheel and you should be good to go, on one side. Now, go do the other hub.

Cost

Two new seals – $4 to $5

Grease (Marine wheel bearing)– less than $3

Time ~ 1 hour

I hope this helps somebody

[marine_man]

Most auto parts stores or a marine dealer will have the seals, and bearings / races should you need them.

No, all seals are not the same. The best bet would be to try and get a P/N off your current seal or take the hub with the old seal to the parts store to make sure you get what you're after.

Good luck!

marine_man

[Alan]

Works for me, thanks..

[Jack Stasney]

I just got bearing buddies put on my boat trailer. The guy who did it for me (and I think I should mention he works on trailers for a living) told me that you don't need to repack bearing buddies. Just keep them full of grease and you are good to go. Watch the spring though as to not compress it too much or you'll end up blowing the seal. As this is a new thing for me I am wondering should I be worried and repack them by hand? I've had trailer wheels fly off before and I DO NOT want it happening again.

[Surface Tension]

If the grease seal is good and have a bra on you can go longer periods without inspection. To inspect your bearing and race they'll need to be cleaned. Its not always a matter of lack of grease that'll cause bearing failure, water intrusion of the least will pit a bearing or race. Where you have contact of bearing and race thats where the pitting starts. The longer the trailer sits the deeper the pitting. For that reason not only miles on bearing determine inspection rate but time sitting also determines inspection rate. The system isn't completely water tight. A warm hub assembly put in cold water will contract. That can draw water in. As I said it just takes a small amount of moister to pit.

With bearing buddies and good seals I'll tear down and inspect the bearing and races every few years. Of coarse new grease seals at that time.

[raymondk]

IF YOU NEVER WANT ANY BEARING PROBLEMS DON'T DEPEND ON BEARING BUDDYS YES THEY WORK BUY THEY ARE NOT 100% WATERPROOF . YOU SHOULD ALWAYS REPACK YOUR BEARINGS BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR BOAT AWAY FOR THE WINTER ALWAYS REPLACE THE SEALS AND USE A GOOD GRADE OF WATERPROOF GREASE. IF THERE IS WATER IN YOUR BEARINGS THEY WILL PIT YOUR RACES AND BEARINGS THIS IS WHERE BEARING FAILURE STARTS, I JUST LAUGH AT PEOPLE THAT TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE BEARING BUDDYS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO REPACK BEARINGS THEY ARE THE ONES THAT CHECK THERE BEARING EVERYTIME THEY STOP AND CROSS THERE FINGERS. BEARING BUDDYS ARE GREAT THEY KEEP MOST OF THE WATER OUT BUT NOT ALL . I REPACK BEFORE I PUT IT AWAY AND I ALWAYS KEEP THEM PUMPED UP WITH GREASE I PUY ALOT OF MILES ON MY TRAILER EVERY YEAR AND IT IS ONE THING THAT I NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.

[Jeremy airjer W]

99% of the axles/spindles/hubs/bearings that I replace are "protected" by bearing buddies. When properly used I'm sure than can help prolong the life of the bearings but bearings still need to be cleaned/inspected at least every other year. I prefer to do mine every fall right before the boat is stored that way I know there is no water in there while it sits and its ready to go in the spring!

[picksbigwagon]

Okay, I will be attempting this, soon, but I have drum/surge brakes on my trailer, is that gonna cause a problem with my removal of bearings? I would love to do this my self and save some money, since I need new tires as well.....I have had my trailer for 3 years and I don't trust my tires or bearings anymore. I have never had hot bearings after traveling to Mille Lacs, but I always bring the grease gun along and give it a shot before I leave to come home.

If there is no difference in surge brake bearing replacement, I will hopefully get this done in the next couple of weeks........

Great post Dave

[davesfriend]

I have a question. I have read alot about "bearing buddies" and this got me woundering what mine are. I have "sure lube system" by reliable. After checking their website they are saying that this system never needs to be repacked. It has a double lip system that by putting in 4.5oz of grease you are changing the grease out completely. I am not sure if I should trust this. Has anyone experienced these bearings? Ever taken them apart? The diagram on their website looks really straight forward. Should I still tear them apart or just do what the company recomends? Thanks...Nate

[Dano2]

Anybody have super lube hubs? folks on another site claim they

like them, but would like more input before spending

the money on them. Seems like a pretty decent hub

although I am not sure how well the cap is

constructed and how well it keeps water out.

Anyone?

Thanks

[jeffreyd]

One other thing for replaceing races, i take a used race grind it to fit the shaft so i can get it off then use that race to push the new race in the hub. works great when on the road driving them out in the mud. I like the idea of carrying a prelubed setin a tub.

Looking at Dano 2 post, seems like they would be throwing bigger bearing at it with much more lube. When driving the seal in i find a socket or pipe the same size as the metal part of the seal as my driver. Unless your snap on tool box has a set in then i use them. I would suspect that if it a drive in type cap you will end up damaging it some way either by curb or prying it out of the hub. Wish someone would come up with a screw in type cap made of metal to keep it durable. Sorry for venting. Thanks so much guys and gals? Jeff

[soldoncass]

Did my first ..and second, hub/bearing set today. A BIG thank-you for all the instructions/ tips on here. I would NOT have tried it except for you guys, and the pics. Replacing the races were the WORST thing....I think it pays to do it regularly, probably not quite so "set in place". I picked up one of those pregreased hubs for the "next" emergency on the road. ha! There WAS a little hardware store in Pequot Lakes open (10 minutes before their closing time),that had enough for me to get home , on SUNDAY. It pays to have something along.....Many more THANKS!

[Dave]

Happy to hear the info helped you out.

[sx2]

I work in a semi shop and do wheelseals all the time. what I do on my wheelhouse is go and buy a new hub with the bearings already packed and wheeleals in it, all you have to do is remove old one and push on new one. By the time you buy new bearings and races and wheelseals I would just spend the extra 5 to 10 dollars and get the whole hub and throw it on. save yourself alot of time.

[DarthBaiter]

Great post Dave. I have one wheel hub that seems to be a little on the warm side after a drive, just wondering is a little heat normal when the other side feels relatively cool in comparison?

[Dave]

Thanks. If it were me, I would take a look at that warmer hub. Both of mine feel the same temperature. And, at times there is a little warmth to them.

[chuckwagon]

My bearing buddys are not holding the grease I put into them ... after I lube them I get home from a trip to the lake and the grease is throw out of them and is all over the rim. Is this an issue of having bad bearing buddys or am I missing something.

[SpecialK]

I would think the spring / ball in the grease zerk is stuck open. You should be able to buy new zerks for them at any hardware store and swap them out.

[Lund79]

Excellent post! I think I might attempt this myself. I have 1 question after reading throught the entire thread. How mush grease do I need on the inside hub assembly? Thick or thin coating all the way around or the entire hub filled with grease? Thanks!

[Dave]

After packing the bearings, I add grease inside the hub before installing the outside bearing. I feel this helps transfer grease when adding it through the bearing buddies. Can't hurt, in my opinion.

[Lunker]

Any chance you could repost the dead pics? Great post.

[BehindtheHead]

darthbaiter. jack your trailer up and see if the warm side is loose. just grab on to the wheel and see if it wobbles at all. sometimes who ever last redid the wheel barings might not have tightened the nut correctly. best bet is to just put new bearings on.

grease heats up and expands when you take your traler on the road. for you bearing buddy guys when you get to the lake your dust cap will be pushed out. then when the hub hits the water the grease contracts and will suck water in the seal side or if you have bearing buddys the grease will contract and the dust cap will suck in a bit.

some guys say to put a pump or 2 in each bearing buddy before you back the traler in the water to make sure you dont suck water in. be carefull though if you pump to much grease in you will push the seal out on the back side.

just a thought.

[Dave]

I sent an email to ImageShack on why the photos aren't opening. I notice the photo on page 2 opens so I don't know what's going on with the rest of them. Thanks.

[Dave]

Looks like the pictures post again now.

[jwmiller33]

how often do you guys actually replace the bearings on your trailer opposed to repacking?

[Surface Tension]

I wipe the grease off the bearings and races then wash with gas. Dry them good and inspect.

If there is any pitting or what looks like stains its time to replace them.

The seals should be replaced every time you take the bearings out.

Write down the part# on both the seal and bearings and replacements.

Pick up some waterproof wheel bearing grease while your there.

[fishinfey8]

Yup, what S.T. said!! I think there should be a forum dedicated to S.T. Q & A type forum for do-it-yourselfers!

[Eric Wettschreck]

When you remove the hubs remember to clean the back side of the hub, spindle, and axle real good, also. If the seal is leaking, and this happens often, grease will collect on the rear area and collect dirt. This makes quite a layer of crud. This crud layer retains heat like nobodies business and will lessen the life of your bearings.

To answer the replace vs repack question.....I just replaced mine. When you have them clean, check for play or "Tracking". If they track, replace them. If the race has wear marks, replace them. If things are looking good, repack and put them back in, with a new seal. When I replace bearings, I replace the race also. Some guys don't, but you really should.

Seals are only a couple bucks.

[Ed Carlson]

A tip on a deal o hub and axle maintenance gear. Gander had some clearance Hub Kits marked down as cheap as $29.97. Complete hub and hearing kits in a case. For a whole kit, that is dirt cheap. Very wise to have a spare on hand, especially at that price.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Hub, bearings, and seal for thirty bucks???? That's a smokin deal.

[gonehunting]

Also remember to carry all the tools with you needed to replace the bearings if stuck out on the road. I carry the following every trip I take with the snowmobile or boat trailer:

Extra bearings and seals

grease gun

jack

Tire iron

Wrench and needle nose plier to get nut and cotter pin off

Screwdriver to knock of bearing cover or bearing buddy

Hammer

File or Emery cloth to clean any rough edges of spindle

Hack saw or chisel to cut off old inside of old bearing

It never fails. Your bearing will go out in a inconvenient place. It usually happens on the way to your destination when you are looking forward to having a good time. Be prepared and limit the downtime.