boat trailer hub's leak greese on the inside

[ricbak]

Just wondering here, but i put a new set of seal's in the hub's this spring and they leaked the greese on the inside of the rims. so about mid summer I put another set of seal's in and they also leak greese, I am using bearing buddies. Is it that I am putting too much greese in or maybe pinching the seal somehow in instalation? Or maybe the axel is bad? any sugestions? thanks ricbak

[upnorth]

When you use bearing buddies they push grease through the hubs and it comes out the backside, it has to come out somewhere So what you are getting is normal.

[Surface Tension]

Keep a bra on the buddies and don't overfill. About halfway compressed is fine. Wipe the grease off and look for new grease slinging out on your next trip. If grease is getting by the seal then so is water.

[Cooperman]

This is not normal, and if you have surge brakes it can really make a mess. Have you read the instruction for the bearing buddies?
This is a mistake that alot of people make. You should pump the buddy with grease until you see the disk is front of the spring start to move, then take your fingers and see if you can rock the disk, if you can stop pumping, you have enough grease in the buddy.

[IFallsRon]

Is there a lot of grease? What you may be seeing is some residue grease that was pushed through on the backside of the seal.

[Dave]

I've always wondered what upnorth brought up. If the old grease is not suppose to exit the rear seal or somewhere on the hub, where does it go when new grease is pushed in?

[huskminn]

I had a bearing replacement thread going a long while back and ST came to the rescue on all accounts. I would trust his judgement on this one.

By the way, old grease goes to Grease Heaven and just disappears from the hub.

[Surface Tension]

The idea isn't to push out old grease its to fill the voids in the hub. You really can't fill the entire hub area with grease and any air trapped in the hub will compress. In time the air will leak out enabling you to add more grease. Also think of grease as a cake with tiny air pockets. In time these settle out and the grease losses volume. Bearing Buddies are only a way to extend the amount of time between packings. Any grease slung on the inside of the hub means the seal has been compromised and water inside the hud is inevitable.

[Surface Tension]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Huskminn.
Heres an idea, When you add grease the new grease pushes through the otter bearing which is good. The inner bearing always has the old grease unless you add to much grease and blow the seal. Wouldn't a removable plug on the seal that would allow new grease and air to pass through the bearing be great.

[Justfishing]

Cabales has something similar. There is a grease zerk on the back. Pump new grease in and it flushes the old grease out the front. Looking at it though it appears that you have to take the dust cap off.

I have also seen a hub that is filled with oil, probably like a lube for a differential. The cap on the front is clear so that it can be visually check. Has anyone used it.

[This message has been edited by Justfishing (edited 10-14-2003).]

[Jim W]

I just try to find a nice clean Canada shield lake to wash them off in!lol

Jim W

[upnorth]

brosnt1,

If the grease not to come out the seal? Where is it supposed go? It doesn't just evaporate

[Surface Tension]

If you put to much grease in it will come out the seal. When that happens it can damage the seal. Keeping the bearing buddies clean from road dirt will ensure that the spring works properly. After all if you pump grease in and wait for the spring to move and its froze with dirt its easy to overfill and blow a seal.