In an effort to avoid any potential problems during an upcoming long trip, I thought I would be proactive (cue the laughter now) and take some precautions by going over my trailer with a fine tooth comb. I decided to pull the hubs and clean/re-grease the bearings. I bought new seals but could not get the ones I normally use as there was not time to order them. I bought a set from a local store and installed them with no problems. On my trip home, I noticed a fairly significant “shimmy” coming from one side of the trailer at lower speeds. I stopped and looked at the tires but saw nothing wrong with the tire. It was then that I discovered that there was globs of grease all over the inside of the rim. The seal was throwing grease. Fortunately I had a spare hub/bearings so I did a quick swap out and eliminated that problem…until the other hub started doing the same thing. Needless to say, I stopped about every 100 miles to pump grease into the second hub and safely made it home.
Lessons learned, stick with products that have served you well in the past. I had used the same seals for the last 4 years and never had a problem until I used some different ones. Also, I never would have imagined that grease on the inside of the rim could cause such a shimmy…who knew?
Nope, I have the spindles with the lubrication fittings on the end of the spindles. They get grease all the way into the back bearings.
But... do you use/exercise them several times a year?
Not messing with you D. I go through 2, 3 or 4 cans/tubes of that grease gun grease every year and have stopped replacing and repacking my axel bearings about 15 years ago. Now… if I could figure out how to keep my tires from going flat?!
PS: I shoot grease into a few motors and axels with the 5 tubes of marine grease. Not just one. I’m really trying to help.
iFly with all the grease you are adding how do your seals not blowing out? I use to do what you do and I was blowing the seal out every year because I was using to much grease. I get my bearings changed every two years and my trailer guy tells to just 3-4 pumps in the spindle every 4 months. Since I have switched to his method I have not blown a seal in 4 years and my hubs still run the same temp.
iFly with all the grease you are adding how do your seals not blowing out? I use to do what you do and I was blowing the seal out every year because I was using to much grease…
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>The modern bearing greasing products have an overflow vent. One or two shots and the grease starts to come out of the little ‘relief’ hole. I am often surprised that I have to give one more shot than I calculate because of (whatever) normal wear.
There are 5 or 7 fittings on the motors and then the trailer bearing fittings. Grease is your friend, in saltwater boating.
I don’t sell the grease fitting products. I sure am happy someone invented them, though.
Thanks for the quick response. I will look into buddy bearings. With that hole does grease get flung all over the place when you are trailering? Sorry about the questions. I agree grease is your friend feel I should use more, but am being told not to. Just looking for other options.
Thanks for the quick response. I will look into buddy bearings. With that hole does grease get flung all over the place when you are trailering? Sorry about the questions. I agree grease is your friend feel I should use more, but am being told not to. Just looking for other options.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>Really, I’d be happy to run my trailer(s) by your place some time OR tell you when I am heading to a one of the ramps. Less grease being slung around with the way that the grease fittings are made now-a-days. Might sound like I am joking but… just PM me and I will be happy to show you how I deal with my trailer maintenance. May sound like I use more grease than Saudi Arabia but, I promise you I use less than I did before I had to replace bearings every so many years.
The only reason you should have grease being “flung” around is a bad seal on the back or the cap on the front has come off. Otherwise, the grease should stay inside the hub.
