Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5
I'm wondering why everyone says to repack the bearing grease? If the company is going to sell the trailer with lubed bearings, why wouldn't they have done it correctly from the factory?
Can I just use gasoline or WD-40 to clean out the original grease?
|
I have the same trailer. Now 6 years later its been heavily modified.
The guy I bought that trailer from bought it new and put it together. He said he had his motorcycle on the back of it and a wheel bearing seized while going down the interstate.
The trailer was only about 3 months old.
It just so happened the next exit had a northern tool. Once the hub cooled the bearings partially unseized so he it drove it to northern tool and got 2 new sets of bearings and a hub and replaced the bad hub right there in the parking lot.
Then the wheel bearing on the other side was almost in the same condition by the time he got home and did the other side.
That is part of the reason I replaced the axle on that trailer, both spindles were really tore up.
And guess what, you cant buy just that axle. You have to go with a stronger more expensive 1 ton axle or you have to buy replacement spindles, cut the old ones out of the existing axle and weld the new ones on the axle.
Then when you repack the bearings I don't care what anyone says, grease is not grease, as most people will tell you. As you can see from the "factory grease" used in the bearing all greases are not created equal.
Get a high temperature lithium complex (not lithium soap base). That is all I have ever used on wheel bearings and it has never failed.
Specifically I use Valvoline "synthetic blend" grease. It uses a lithium complex thickener and synthetic oils for the oil base portion of the grease. The minimum and maximum temperature operating range for this grease is ridiculous, something like -40'F to +560'F.
To clean the bearings you can take them to a car wash and pressure wash the grease out of the hub and bearing, just be sure to dry them as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
I use compressed air to blow them dry, but paper towels by them selves should work.
Remove the old grease seal and toss it.
The amount of grease you should use should be roughly equal 1/3 of the volume of the empty hub bearing cavity. Work the grease in between the rollers and coat everything with grease, spindle, races, seal inside of the hub, don't worry about using too much.
To tighten the bearing back down just go hand tight and line the castle nut up to the hole in the axle to install the cotter pin.
You want the least amount of torque on that spindle nut to get the bearings so there is no play in the hub.
Use a new cotter pin and bearing seal every time.