Wheel Bearing Grease

[Adeline]

Hi all, Grease recommendations requested. I've always used Valvoline Special Moly Ep and cheap chinese bearings w/o problems. This time, I opted for Timken Bearings and I want to use the very best grease I can get. I'm looking @ Amsoil, Mobile One, Red Line, Royal Purple, and Synergyn synthetic greases. I guess I'm getting more cautious as I get older and since my trailer is a single axle, there's no margin for error. Please share your thoughts. Thanks, Pete

[CAVU]

Pete,
I don't have much experience with my C-dory yet, but my past experiences with many boats convinces me that the brand and type are not nearly as important as keeping water out! I use Chevron Delo EP. It is available almost anywhere, has excellent high temp performance, and it is a dark blue color which makes even the slightest amount of water easy to see. The best defense against problems is pulling the hubs and checking for water often. If you plan to change type of grease be sure to completely clean out the old grease. Some are aluminum, some lithium, graphite etc. and they are not always compatible. Lay in a good supply of grease seals and learn to check often. Just my 2 cents.

[Almas Only]

I use LubriMatic Marine Corrosion Control and Trailer Wheel Bearing Grease on a single axle trailer, and the bearings do just fine. Load Rite tech support cleared this stuff by phone, but you should feel free to check with them on whatever you choose. Other brands might be better, so I'll defer to others with more experience. This stuff is available everywhere, and I use it liberally.

For all other marine grease needs, I use Mercury Marine Lubricant 2-4-C With Teflon, per the recommendation of the local trailer dealer. BUT, if you use this stuff, you need to have two grease guns, clearly labeled, because the dealer reports that for some reason, it will cause trailer bearings to fail within the first mile. He says it's too slick, and I don't know if that's the technical answer. At any rate, I use it everywhere grease is called for on the engine, and on the trailer EXCEPT on the wheel bearings.

[C-Bill]

Adeline...

Grease is a technical subject. I've been hauling a trailer around for quite some time and my dad was a rep for Lubrication Engineers out of Texas. I still have a lot to learn about the subject. Some grease separates when it gets too warm and that irritates me the most because of the mess it makes slinging oil out of the grease seal.

When I was preparing to put disk brakes (can be a high heat generator) on my trailer, I found the Chevron website on the computer and asked for their recommendation. One of their techs contacted me by e-mail and recommended their synthetic "Black Pearl" and I've been very pleased with the results. I noticed your list of synthetics and I think it's a good way to go, BUT for the most part, they cannot be mixed with real grease. I have also dealt with Redline and they will provide good recommendations. New stuff is coming out almost everyday and you'll get the best results sticking with the manufacturers who you have already cited. Contact them and get their recommendations.

Bill

[Sea Wolf]

Question: What happens when different types of bearing grease are accidentally mixed, say if you were to have a fairly standard wheel bearing grease, and then inject "waterproof" boat trailer grease on top of it through the Bearing Buddies?

[C-Bill]

Sea Wolf...

When you start mixing, it's best to mix reds with reds and blues with blues.

Really, I would think all petroleum products would mix with petroleum based grease. Automobiles getting lube work done are constantly getting different grease. Even, some synthetic's will mix with petroleum products. I think Amsoil is one synthetic grease that will mix with petroleum products.

Bill

[Adeline]

Hi all, Thanks to those who opined on grease options. I suspect proper maintenence is more important than what brand is used. I opted to use Synergyn DY 5000. My front end shop's been using it for years and are quite happy with it. And the specs. are great too. We'll see. For anyone who's interested, I uploaded the procedure to the detail photos section of "Trailers and Towing". Pete

[Casey]

I recently had some work done on my trailer at the King Trailer factory (Marysville, WA). I failed to ask them what grease they used, and was curious.

They just replied to my email.

King Trailers use Quaker State Multi-Purpose EP-2 LIthium grease. (And they recommend that it not be mixed with greases having a different base.)

If you want a copy of their email, and the attachment let me know and I'll be happy to forward it....

Inquiring minds want to know!

Casey
lorencasebeer@aol.com

[Sea Wolf]

The guy at the boat trailer shop here in Redding says that nothing bad usually ever happens when different types or brands of grease are mixed, but that it's simpler and safer to stick with one type.

I personally think the "don't mix products" lines we usually hear are promoted by sales representatives tat don't want to lose business to another campany.

One specific bit of advice I've became aware of is to always use high-temperature grease specifically designed for use with disc brakes with the latter because of the heat generated in this type of brake. Joe.

[Casey]

...although somewhat off thread, it occured to me that looong ago I learned it's Not a good idea to "mix product lines" (e.g. Scotch, beer, gin, etc, etc!!)

...just a thought.

Casey

[Captains Cat]

Now don't start fooling around with the basic food groups....;

[CAVU]

I have a question that someone may be able to answer: in these posts and elsewhere I read about the heat generated by disc brakes--but wouldn't more heat be developed by drum brakes? I have drum brakes and it would seem logical to me that drums would be less able to disipate the heat generated that the more open disc brakes? Regardless of the type brakes you certainly need good heat resistance in the grease. I have not tried any of the synthetic greases, but the others always weep thin liquid when it gets very warm. I am thinking of repacking this fall with synthetic and would like to know if this will prevent the thin liquid from dripping out when the hub gets hot?

[C-Bill]

CAVU...

Ken, I'm not an expert, but I've learned a little bit from trial and error. As I see it, there maybe less braking surface on the rotor to get hot and the rotor surface is closer and in direct contact with the hub. The cast iron conventional brake drums dissipate heat much faster and in all probability the heat may not reach the hub.

Take a look at this disc brake.

Also, some disc will operate hotter as they are not of the vented rotor design which dissipates heat more rapidly. When excessive heat liquefies the grease in the hub and leaks past the seal it is slung onto the disc. Refer to the picture again and you'll see what I mean. If you have tandem axles with disc brakes on only one axle, heat will also be greater on two disc brakes versus four disc brakes.

That's what I think

Bill

[Sneaks]

I learned quite a bit from a recent trip to Pacific Trailer in Chino, CA. They are very particular about the bearing assemblies and actually locktite the bearing seals in place before packing each assembly using Sta-Lube marine grease (the pink stuff) and installing it all behind "Bearing Buddies."

Roger, the CEO, said the biggest problem with their assemblies isn't water, it's lack of use. Fishermen who are always using their boats - no problem. The summer only crowd usually put their trailer away for the season with hot bearings from their final trip and the wheels sit for months in the same place. He gets to see them every year....

He also said that the bearings shouldn't need much more than a little grease after the first trip or two heats things up and drives any remaining air out.

I asked about mixing grease and he wasn't that whipped up about it. "Yes, it's best to use the same kind, but since so little is added it won't make much difference." was his answer. Clearly my problem in the past was most likely overgreasing the bearing buddies.

[Byrdman]

Interesting topic: Anyone looked into the the clear front oil bath hubs that EZZ-Loader has available on the 2005 trailers??? Looks good to me. Comments?