Trailer Wheel Bearing Lubrication

M

MOOSE

Member
Our tandem EZ Loader trailer has Bearing Buddies for lubrication. I find them to be a hell-of-a-mess to deal with and I have no real confidence that I am not over- or under-filling them. I checked with EZ Loader a while back to see if I might be able to convert to the oil-bath type of lubricators, but was told that my trailer model has slightly oversized hubs for the oil-bath type and that they would tend to leak and were not recommended. A total axle replacement would be required.

What style do most of you folks use and what are your recommendations? I really want some reliability.

Thanks,
Al
 
I towed a whaler for over 30 years with the bearing buddies. They threw grease all over the tires and wheels but they never failed. They were great. I currently have oil bath on the ez loader and they too are great. Much cleaner, but after a cold winter the plastic cover is foggy and the oil is a little milky looking. I have been told by two dealers that ez loader says the cloudy appearance is normal and not to dig into them.
 
Great topic. I had always thought cloudy oil meant we had been comprimised, and water was in the oil. How do you know if the plastic is cloudy....verses oil in the water?

Yep, many years of messy buddy bearings, but never a failure. I do like the clean part of oil bath...and I guess a few years will tell. Also, I am not sure of the heat differance on the hubs if the oil has been contaminated with water????? Oil only cooler hub....Oil & water...cloudy...and hotter running hubs?? I don't know. Greese all over the inside of your wheels/tires and fenders....and cool running hubs still wins.
 
I watch the hubs really close, especially after a couple hundred freeway miles. When I get out of the truck I immediately go to the wheels and look. The covers are a uniform cloudiness top to bottom, which tells me they are discolored uniformly, irregardless of oil condition. The oil never changes color during use, or after sitting for long periods. I also feel them and they are never even warm, unless the pavement is really warm. They also look like they would really be easy to service if you wanted to tear into them. I think at the end of the second year I will probably do that.
 
Not all "bearing buddies" do the same thing. Turns out most people believe that when they add grease to their bearing buddy that they are litteraly greasing the bearings. Not true with the bearing buddy brand. Some bearing buddy systems do add grease to both the front and back bearing like the ones that King marine uses on their trailers, but many do not. Just an FYI.
 
Journey On's trailer has the oil filled hubs also. My question is: if the oil is milky, I assume it's because of water contamination. I also assume that it will settle out after the trailer stops. If there's water in the bearings, that will cause rust. Since the bearings depend on smooth surfaces, wouldn't that destroy the bearings?

Presently the oil in the hub covers looks like oil, not chocolate milk, and I hope it stays that way.

Boris
 
The hubs on my current single axel trailer for my 22 are very neat. They have a rubber cover that snaps in the hub end. When you remove the rubber cover you see the grease fitting looking at you. When you add new grease it goes thru the center of the axel and comes out at the rear of the bearings. The old grease is pushed out by the new grease and I use a screwdriver blade to take it out of the hub. Then I put the rubber cover into the end of the hub and I have new clean grease.

I have never seen any sign of water getting to the bearings.

Fred, Pat and Mr Grey (the cat)
 
Steve,

The grease comes out at the front of the hub. The end that is toward you as you fill with grease. I will post the make of the hubs as soon as I visit the trailer storage lot.

Fred
 
Thats what we call the Posi Lube system with the cover and Zirk Ftg. My mechanics like that one the best .Lots of mixed reports on the oil bath type. I all boils down to checking and maintennance. Fresh grease is good grease!
Marc
 
OK Fred. Then they really don't work like Bearing Buddies that maintain a constant pressure in the hub since they push out grease towards the front when refilled/refreshed? I'll wait for your make/model to look up the operation. Thanks.
 
maybe i'm missing something but isn't there a soft vinyl boot covers for them? mine has covers and the oil doesn't splatter out.
 
Looks like a pretty good system, but since it's not a pressurized system I wonder about its effectiveness when dunking in the water when the bearings are either warm or cold. When you arrive at the marina, the bearings are usually warm along with the grease, that's when I check my fittings to make sure they have sufficient grease to not be bottomed out. You want enough to also be at least slightly above bottom when they're cold, so when you re-dunk the trailer to retrieve your boat it doesn't have any room to suck in water. That's where I wonder about this system, when the grease has contracted. Maybe I'm just being paranoid...

I have bearing buddies and haven't had a problem. But I always check their grease levels when warm, usually OK. Will be interesting to see how these Tie-Down bearings work out.
 
Mine are Posi-Lube just like the dealer said. I was glad to hear his service people like them. This is the 2nd trailer equiped with them. Many thousand miles 0 bearing problems. I give them a shot of grease before each trip. If we go to Fla. of NY State we re-grease after loading for the trip home. Grease is cheap!

Fred, Pat and Mr. Grey(the cat)
 
I check my bearings (have the Posi-lube system on both trailers) evey 2 hours. On my recent 2500 mile run the bearing hub temp was never over 90 degrees (IR thermometer). I use water proof grease and repace it after several "dunks".
 
Bob really does it right. I feel the hub at every stop. If I can keep my hand on the hub I think it is OK.

I hope Bob explains about replacing the grease after several dunks. Bob do you actually remove and clean or just fill with fresh grease as I do? My feeling is that the old dirty grease is pushed out when the new grease is shot in.

Fred, Pat, and Mr. Gray (the cat)
 
Use the grease gun and push out the grease. Once a year, tear down the bearnings and re grease/pack. Always carry an extra set of bearings. I have never had one fail, but if I didn't care for them, and carry extra, I am sure that they would fail.
 
Our King trailer for our CD 25 comes with the posi-lube system. It has a cover that pulls off to exposes a grease fitting that supplies grease to the inboard bearing pushing grease out to the outboard bearing and the old grease I just scoop out. I lube 2-3 times a season (10 pumps on the grease gun) and keep an eye on the bearings, brakes and tires on trailer and tow vehicle with an IR/laser thermometer every couple of hours at rest stops. The bearings are usually 80-90 deg F. this time of year after a couple hour run. Sportcraft Marina in Oregon City orders the King trailers with an entire axle shaft, hub, bearings and tire and wheel for a complete spare, (it is an option from King). The only problem I have had is my year and a half old yellow female lab likes to steal the rubber covers and I’ve had to replace a few. I’ve also had to improvise (last weekend going to the Lopez gathering) with some premium quality duct tape.
 
I think some of us cause excessive grease slinging be being overzealous with the grease gun. I have found myself doing this, at times. Noticed a few others doing it, too.

Reading though the comments above, it seems that those folks wth a thoughtful system to make a limited refilling of the hubs do OK.

Read your bearing protectors owners manual and follow their directions on checking and filling up the hubs. Too much grease is not a good thing.

Joe.
 
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