Trailer Bearings and grease

Rory McNeil · 06-28-2019, 06:14 PM

I recently had to replace a bad wheel bearing on my 24 foot Wells Cargo trailer, with 5200 lb Dexter "NevRLube" axles. The only bearing I could find in the area was a Chinese made unit in a National Bearing box. Does anybody have anything good to say about these off shore bearings, or should I be looking to find some North American made bearings, if that is even possible these days? Also, I have Lucas "Red and Tacky" grease, anybody use this grease on their trailer bearings, or should I look for a different brand? Most of my racing happens close to home, rarely more than a 3 hour tow, normally only 1 hour, with about 2500 miles a year of towing. any thoughts on how often I should be repacking my bearings? Every year seems like overkill, but 4 years obviously is not enough! Odd thing is that the inner bearings still had plenty of clean grease on them, but both outers on the rear axle were brown and rusty.

Rich Biebel · 06-28-2019, 08:13 PM

My Classic Terminator trailer has Nev-R-Lube bearings and they are sealed cartridges. They can't be repacked.....They press into the drum and have a snap ring to retain them....

I replaced all mine and kept the old ones as spares.

If you have bearings that can be repacked they are not the sealed type I have and I would not call them Nev-R-Lube.....

The best wheel bearing grease is red synthetic waterproof grease and if you use that you'll get way better bearing life. Chemsearch is a company we get that grease from.

My old 22' trailer regularly hurt bearings until I used similar grease....

I would try to find some better bearings.....and Made in USA...

Rory McNeil · 06-29-2019, 12:50 AM

My mistake, Rich, I mixed up the names of the features of the Dexter axles, it has NevRAdjust trailer brakes, they call the wheel bearings "EZLube", they have a grease nipple under each dust cap so you can pump grease into the spindle, which is drilled so the grease goes into the inner bearing, and pushes the old grease out towards the dust cap, hopefully without pushing grease past the inner seals.
As for the Lucas Red N Tacky grease I have, it is a red Lithium based grease with good rating (GC-LB), so I am hoping it should work well for the bearings.

Rusty Davenport · 07-01-2019, 02:25 PM

If you do a little research you will find out that "mixing" brands and types of grease is absolutely NOT RECOMMENDED !!!!! Just a note of extreme caution.

FED 387 · 07-01-2019, 03:44 PM

X 2!!!!!!!!

Run to Rund · 07-02-2019, 12:07 PM

If you download the Dexter hubs-drums-bearings manual, it has recommended greases in it. They use lithium complex grease. Some other types of greases are sodium or aluminum complex.

lo23m8b · 07-18-2019, 10:09 PM

I've been using Mobil 1 red synthetic as of late because I can no longer find the old Hi-Performance Hi-Temp Blue. It's seems OK. But never mix greases because if the bases are different it will break down. If you are using a new product fully clean the old bearings then pack them good. Regular maintenance is the key. On the job for 50 years.

Mike Pearson · 07-19-2019, 09:23 AM

All of the bearings and seals for that axle are available at NAPA. I also have 5200 LB Dexter easy lube axles under my trailer. I have been using the NAPA bearings in my trailer as needed. I have been using the Valvoline red tacky grease. I do tow long distances at times. I have had some issue with one axle and hub killing the outside bearing and race. Recently I put a new hub. brakes and bearings on that spindle. so far it has been OK. If your tires have a weird tread wear it can put more pressure on the bearing and overheat it.

Rory McNeil · 07-19-2019, 11:33 PM

Mike, do you happen to know the part numbers for the NAPA bearings and seals? Do you just tell the counterman that you have Dexter 5200 lb axles, and that is enough info for them? My trailer tires are not show any unusual tire wear, but it does seem odd that the bearings on the front axle looked fine, but the rears looked so bad. I wonder if the torsion axles are more sensitive to load distribution than leaf spring axles with a center pivot link. My trailer looks level while towing.

Mike Pearson · 07-23-2019, 10:51 AM

These are the NAPA numbers that I have been using. I have a small tool box in the trailer that I keep a spare set, grease and a grease gun.

PBR25580 inner bearing
PBR25520 inner race
PBR6 - outer bearing and race
22532 seal

06-28-2019, 06:14 PM	#1
Rory McNeil VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: from Vancouver BC Canada, now in Nova Scotia Posts: 1,257 Likes: 245 Liked 939 Times in 259 Posts	Trailer Bearings and grease I recently had to replace a bad wheel bearing on my 24 foot Wells Cargo trailer, with 5200 lb Dexter "NevRLube" axles. The only bearing I could find in the area was a Chinese made unit in a National Bearing box. Does anybody have anything good to say about these off shore bearings, or should I be looking to find some North American made bearings, if that is even possible these days? Also, I have Lucas "Red and Tacky" grease, anybody use this grease on their trailer bearings, or should I look for a different brand? Most of my racing happens close to home, rarely more than a 3 hour tow, normally only 1 hour, with about 2500 miles a year of towing. any thoughts on how often I should be repacking my bearings? Every year seems like overkill, but 4 years obviously is not enough! Odd thing is that the inner bearings still had plenty of clean grease on them, but both outers on the rear axle were brown and rusty. __________________ NHRA 6390 STK M/S 85 Mustang

06-28-2019, 08:13 PM	#2
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,275 Likes: 25 Liked 510 Times in 200 Posts	Re: Trailer Bearings and grease My Classic Terminator trailer has Nev-R-Lube bearings and they are sealed cartridges. They can't be repacked.....They press into the drum and have a snap ring to retain them.... I replaced all mine and kept the old ones as spares. If you have bearings that can be repacked they are not the sealed type I have and I would not call them Nev-R-Lube..... The best wheel bearing grease is red synthetic waterproof grease and if you use that you'll get way better bearing life. Chemsearch is a company we get that grease from. My old 22' trailer regularly hurt bearings until I used similar grease.... I would try to find some better bearings.....and Made in USA... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Last edited by Rich Biebel; 06-28-2019 at 08:17 PM.

06-29-2019, 12:50 AM	#3
Rory McNeil VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: from Vancouver BC Canada, now in Nova Scotia Posts: 1,257 Likes: 245 Liked 939 Times in 259 Posts	Re: Trailer Bearings and grease My mistake, Rich, I mixed up the names of the features of the Dexter axles, it has NevRAdjust trailer brakes, they call the wheel bearings "EZLube", they have a grease nipple under each dust cap so you can pump grease into the spindle, which is drilled so the grease goes into the inner bearing, and pushes the old grease out towards the dust cap, hopefully without pushing grease past the inner seals. As for the Lucas Red N Tacky grease I have, it is a red Lithium based grease with good rating (GC-LB), so I am hoping it should work well for the bearings. __________________ NHRA 6390 STK M/S 85 Mustang

07-01-2019, 02:25 PM	#4
Rusty Davenport Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nashville N.C. Posts: 505 Likes: 4 Liked 100 Times in 26 Posts	Re: Trailer Bearings and grease If you do a little research you will find out that "mixing" brands and types of grease is absolutely NOT RECOMMENDED !!!!! Just a note of extreme caution. __________________ NHRA AND IHRA STOCK ELIMINATOR 2772

07-01-2019, 03:44 PM	#5
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,349 Likes: 328 Liked 280 Times in 150 Posts	Re: Trailer Bearings and grease X 2!!!!!!!!

07-02-2019, 12:07 PM	#6
Run to Rund Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 574 Likes: 6 Liked 44 Times in 22 Posts	Re: Trailer Bearings and grease If you download the Dexter hubs-drums-bearings manual, it has recommended greases in it. They use lithium complex grease. Some other types of greases are sodium or aluminum complex.

07-18-2019, 10:09 PM	#7
lo23m8b Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Posts: 11 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Trailer Bearings and grease I've been using Mobil 1 red synthetic as of late because I can no longer find the old Hi-Performance Hi-Temp Blue. It's seems OK. But never mix greases because if the bases are different it will break down. If you are using a new product fully clean the old bearings then pack them good. Regular maintenance is the key. On the job for 50 years.

07-19-2019, 09:23 AM	#8
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,321 Likes: 546 Liked 1,629 Times in 502 Posts	Re: Trailer Bearings and grease All of the bearings and seals for that axle are available at NAPA. I also have 5200 LB Dexter easy lube axles under my trailer. I have been using the NAPA bearings in my trailer as needed. I have been using the Valvoline red tacky grease. I do tow long distances at times. I have had some issue with one axle and hub killing the outside bearing and race. Recently I put a new hub. brakes and bearings on that spindle. so far it has been OK. If your tires have a weird tread wear it can put more pressure on the bearing and overheat it. __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS

07-19-2019, 11:33 PM	#9
Rory McNeil VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: from Vancouver BC Canada, now in Nova Scotia Posts: 1,257 Likes: 245 Liked 939 Times in 259 Posts	Re: Trailer Bearings and grease Mike, do you happen to know the part numbers for the NAPA bearings and seals? Do you just tell the counterman that you have Dexter 5200 lb axles, and that is enough info for them? My trailer tires are not show any unusual tire wear, but it does seem odd that the bearings on the front axle looked fine, but the rears looked so bad. I wonder if the torsion axles are more sensitive to load distribution than leaf spring axles with a center pivot link. My trailer looks level while towing. __________________ NHRA 6390 STK M/S 85 Mustang

07-23-2019, 10:51 AM	#10
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,321 Likes: 546 Liked 1,629 Times in 502 Posts	Re: Trailer Bearings and grease These are the NAPA numbers that I have been using. I have a small tool box in the trailer that I keep a spare set, grease and a grease gun. PBR25580 inner bearing PBR25520 inner race PBR6 - outer bearing and race 22532 seal __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS