Greasing wheel bearings

Bill Bogues · 11-27-2014, 06:50 PM

I had a bearing go out on our racecar trailer on the way to our last race. Now i'm replcing all the bearing and races on it to get ready for next year. I worked grease into all the new bearings but now i'm unsure about how much grease to put in the hub, the bearing had plenty of grease in the hub when ireplaced it. I've heard you can put too much grease in it. I usually pump about 5 squirts in each buddy bearing before each race and now i'm wondering if thats a good idea or not. Thanks for any replies.

voltdr · 11-27-2014, 07:08 PM

I would think if there was grease around the bearing, then the problem was probably a loose wheel bearing causing too much friction. I can't understand how too much grease can cause a problem, just a mess.
Dan

RacingRicki · 11-27-2014, 08:55 PM

In school, I was taught to just spread some grease in the hub area between the bearings to stop rust from occurring.

Too much grease in the hub area can cause problems because if the hub is full grease, it will be churning in there and that builds heat. The excessive grease will try to leak out of the seal and can actually blow out the seal lip. This will then let contaminates in.

Here is a web site that talks about wheel bearings. http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/whee...what-when-why/

HandOverFist · 11-27-2014, 09:04 PM

Unsure how useful bearing buddies would be on a car trailer...mostly used on boat trailers to pressure/inhibit water intrusion.

Myron Piatek · 11-28-2014, 08:21 AM

In my opinion, 5 squirts before each trip is way too much. It can quickly fill up and the problem I've had was that it gets forced out of the seal and into the brakes! The grease needs room to "breathe" and expand.

Bearing buddies are a good idea, just gotta keep an eye on them so they don't vibrate out. It's not a common problem, but I've lost 2-3 over the years that I had an open trailer. They are convenient because you don't have to disassemble everything to grease the bearings. But I always check them periodically to see if the bearings need to be snugged up. Too much play or regular looseness is a sign that something is wrong and that they may be on the way out. I jack up my trailer and check the brake and wheel bearing adjustment a few times per year.

Do you have one of these to pack the bearings?
http://toolmonger.com/wp-content/upl...0Composite.jpg

I have found a measurable improvement in bearing life by using synthetic grease. When I had a heavy open trailer, I was using Castrol HD grease. Switching to Amsoil's Dominator Synthetic Racing Grease reduced the maintenance required.

My enclosed trailer now has the built-in EZ lube set-up.
http://www.floeintl.com/assets/pdf/e..._greasecap.pdf

Jim B · 11-28-2014, 09:25 AM

Don't know if the following items pertain to you but it's not a bad idea to keep in mind- 1) Wheel bearing grease is rated as wheel bearing grease.... general lubrication and/or chassis grease (L series rating) is NOT suitable for use in a wheel bearing environment (wheel bearing grease will have a GA, GB or GC rating [GC is the highest rating]) Some multipurpose grease will be rated for both purposes and have Gx AND Lx ratings 2) don't mix different types of wheel bearing grease (ie, lithium, moly, synthetic, etc.)
As far as level is concerned a general rule of thumb is to pack the bearings (either by hand or using the cone tool earlier in this thread) and fill the center cavity of the hub with grease just up to the tops of the bearing races inside edges evenly 360° around the hub center cavity.

Eman · 12-14-2014, 12:38 PM

First of all do you have bearing buddys or EZ lube axles? Bearing buddys are caps with a zerk fittings, EZ lube axles have a zerk fitting in the end of the axle. With the EZ lube axle you jack the wheel off of the ground and rotate it while pumping grease into it. There are Youtube videos. The grease has to be forced thru the bearing to do any good and the EZ lube axle forces the grease back towards the outer bearing. The bearing buddy pushes the grease back and will force it past the seal and on the brakes, that's why you find them on boat trailers that don't have brakes.

GTX JOHN · 12-14-2014, 04:36 PM

My boy builds and sells all kinds of trailers and you are right on lube techniques.

However, All boat trailers must comply with state regulations on
being equipped with functional brakes. In Nevada any trailer over 1500
GVW and in California any trailer GVW 2999. Your state will vary but
all states and Canada that he has sold in have a number on weight (usually very low)!

Run to Rund · 12-14-2014, 11:54 PM

Dexter has a list of acceptable greases in their instruction manual which you can download from their website. Don't mix greases of different base stocks as they might not be compatible. As above, too much grease doesn't help. Loose bearings don't help--preload per mfg. recommendations. If the seals are good, there is no reason to keep adding grease.

11-27-2014, 06:50 PM	#1
Bill Bogues Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bethany La. Posts: 323 Likes: 96 Liked 169 Times in 53 Posts	Greasing wheel bearings I had a bearing go out on our racecar trailer on the way to our last race. Now i'm replcing all the bearing and races on it to get ready for next year. I worked grease into all the new bearings but now i'm unsure about how much grease to put in the hub, the bearing had plenty of grease in the hub when ireplaced it. I've heard you can put too much grease in it. I usually pump about 5 squirts in each buddy bearing before each race and now i'm wondering if thats a good idea or not. Thanks for any replies. __________________ Bill Bogues 4696 STK

11-27-2014, 07:08 PM	#2
voltdr Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 706 Likes: 77 Liked 100 Times in 51 Posts	Re: Greasing wheel bearings I would think if there was grease around the bearing, then the problem was probably a loose wheel bearing causing too much friction. I can't understand how too much grease can cause a problem, just a mess. Dan

11-27-2014, 08:55 PM	#3
RacingRicki Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 106 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Greasing wheel bearings In school, I was taught to just spread some grease in the hub area between the bearings to stop rust from occurring. Too much grease in the hub area can cause problems because if the hub is full grease, it will be churning in there and that builds heat. The excessive grease will try to leak out of the seal and can actually blow out the seal lip. This will then let contaminates in. Here is a web site that talks about wheel bearings. http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/whee...what-when-why/ __________________ RacingRicki

11-27-2014, 09:04 PM	#4
HandOverFist VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Gulf Breeze, FL Posts: 1,651 Likes: 8 Liked 33 Times in 16 Posts	Re: Greasing wheel bearings Unsure how useful bearing buddies would be on a car trailer...mostly used on boat trailers to pressure/inhibit water intrusion. __________________ Rich Taylor I/SA - 321

11-28-2014, 08:21 AM	#5
Myron Piatek VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 1,542 Likes: 34 Liked 138 Times in 51 Posts	Re: Greasing wheel bearings In my opinion, 5 squirts before each trip is way too much. It can quickly fill up and the problem I've had was that it gets forced out of the seal and into the brakes! The grease needs room to "breathe" and expand. Bearing buddies are a good idea, just gotta keep an eye on them so they don't vibrate out. It's not a common problem, but I've lost 2-3 over the years that I had an open trailer. They are convenient because you don't have to disassemble everything to grease the bearings. But I always check them periodically to see if the bearings need to be snugged up. Too much play or regular looseness is a sign that something is wrong and that they may be on the way out. I jack up my trailer and check the brake and wheel bearing adjustment a few times per year. Do you have one of these to pack the bearings? http://toolmonger.com/wp-content/upl...0Composite.jpg I have found a measurable improvement in bearing life by using synthetic grease. When I had a heavy open trailer, I was using Castrol HD grease. Switching to Amsoil's Dominator Synthetic Racing Grease reduced the maintenance required. My enclosed trailer now has the built-in EZ lube set-up. http://www.floeintl.com/assets/pdf/e..._greasecap.pdf __________________ LOCOMOTION Racing

11-28-2014, 09:25 AM	#6
Jim B Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 100 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Greasing wheel bearings Don't know if the following items pertain to you but it's not a bad idea to keep in mind- 1) Wheel bearing grease is rated as wheel bearing grease.... general lubrication and/or chassis grease (L series rating) is NOT suitable for use in a wheel bearing environment (wheel bearing grease will have a GA, GB or GC rating [GC is the highest rating]) Some multipurpose grease will be rated for both purposes and have Gx AND Lx ratings 2) don't mix different types of wheel bearing grease (ie, lithium, moly, synthetic, etc.) As far as level is concerned a general rule of thumb is to pack the bearings (either by hand or using the cone tool earlier in this thread) and fill the center cavity of the hub with grease just up to the tops of the bearing races inside edges evenly 360° around the hub center cavity. Last edited by Jim B; 11-28-2014 at 09:58 AM.

12-14-2014, 12:38 PM	#7
Eman Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: E TN Posts: 473 Likes: 16 Liked 133 Times in 76 Posts	Re: Greasing wheel bearings First of all do you have bearing buddys or EZ lube axles? Bearing buddys are caps with a zerk fittings, EZ lube axles have a zerk fitting in the end of the axle. With the EZ lube axle you jack the wheel off of the ground and rotate it while pumping grease into it. There are Youtube videos. The grease has to be forced thru the bearing to do any good and the EZ lube axle forces the grease back towards the outer bearing. The bearing buddy pushes the grease back and will force it past the seal and on the brakes, that's why you find them on boat trailers that don't have brakes.

12-14-2014, 04:36 PM	#8
GTX JOHN VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Posts: 2,733 Likes: 2,803 Liked 2,486 Times in 697 Posts	Re: Greasing wheel bearings My boy builds and sells all kinds of trailers and you are right on lube techniques. However, All boat trailers must comply with state regulations on being equipped with functional brakes. In Nevada any trailer over 1500 GVW and in California any trailer GVW 2999. Your state will vary but all states and Canada that he has sold in have a number on weight (usually very low)! __________________ John Irving 741 Stock 741 Super Stock

12-14-2014, 11:54 PM	#9
Run to Rund Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 583 Likes: 8 Liked 54 Times in 27 Posts	Re: Greasing wheel bearings Dexter has a list of acceptable greases in their instruction manual which you can download from their website. Don't mix greases of different base stocks as they might not be compatible. As above, too much grease doesn't help. Loose bearings don't help--preload per mfg. recommendations. If the seals are good, there is no reason to keep adding grease.