Elkins45
Site Donor 2026
Those of you who have boat, equipment or utility trailers, do you replace the bearing on any sort of schedule or do you just inspect them when you repack? If so, what’s your mileage or time interval?
Trailer bearings: preemptive replacement?
- Thread starter Elkins45
- Start date
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
On the travel trailer 10-12k between service, went to 14k once not paying attention and it was to long, replaced 2 bearings. I found recommendations for small utility trailers with small tires for every 2k miles. Don't see a reason to replace bearings that look perfect.
Usually repack the ones on the travel trailer before the start of every season. I've replaced two sets on one side due to shadows on the races. (IE marks that looked like they were the start of bearing failure even though I couldn't feel anything.)
I also replaced a set because I lost a dust cap coming home from a trip and wasn't taking any chances with it. They're cheap enough that into the trash they went.
These are 3500# axles and we're loaded to about 6600# in the trailer and are usually at 70mph on the interstate, so I want the bearings to be in good shape.
--Edit--
Knew I had a picture somewhere, these got replaced.
I also replaced a set because I lost a dust cap coming home from a trip and wasn't taking any chances with it. They're cheap enough that into the trash they went.
These are 3500# axles and we're loaded to about 6600# in the trailer and are usually at 70mph on the interstate, so I want the bearings to be in good shape.
--Edit--
Knew I had a picture somewhere, these got replaced.
I did not replace the bearings this time, but next time I will for certain. These bearings carry about 16,000 pound or 4,000 per wheel.
https://rvthe.us/community/threads/repacking-wheel-bearings-on-our-new-horizons-5th-wheel.1104/
https://rvthe.us/community/threads/repacking-wheel-bearings-on-our-new-horizons-5th-wheel.1104/
And just to give people ideas. This is what I travel with in the camper.
3d Printed tube to hold them all.
3d Printed tube to hold them all.
GON
$175 Site Donor 2026
Hoping to change my ways.
I tow a lot of trailers, and all but one time buy trailers that are not only used, but typically salvage trailers with no prior history known.
I have been lucky and not good that I have not had a bearing failure..I tow my trailers loaded to full published capacity, and do cross country tows.
One of my resolutions this years is to replace the wheel bearings in my four trailers..I am sure my luck is soon to run out if I don't.
I tow a lot of trailers, and all but one time buy trailers that are not only used, but typically salvage trailers with no prior history known.
I have been lucky and not good that I have not had a bearing failure..I tow my trailers loaded to full published capacity, and do cross country tows.
One of my resolutions this years is to replace the wheel bearings in my four trailers..I am sure my luck is soon to run out if I don't.
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They can go a long time if not leaking grease. Look under the trailer at the inside of the wheels to see if the grease is leaking on the inside of the hubs. Bearings are cheap, I replace the bearings and grease at the same time. Hubs can be reused if there is no scoring on them. .02.
On my seldom used trailers I give them a good check when I get them initially and then I will jack the wheel and give them a spin/shake yearly. Most I have now are the ez lube axles so I may give them some fresh grease that way. Properly Lubed/adjusted axle bearings last a long time. I don't repack mine on any particular schedule. If I was going to do a cross country trip I would though.
That's a nice setup! I do carry a set of bearings with a seal and a tub of grease in my camper. Don't have them pre greased though.
I figured if I was going to be on a camping trip and stuck on the side of the road replacing a bearing I was going to putz around the least amount possible getting it changed out and back on the road again.
Plus, I thought that if I was loaded for bear....I'll never need them.
I inspect and repack mine every 3-4 years and grease every year. I don't use it often and at most only do half its load capacity. Still on the original bearings 16 years later and I used whatever gc rated grease I have on hand which is usually something different as i'm fickle with lubes. If i had to say its only done about 4-5k miles.
I have a friend with a smaller 2 wheel that he dropped off so I can cut and weld a piece and when I asked him if he's changed the bearings he said he's never even greased it the whole time he's had it. Had it for 14 years without adding grease or opening the axles up. And he drives with the windows down and said he hears nothing out of it. The grease was old nasty and sparse in there but the bearings and races were still good as far as I could tell.
I have a friend with a smaller 2 wheel that he dropped off so I can cut and weld a piece and when I asked him if he's changed the bearings he said he's never even greased it the whole time he's had it. Had it for 14 years without adding grease or opening the axles up. And he drives with the windows down and said he hears nothing out of it. The grease was old nasty and sparse in there but the bearings and races were still good as far as I could tell.
I have a boat trailer with bearing buddies and never repacked them. I put a couple pumps of marine grease in them every once in a while. They do not leak grease either. I have been going over 35 years on different trailers and never had a problem. I only end up towing my boat about 1,000 miles maximum every year because I keep the boat near the Missouri River where I do all my fishing. I have jacked it up on each side and spun the wheel in order to hear if there is a bearing going out. I also put my hand on the hub area and see if it is at a normal temperature and not hot.
Inspect, repack and definitely replace the seal.
I find that at around 4 to 5 years the seals start to crack. Some times you get lucky and they last 8 to 10 years. Do you feel lucky?
Plus if you replace the bearings you're supposed to replace the race.
Replacing serviceable hard parts is just a waste of money.
I've ran worse.
My 16' aluminum boat trailer I only tow within a 45 min radius of my house. I just pump the buddy bearings full of grease in the spring. Not ideal, I know, but works for me so far.
My motorcycle trailer goes on 1000+ mile trips. It has the lube axles where the grease flows in through the axle to behind the inner bearing, then out through the outer bearing. I pump those with clean grease after every trip. It only takes a few minutes. I don't want any failures while on vacation. I also purchased a replacement hub from eTrailer that is fully assembled and greased. I bring it with me on trips. If I have a failure, I'll just swap the whole hub and be on my way. I don't want to be on the side of the freeway trying to pack and replace bearings.
My motorcycle trailer goes on 1000+ mile trips. It has the lube axles where the grease flows in through the axle to behind the inner bearing, then out through the outer bearing. I pump those with clean grease after every trip. It only takes a few minutes. I don't want any failures while on vacation. I also purchased a replacement hub from eTrailer that is fully assembled and greased. I bring it with me on trips. If I have a failure, I'll just swap the whole hub and be on my way. I don't want to be on the side of the freeway trying to pack and replace bearings.
Does it have real grease or corrosion preventing goop.
Corrosion preventing goop doesn't have any antiwear additives because the main family of antiwear chemicals are slightly corrosive..
I use the Traveler Marine wheel bearing grease from Tractor Supply in both trailers. It has similar ratings as the red stuff that I used to use in my old travel trailer. I check the hub temperature with my hand whenever I pull off the freeway and they have been running nice and cool so far. It's rated NLGI GC-LB
My car trailer gets repacked every spring. It has 3-4 out of state trips a year (depending on how many times it's borrowed) on the highway. So a few hours going at 65+ with a load. I've had a few friends lose trailer bearings on these trips.
My little homade utility trailer hasn't been repacked in a few years. It really doesn't go further than 20 or 30 miles from home. It got a lot of use last year helping my mom get rid of stuff from her old house, but even then with it heavily loaded the bearings ran cool.
The little trailer might be making a trip out of state to an offroad park with the 4 wheeler in a few months. I'll probably end up repacking them just to be safe.
I use red n tacky in trailer bearings
My little homade utility trailer hasn't been repacked in a few years. It really doesn't go further than 20 or 30 miles from home. It got a lot of use last year helping my mom get rid of stuff from her old house, but even then with it heavily loaded the bearings ran cool.
The little trailer might be making a trip out of state to an offroad park with the 4 wheeler in a few months. I'll probably end up repacking them just to be safe.
I use red n tacky in trailer bearings
I saw that the lucas hd is hpm with the additional high load and low temp ratings where lucas rt is only gc lb. I didn't know that until very recently when I was looking into polyurea greases like jd sd which lucas also is and saw that. I might switch to that after learning about it since it would last longer during the year and it's only buck more. I should also get those bearing buddies.
https://www.nlgi.org/about-us/high-performance-multiuse-grease/
Once every couple of years with moderate use. Bearing issues are far less common than the Internet would leave you to believe. I have towed over 30,000 miles all over the Rockies with my 5,000 pound travel trailer.
