Trailer bearing grease change

How often do you guys change grease in the trailer’s bearing?
I didn't change it for three years (bought it new with the boat and had no idea that it should be changed regularly) and then decided to take a look at what is inside and found some water in the grease and the bearing a bit rusted. Called the manufacturer then, asking about parts (to change the bearing) and was told that I should change grease - according to manufacturer manual instructions - every time after I put it into the water.
It’s not very complicated to change it - just open the rubber cap and put new grease through the valve with a grease gun (the old grease comes out). However it is still messy job and somehow expensive to change it every time if I go fishing some 10 times a year.
What is your opinion or practice on that?
Thanks!

I check mine in the fall. If there’s water, I replace and check the rear seals…

Get bearing buddies and don't worry about it anymore.... Couple shots of grease in the fittings before a long trip and that's it.

Bearing Buddies are great and keeping them topped up is easy but it is always a good idea to check the heat on them by a good 10-15 minute run down the road at highway speeds , if you can't put your hand on the bearing hub and leave it there because it's too hot you got a problem. Also too much grease is not a good thing as it too will overheat and probably blow a seal which you will see by the grease sprayed all over the rim. While the boat is off the trailer try jacking it up and rotating the wheels if you hear and grinding or growling you need to replace the bearings.

I clean out the old grease and repack mine every spring and inspect them at least once a month.
for the cost of grease and a new seal it gives you the piece of mind that you should be able to get home with zero worries. I've welded a hub assembly to an axel before and it's expensive and totally ruins a trip

Before I got bearing buddies I would do mine annually. With bearing buddies (or equivalent brand as you seem to have) just fill it until the spring has a bit of pressure and thats all you need to do. Make sure not to overfill otherwise it could possibly push the seal out the back of the hub which would let water in and destroy your bearings prematurely.

Thanks a lot, very helpful!
Yes, I now lift the trailer’s wheels from time to time and listen for noise . Right now I hear some sound only if I get my ear in touch with the metal part of the trailer near the wheel. Hope it is still OK.
But I never checked the heat of the bearing while traveling even though I normally stop during the trip after ½ hour or so to check everything.
Thanks for the suggestion!

I have bearing buddies on my trailer and i put in fresh grease in the spring and sometimes in the fall depending how much use.
like everyone said when you pump the grease in the old grease should flow out and stop pumping as soon as you see the new grease come out

Check yearly and service as soon as you see water. Or anytime before a big trip. Otherwise you end up being the guy who unhooks his rig on the side of the highway and goes to the nearest town for parts followed by a very dangerous repair on the side of a busy highway
Driveways are the place to work on these things.
And carry spare parts with you

I learned my lesson the hard way with my boat and trailer coming home on a roll back after a blown bearing. Now,I carry a bearing repair and tool kit just in case. I fill the bearing buddies once a season and check the rear hub for blown grease seals every few weeks.

Keep in mind that the same style of bearing setup was used for decades in trailers and the front of every rear drive car/truck with thousands of miles service life. The only difference with a boat trailer is getting submerged.

The reason bearing buddies work so well is the spring and diaphragm keep the grease at a pressure slightly above ambient while not over pressurizing and blowing a seal (as well as not leaving any void between the bearing and cap), this is what keeps water out. They aren't just lubricating.

I also carry a spare bearing and a CAA card.

Bearing Buddies are great, but a little maintenance is still needed from time to time. With bearing buddies, you don't need to repack your bearings every year, but it is a good idea to remove, clean and repack them every few years. With trailer bearings a little preventive maintenance can save problems on the road. I've always got a complete spare hub in the truck and tools to install it.

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Originally Posted by thunderbolt

Bearing Buddies are great, but a little maintenance is still needed from time to time. With bearing buddies, you don't need to repack your bearings every year, but it is a good idea to remove, clean and repack them every few years. With trailer bearings a little preventive maintenance can save problems on the road. I've always got a complete spare hub in the truck and tools to install it.

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you hit the nail on the head
bearing buddies are great to make sure grease levels are topped up but adding new grease to old grease doesn't make a ton of sense seeing it less than 1/2h to remove and repack per side and the cost is so minimal to do

Thanks a lot for replies! Very informative and helpful!
I make long trips (250K) with my boat regularly. So, what does it look like and what should I expect if the bearing gets completely destroyed on the highway (110km\h)? Unlike with the bearing in the car you cannot hear the noise when you drive, right?
I now will check routinely the bearing temperature on every stop but am still interested in what to expect in case the disaster happens.
Thanks a lot!

When replacing the inner seal, make the effort to get the "double lipped" ones, an extra measure of keeping the water from getting in.

When they grenade the wheel will be very loose and if you drag it long enough it will come right off. First symptom is usually heat, then possibly smoke but not always, then you will hear and feel it. Almost like a blown tire you will be able to tell something is very wrong.

(At least if you are the type to notice things like that)

The only one I've ever seen destroyed was overtightened when it was serviced and it got so hot it burned the paint on the rim.

I always stop about 30 min after highway speed driving and go touch the hub. Should be nothing more than slightly warm. If it’s hot you have trouble coming very soon and I’d be making plans.
When I change bearings I keep the best looking used set. Grease them and put them in a ziplock. Carry all the tools needed to change.

If you do proper preventive maintenance you should never have to experience a highway mishap and the agony that goes with it. Like dean.f posted ; If it goes you are going to know about it. Maybe you will see it (smoke) in your mirrors or people driving beside you yelling "Your trailer is on fire !" or worst a catastrophic failure which will effect the handling of your vehicle and potentially dangerous.
As Fisherman posted; Get the double lipped bearings , cost more but keeps out water better.
If traveling long distances having a tool kit for that would be a great idea. I would go with a new set of bearings as opposed to an old set because if you really have to change them out you may as well do it right. Also get one of those bearing driver kits (Princess Auto ?) they make the job so much easier.

I swear by the oil moat bearing caps. They came on my Eazyloader trailer. The bearing is oil bathed, not greased. They are clear so you can tell at a glance if you have a seal leak. I’ve never had water infiltration with them. Zero maintenance after nine years and still running. I still hand spin/jiggle test and feel for bearing heat up.

Inspect in the fall to ensure no water is sitting in there all winter !

Forgot to mention that there is one downside to the oil bath axles. If you damage a cap or blow a seal, you quickly lose the oil and you are stuck at roadside fixing it. You’ll be able to get home in most cases if you have a greased axle.

Thanks!
Very valuable info and I regret I didn't know all this stuff before. Apparently, my bearings are not so good anymore due to the fact that water was inside for a winter. But they seem to be OK, even not as shiny as new ones.
I stopped last time after some 20 minutes driving on the highway and the bearings were just a bit warm. I now make sure this is my habit - to check it after some driving. I even put a reminder on the side of the boat for that.
I usually drive both ways during the dark hours with no one around me. so it is unlikely I will be able to see a problem or someone outside horns me for that. So the only solution is to stop and check.
I very much appreciate all responses! Thanks a lot!

If you are looking to replace your trailer bearings, I recommend only Timken bearings. Most now are cheap crap from China. I know a guy that took a Chinese bearing apart after it failed with very few miles. He mic’d the rollers and found different sizes within the same carriers. FYI…

I don't think l have many choices here. I think I have to buy from the manufacturer of the trailer (LoadRite). Otherwise I don’t know how to choose the right bearing.
There are a lot of them on the market (Princess Auto, Can. Tire etc), probably for a better price, but I have no idea how to choose the right one.

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Originally Posted by MarkD

I don't think l have many choices here. I think I have to buy from the manufacturer of the trailer (LoadRite). Otherwise I don’t know how to choose the right bearing.
There are a lot of them on the market (Princess Auto, Can. Tire etc), probably for a better price, but I have no idea how to choose the right one.

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So…..get the bearing sizing from Loadrite and order the appropriate sized Timkens….or find a dealer

Yeah, I know it may sound silly what I’ve said. It’s not that I'm particularly stupid in it. Actually I consider myself technically inclined. I have no problem doing maintenance of my car or my boat - whatever is possible on the driveway. But getting the parts from different manufacturers seems to be tricky sometimes…. I've seen it… You order the parts with the right dimensions from different manufacturers and … oops.. it doesn't fit.
With the bearing it seems to me even more tricky because I don’t know what dimensions I have to look for.
For example, they gave me the manufacturer part number. I see it on the web.
https://www.loadrite.com/trailer-par...er-hub-1435lb/
The only information I can see here is: Fits 1.06″ Straight Spindles
Does it mean that I can buy any hub which fits a 1.06” straight spindle?
Honestly, I have no idea… Then when you look at, let's say, Princess Auto hub’s offering, they don't even mention this “spindle”.
So, yes, I’m confused.

Well I don't know about your technically inclined, if you look on the side of the bearing, the part number is etched in there such as "L44610" and that's common knowledge. Bearings come in inner and outer pairs with a specific inner diameter for the axle. Some are 1 inch, some are 1 1/16th and probably more.

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Originally Posted by MarkD

Yeah, I know it may sound silly what I’ve said. It’s not that I'm particularly stupid in it. Actually I consider myself technically inclined. I have no problem doing maintenance of my car or my boat - whatever is possible on the driveway. But getting the parts from different manufacturers seems to be tricky sometimes…. I've seen it… You order the parts with the right dimensions from different manufacturers and … oops.. it doesn't fit.
With the bearing it seems to me even more tricky because I don’t know what dimensions I have to look for.
For example, they gave me the manufacturer part number. I see it on the web.
https://www.loadrite.com/trailer-par...er-hub-1435lb/
The only information I can see here is: Fits 1.06″ Straight Spindles
Does it mean that I can buy any hub which fits a 1.06” straight spindle?
Honestly, I have no idea… Then when you look at, let's say, Princess Auto hub’s offering, they don't even mention this “spindle”.
So, yes, I’m confused.

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chances are if the bearings had sufficient grease and never got hot they won't need replaced.
clean them with some solvent, repack them with fresh grease and replace the seals and you should be good
if you notice any heat marks or water present in the old grease it's wise to replace the bearings

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Well I don't know about your technically inclined, if you look on the side of the bearing, the part number is etched in there such as "L44610" and that's common knowledge.

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Well, apparently I’m not “enough inclined”. Thanks for clarification! I had removed and thoroughly cleaned the bearing this summer but didn’t look for any numbering in it.

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chances are if the bearings had sufficient grease and never got hot they won't need replaced.

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Yes, I know. I’ll do good checking this autumn again.
The only thing I doubt about is that if I find any problem in the bearing, do I need to change just the bearing and seals or is it better to replace the whole hub?

Thanks for your help, guys!

It's rare that you have to replace the whole hub unless you have had a catastrophic disaster inside such as extreme rust or having the cone rusted right in there. Just the inner and outer bearings (the two pieces) and seal. When replacing the cones, lightly grease them, put in a small zip lock bag and into the freezer for a couple hours, it will make them shrink enough that they will insert into the hub without a lot of hammering and grief. Put them into the hub as soon as you take them out of the freezer. when tightening the big nut, don't to gorilla tight, nothing more than snug, replace cotter pin the loose side if it doesn't quite line up, better slightly lose than too tight which can burn out a bearing in short time.

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Originally Posted by MarkD

Yeah, I know it may sound silly what I’ve said. It’s not that I'm particularly stupid in it. Actually I consider myself technically inclined. I have no problem doing maintenance of my car or my boat - whatever is possible on the driveway. But getting the parts from different manufacturers seems to be tricky sometimes…. I've seen it… You order the parts with the right dimensions from different manufacturers and … oops.. it doesn't fit.
With the bearing it seems to me even more tricky because I don’t know what dimensions I have to look for.
For example, they gave me the manufacturer part number. I see it on the web.
https://www.loadrite.com/trailer-par...er-hub-1435lb/
The only information I can see here is: Fits 1.06″ Straight Spindles
Does it mean that I can buy any hub which fits a 1.06” straight spindle?
Honestly, I have no idea… Then when you look at, let's say, Princess Auto hub’s offering, they don't even mention this “spindle”.
So, yes, I’m confused.

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I’m not the best guy for technical details either, that’s why I suggested you find a Timken dealer and I bet if you had a part # off your current bearings then they could match it for you

I hate seeing guys at the side of the road with all their stuff unpacked trying to fix stuff - don’t ever wanna be that guy and neither do you. If you can afford it, put new ones in and keep old ones for spares, greased up and in ziplock bags.

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It's rare that you have to replace the whole hub unless you have had a catastrophic disaster inside

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Yes, that's what I wanted to confirm. Very appreciated.

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put in a small zip lock bag and into the freezer for a couple hours, it will make them shrink enough that they will insert into the hub without a lot of hammering and grief.

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Good tick to know. Otherwise I was good.

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If you can afford it, put new ones in and keep old ones for spares, greased up and in ziplock bags.

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A good idea as well.

Thanks a lot! Quite a bit of knowledge from this thread.