Is there faulty wheel seals on our rigs?

[GDRV Service]

Just a thought...

What's the possibility of installing "Bearing Buddies" like what's used on boats? Or do you think that would definitely fill the brake drum?

Hi @BratsMonster,

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Best regards,
~ Janice

[minnow101]

Most of the Grand Design trailers have them already. I personally think they are a bad idea. The bearing buddy is useful for boat trailers that get backed into the water and let you force some of the water out of the bearing and the cavity. No such need on a travel trailer. If you need grease, repack, forcing more into the cavity only ends up pushing it past the rear bearing seal onto the brakes.

I second that. These types of bearings tend to mislead people into a false sense of sercuity. Just pump 2-3 shots of grease into each wheel before every trip and your are all set. Wrong. You'll eventually end up packing the hub with too much grease which will overheat the bearings and can quite possibly cause the excess grease to migrate past the seals onto the magnets and brake pads. Better to pull each wheel every year and clean and repack the bearings that way you can visually check the pads and magnets for wear and adjust the brakes too.

[steve gravelle]

Certainly there are a few posts about bearings, grease, grease incompatibility, seals, zerks, bearing buddies, and the difference between oil seals and grease seals. Oh, almost forgot- tire balancing!

Here again I will repeat my opinions and beliefs from many years involved in auto/truck/trailer.

1) Bearings should be removed, physically and chemically cleaned, rinsed (water), dried- not spun. Same with hubs and races.

2) High quality (red has been mentioned) grease used, name brand, buy more than you need for next time!

3) No mixing of brands- recipe for disaster- who in their right mind would want any Lippert grease in their hubs?

4) Find a name brand automotive seal to replace the OE seals- someone just was proud of the inexpensive seals from an RV dealer! Sounds impossible, but they could be WORSE than the cr** you are taking out!

5) Aerk in the end of the axle is not a good thing to use! Even if you are using the identical high quality grease you used to pack the bearings, how do you know how much grease is in the bearings before you add more? And you have just filled the hub up to 100% of capacity with grease. It can't come out past the cap hardly at all, so when (not if) it expands from heat, it's going past the seal onto the brakes, no matter how good your seals are.

6) Bearing buddies- the only possible use they might be OK for- you packed the bearings on your boat trailer- no brakes- you feel like the bearings will be happier with more of the same grease. Well, if/when it goes past the seals, it's an environmental issue, doesn't affect braking!

7) Oil seal vs. grease seal- I was told oil seals have 2 discrete lips instead of one. Maybe better!

8) I have previously talked about the proper way to balance our "globally sourced" wheels, will repeat when prompted!

[steve gravelle]

minnow101- shorter and sweeter!