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  1. #1
    Left The Driveway
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    Wheel Bearing Greasing - A Modern Perspective

    This forum is a wealth of information and I appreciate its existence. That said, I have noticed a common trend for "contributors" who like to pass along rumors/mis-information they have read elsewhere, but have not experienced or observed themselves, and the rumors seem to perpetuate themselves.

    Nothing could be more frequent than discussions about wheel bearing maintenance. I respect those who have chosen to remove all 4 wheels and drums, pry out the rear bearing seals, and repack their bearings every few thousands of miles, and who poo-poo the innovative external greasing feature of most all of the axles these days.

    But I have to ask.. when was the last time you packed the bearings in your 5,000+ pound Ford truck, in spite of driving 40-50k miles per year? The basic construct of most vehicle bearings is pretty much identical to our trailers.

    I almost drank the Koolaid myself regarding rash warnings about using the external grease nipples ("you will blow out the rear seal with too much pressure").

    That was before I decided to look at the official company videos from both Lippert and Dexter (not just a video from some shade tree mechanic holding the "camera" in one hand.

    If you look at the internal construction of these new hubs, you will see that grease flows through the center of the axle exiting BEHIND the inner bearing, then travels through the bearing along the axle up to the outer bearing, where it comes on through *under gentle grease gun pressure, and finally exists at the front of the bearing and hub.

    Here is Dexter's official video describing the greasing process.. Lippert's is near-identical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT0RKDGgDm8

    Yes, both companies DO suggest that you jack up (without removing wheel or drum) and turn the wheel slowly while greasing to assure complete propagation, and continue pumping your gun until you see all the old grease exiting the front and new grease pushing from behind.

    So.. I submit a few points based on manufacturer's data, not baseless rumor:
    1) No, 2-3 pumps of the grease gun will accomplish virtually nothing. It DOES take a good bit of grease to displace the old grease in both bearings and the internal hub housing.
    2) It would be extremely unlikely to "blow" a rear seal, since there is never any significant restriction to the grease's path through both bearings before exiting the front. You could pump a gallon of grease through that bearing, and all you would get would be a huge glob of grease coming out around the outer bearing.

    The thing is, systems do improve over the years, in many cases making maintenance chores easy. Just because someone has used "old-school" technigues for the past 20 years doesn't necessary validate that practice with new, improved systems.

    Sure, I suppose there is some value in "inspecting" the bearings from time to time, just as you could inspect the same on your tow vehicle, or maybe even your driveshaft bearings, but most people don't, and seem to get along just fine.

    For me, I'll just follow the axle manufacturer's guidance (sadly missing from any documentation provided by the trailer manufacturer), spend about 5-10 minutes per wheel, perhaps every 10,000 miles or so, and used the saved time for another margarita!

  2. #2
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    I dont believe you can pack the bearings on modern vehicles, they are typically a sealed bearing.

    I still prefer hand packing trailer bearings, uses less grease, but the main reason is so I can also inspect the magnet, brakes and the bearings themselves. If just using the zerk fitting you omit the inspection process which I think is equally important.

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    Quote Originally Posted by FT4NOW View Post

    but the main reason is so I can also inspect the magnet, brakes and the bearings themselves. If just using the zerk fitting you omit the inspection process which I think is equally important.

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    Quote Originally Posted by FT4NOW View Post
    I dont believe you can pack the bearings on modern vehicles, they are typically a sealed bearing.

    I still prefer hand packing trailer bearings, uses less grease, but the main reason is so I can also inspect the magnet, brakes and the bearings themselves. If just using the zerk fitting you omit the inspection process which I think is equally important.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
    I have to agree with you on all accounts here including the sealed bearings on modern trucks. Last year, I pulled the wheels and hubs to preform the annual bearing maintenance and inspection and so glad I did. The brakes on 2 wheels of my 2019 297RSTS had fallen apart and were not working. Parts were loose inside the drum. There is no way I would have known had I not pulled to hubs to inspect. Fortunately, the bearings and drums were in good condition, but I did wind up replacing all 4 brake assembles at a cost of about $90.00 each. We only had 15K miles on the trailer that was purchased new. Maintenance and visual inspection is a must!

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    Just FYI on my Lippert axle the hole is between the bearings, nowhere for the grease to go toward the inner bearing except out the inner seal.
    Jim (& Sharon)
    2015 GD Momentum 385TH - SOLD
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    Thanks for that... always open to learning! I'm hopeful that was an earlier design, and they have modified it as depicted on the supplier's YouTube video as well as a couple of other owner videos I've watched.
    There's never one right answer for these issues.. good to have this discussion (again)

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    The quality of the Chinese bearings used are not of the best quality. I've replaced all of the OE bearings and races during inspections because I've seen pitting and discolorations (indicating bearing overheating). Additionally without the removal of the hub, there is no way to determine the condition of the magnets, brake pads or if grease has leached beyond the seals. The 2 hours it takes annually to preform this maintenance is well spent as compared to 4 hours alongside the interstate awaiting a tow truck to be dispatched by Good Sam or the like.
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    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
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    As you were challenged elsewhere, I will strongly disagree with your statement, "...I have noticed a common trend for "contributors" who like to pass along rumors/mis-information they have read elsewhere, but have not experienced or observed themselves, and the rumors seem to perpetuate themselves." Many of us on this forum have decades of experience with trailers, their suspension systems, and bearings (I've been pulling boats and RVs and doing all the wheel bearing maintenance myself for almost 50 years). You are too quick to paint a number of people with a broad brush and I find it offensive. You are entitled to your opinions - but not to cast aspersions on others.

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  9. #9
    Long Hauler huntindog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pauldridge View Post
    This forum is a wealth of information and I appreciate its existence. That said, I have noticed a common trend for "contributors" who like to pass along rumors/mis-information they have read elsewhere, but have not experienced or observed themselves, and the rumors seem to perpetuate themselves.

    Nothing could be more frequent than discussions about wheel bearing maintenance. I respect those who have chosen to remove all 4 wheels and drums, pry out the rear bearing seals, and repack their bearings every few thousands of miles, and who poo-poo the innovative external greasing feature of most all of the axles these days.

    But I have to ask.. when was the last time you packed the bearings in your 5,000+ pound Ford truck, in spite of driving 40-50k miles per year? The basic construct of most vehicle bearings is pretty much identical to our trailers.

    I almost drank the Koolaid myself regarding rash warnings about using the external grease nipples ("you will blow out the rear seal with too much pressure").

    That was before I decided to look at the official company videos from both Lippert and Dexter (not just a video from some shade tree mechanic holding the "camera" in one hand.

    If you look at the internal construction of these new hubs, you will see that grease flows through the center of the axle exiting BEHIND the inner bearing, then travels through the bearing along the axle up to the outer bearing, where it comes on through *under gentle grease gun pressure, and finally exists at the front of the bearing and hub.

    Here is Dexter's official video describing the greasing process.. Lippert's is near-identical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT0RKDGgDm8

    Yes, both companies DO suggest that you jack up (without removing wheel or drum) and turn the wheel slowly while greasing to assure complete propagation, and continue pumping your gun until you see all the old grease exiting the front and new grease pushing from behind.

    So.. I submit a few points based on manufacturer's data, not baseless rumor:
    1) No, 2-3 pumps of the grease gun will accomplish virtually nothing. It DOES take a good bit of grease to displace the old grease in both bearings and the internal hub housing.
    2) It would be extremely unlikely to "blow" a rear seal, since there is never any significant restriction to the grease's path through both bearings before exiting the front. You could pump a gallon of grease through that bearing, and all you would get would be a huge glob of grease coming out around the outer bearing.

    The thing is, systems do improve over the years, in many cases making maintenance chores easy. Just because someone has used "old-school" technigues for the past 20 years doesn't necessary validate that practice with new, improved systems.

    Sure, I suppose there is some value in "inspecting" the bearings from time to time, just as you could inspect the same on your tow vehicle, or maybe even your driveshaft bearings, but most people don't, and seem to get along just fine.

    For me, I'll just follow the axle manufacturer's guidance (sadly missing from any documentation provided by the trailer manufacturer), spend about 5-10 minutes per wheel, perhaps every 10,000 miles or so, and used the saved time for another margarita!
    While I will agree that a seal in good condition will not allow properly pumped grease to pass...... That is as far as I will go. One does not know the condition of the seals when one just pumps more grease in....they will all fail at some point for one reason or another. And the mess that that is made when it happens will change your mind in a hurry when it happens to you.

    And yes I will give you credit for acknoweldging that it takes a good bit of grease to purge all of the old out,,,,,but realize that it takes almost an entire tube..... PER WHEEL!!!
    That gets kind of pricey. I also agree that one should be able to go much longer between repacks.

    So to sum it up: Unless you have xray vision, you cannot tell if the grease you are pumping is getting past the seal or not. So it is just a leap of faith to trust it isn't.

    Now since I have disc brakes, I could safely use this system.... But I do not think I will. With a triple axle that would mean 6 tubes of grease. I think I am going to use that money towards oil bath hubs.
    2021 398M Full Body Paint 8k axles. LRH tires. Disc brakes.
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  10. #10
    Site Sponsor SolarPoweredRV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by huntindog View Post
    While I will agree that a seal in good condition will not allow properly pumped grease to pass...... That is as far as I will go. One does not know the condition of the seals when one just pumps more grease in....they will all fail at some point for one reason or another. And the mess that that is made when it happens will change your mind in a hurry when it happens to you.

    And yes I will give you credit for acknoweldging that it takes a good bit of grease to purge all of the old out,,,,,but realize that it takes almost an entire tube..... PER WHEEL!!!
    That gets kind of pricey. I also agree that one should be able to go much longer between repacks.

    So to sum it up: Unless you have xray vision, you cannot tell if the grease you are pumping is getting past the seal or not. So it is just a leap of faith to trust it isn't.

    Now since I have disc brakes, I could safely use this system.... But I do not think I will. With a triple axle that would mean 6 tubes of grease. I think I am going to use that money towards oil bath hubs.

    When I installed the Disc Brakes I was interested in switching over to Oil Bath Hubs. However I was talked out of it by the trailer shop. Their recommendation was to stick with the Greased bearings because if the Oil Bath Hubs leak (and they do quite often) then you experience a complete failure of the bearing in very short order. Their other argument in favor of greased bearings is the same as OP made with regard to how often do you have the bearings on the Tow Vehicle checked and/or replaced. They also said that they had commercial trailers with thousands of miles on them with out any bearing problems.

    Consequently, I stayed with Greased Bearings.
    David and Peggy
    2019 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.7L Diesel, Dually, Long Bed
    Running with 20k Reese Goosebox (Love It) and Ford Factory "Puck" system.
    Stopping with 8,000 lb Disc Brakes and Titan Hydraulic over Electric Brakes system.
    Powering all this fun with 1200 Watts of Solar, two Tesla, Model S, battery modules, 24 volt Victron Inverter.
    2018 Solitude 310 GK

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