# How often do you maintain your trailer hubs/bearings?



## barronj (Sep 30, 2013)

My trailer experience is limited to the last 3 years, maybe 4, only boat trailers.

I had an experience this weekend where the wheel bearings bid adieu and left me with a smoking, wobbling mess. I had to leave the boat/trailer in a parking lot and go back the next day (Monday) and figure things out. I've turned a lot of wrenches, fixed pretty much everything, but I've never messed with trailer hubs. It's pretty straight forward, the backside of the hub, where the larger, inside race sits was boogered up pretty well, too much to get the race to seat properly. Bought a new hub and went back to the trailer to install it. Stupidly, I looked at the spindle and didn't see much galling, but as soon as I felt the bottom of the spindle, it became clear that the physics of the situation mean the damage was mostly on the bottom side of the spindle. I filed it smooth enough to get the new hub and bearings on, and it's home now, but I'm going to replace the axle and make sure history doesn't repeat itself.

My question, I guess, is what do you do to maintain the hubs? Get bearing buddies, add grease through the fitting, and call it good?


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Every time you stop feel tires and hub for heat. If you do this religiously they will give a warning. A lil heat is ok. Too hot to touch and they are gone.

I have some hubs over 20 yrs old....fresh grease.

My spare mount is an axle side with spare spindle, hub assembly, and spare tire....my spare will spin just like the axle....it can all be easily replaced on the side of the road at the first sign of failure.


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## TxCan01 (Sep 17, 2016)

non sealed every 2-3 yrs depending on use. If you have bearing buddies and keep them topped up then bearings can last a long time. As the previous poster said check the hub temperature after you've driving for awhile. If they're hot to the touch bearings are likely gone.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

If you are replacing the axle get Vault hubs. They are warrantied for like 5 years and you can register (buy?) an extended 10 year warranty. No maintenance. "O" ring sealed and have a hybrid Lucas oil/grease. 
Just about every new boat trailer I see has them, including mine.
http://www.ufpnet.com/portals/0/pdfs/vault brochure.pdf


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## KingTut (May 19, 2005)

Every third year. Tires and hubs. I used to buy bearings and seals and pack them myself, now I just buy the hubs completely assembled. Cheap, easy and keeps me off the side of the road.


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## SSST (Jun 9, 2011)

I bought a hub kit from TSC just for peace of mind, i had 2 bite the dust one trip and that was no fun. I just shoot the grease to them every other trip, look for any rust/water that could give you a sign of things to come.


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## maskale (Sep 19, 2014)

grease and bearings can got for 10's of thousands of miles provided water and dirt stays out. 

I feel the hubs for heat after a drive. Warm is ok. 

Every year I pull the hub off, look inside and see if there is any contamination. If there is rebuild the hub and replace bearings as required. You don't necessarily have to replace bearing on every rebuild. 

If the grease is free of water and contaminates then I replace the seal, put the hub back on and refill with grease. 

Go ahead and pick you up a dozen seals and a enough bearings to rebuild all the hubs at least once. Keep some at home, and keep some in the truck with just enough grease and tools to do a road side repair.


If you have grease being thrown out of the hub onto the wheel then that is your first sign of trouble.


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## dunedawg (Jun 17, 2007)

redexpress said:


> If you are replacing the axle get Vault hubs. They are warrantied for like 5 years and you can register (buy?) an extended 10 year warranty. No maintenance. "O" ring sealed and have a hybrid Lucas oil/grease.
> Just about every new boat trailer I see has them, including mine.
> http://www.ufpnet.com/portals/0/pdfs/vault brochure.pdf


I just bought a new axle from McClain with Vaults installed. They have gotten very positive reviews from all I've seen. I like "no maintenance". I wonder if that means for life of the trailer?


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## Viking48 (Jan 24, 2006)

Every spring I would remove the bearings, clean them thoroughly and inspect every roller and the cups. If no spalling is evident I would pack them with grease and reinstall with a new seal. I used Bearing Buddies until I bought a trailer with through hub fittings and pumped grease in after every trip and never lost a bearing.


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## Viking48 (Jan 24, 2006)

I forgot to mention that if you need to replace the bearing do yourself a favor and go to a bearing supply store (Motion Industries, Applied, DXP etc.) and buy either Timken or Bower. Both are made in the US and you can rely on the quality (Timken has started making a lot of their bearings in China but they are SUPPOSED to be made to their standards). If you buy Chinese you may or may not get a decent quality bearing. Domestic may cost a little more but it's worth it in my opinion.


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## iamatt (Aug 28, 2012)

Viking48 said:


> I forgot to mention that if you need to replace the bearing do yourself a favor and go to a bearing supply store (Motion Industries, Applied, DXP etc.) and buy either Timken or Bower. Both are made in the US and you can rely on the quality (Timken has started making a lot of their bearings in China but they are SUPPOSED to be made to their standards). If you buy Chinese you may or may not get a decent quality bearing. Domestic may cost a little more but it's worth it in my opinion.


Put timkens on truck. Made in China and already going out again after a year. Yes installed dirt shield. Decent autoparts hard to find these days!


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## texastkikker (Dec 24, 2008)

I do it every 2 years.....don't pull the trailer very often.

As others have said, feel the hubs every time you stop for fuel etc......warm is OK......HOT is no buneo.


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## Viking48 (Jan 24, 2006)

iamatt said:


> Put timkens on truck. Made in China and already going out again after a year. Yes installed dirt shield. Decent autoparts hard to find these days!


Get Bower - best bet is probably DXP and they may need to order. Still made in USA and excellent quality.


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