Why Do You Need to Grease Your Wheel Bearings? Today, we are going to take a look at greasing your travel trailer wheel bearings, why it’s important, and how often you should be lubricating your bearings. One thing that is important in going to this season is making sure that your travel trailer is prepped for hitting the road. Summer is here, which means that everyone is getting their travel trailers ready for everything from boating, work, and lawn care to summer road trips and family vacations. This comes at no additional cost to you, and all the prices and availability are accurate at the time of publishing. RV Expeditioners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To submit your questions or ideas, or to simply learn more about It Still Works, contact us. This article was written by the It Still Works team, copy edited and fact checked through a multi-point auditing system, in efforts to ensure our readers only receive the best information. A hot tire surface could indicate improper lubrication. To test new trailer wheel bearings for excessive friction, touch the tire after it has been in use. Also, some manufacturers forget to grease the wheel bearings prior to delivery to the dealer. If your trailer has hauled excessively heavy loads or has been driven off-road or towed through water that covered the axles, it is a good idea to perform this maintenance. Obtain a proper trailer jack, and block all tires on the opposite side to ensure your safety while underneath the trailer.
How to repack boat trailer bearings manual#
But before you attempt this at home, it is a good idea to have a service manual for your trailer with instructions for the procedure. Wheel bearing design has remained unchanged over the last 50 years, and greasing them is simple. A bearing packer makes the job cleaner but is not necessary. The procedure calls for basic mechanical aptitude, and only requires high-temperature grease, rags, a trailer wheel jack, a torque wrench and a hammer. However, trailer owners who attempt this job at home will spend less than $100 in parts.
How to repack boat trailer bearings professional#
In 2008, the cost of having this job performed by a professional mechanic was approximately $125 per axle, based on average pricing obtained from three different RV repair shops in southern California. Frequency can also be determined by considering how the trailer is used and where it has traveled. Generally, the smaller the tire, the faster the wheels spin, which puts stress on the bearings. But boat trailers with small wheels require re-packing every 2,000 miles. Some manufacturers recommend inspecting and greasing an RV’s wheel bearings once every season, or at least every 10,000 miles. Wheel bearing maintenance frequency depends on the trailer type, wheel size, and average load weight. Dirt and other foreign objects can contaminate the bearings, cause breakdown of the assembly and possibly enable the wheel to detach from the axle. A wheel bearing that has been neglected eventually leaks and deteriorates. Properly maintained bearings allow the wheel to spin freely, without putting unnecessary friction on the trailer axle. They help support the trailer’s weight and keep the wheels turning on the axle. Wheel bearings are a critical part of the trailer body. Improperly maintained wheel bearings can cause wheels to detach without warning and result in damage to the trailer, its cargo, and perhaps people. Greasing the bearings must be done at regular intervals for proper load distribution and mechanical integrity of the wheels. Whether a trailer is pulling horses or a boat, the safety of the cargo inside depends on proper maintenance of the trailer’s wheel bearings.
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