# Trailer wheel bearings



## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

bought new bearings and seals last year and packed em with Amsoil.
Will i have to replace the rear seals every year:? 
Or just repack the outer bearings??

confused on this point.

Thanks


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## SemperFi (Mar 10, 2014)

Just repack the bearing.


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Terry take a wood dowel and you can knock that rear bearing out and save the seal. Soak the bearings in thinner wipe the seal down clean out the hub then repack and put all back together


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

thanks D, much appreciated!!


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## backfar (Sep 24, 2014)

X2 what dh said


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## ekriet9 (Mar 25, 2013)

To save the inner seal all you have to do is take the outer bearing out. Put the washer and nut back on. Pull the hub out til it hits the washer and tug. It all comes out in 1 piece. Easy to do. We do it on all our work trailers


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

Awesome ekriet9, thanks for that tip!!


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

A $3.00 seal is worth breaking down on a trip? No reputable shop reuses the seal. Don't do it to yourself.


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## ekriet9 (Mar 25, 2013)

I agree replace if bad but we pull our trailers everyday at work and never had a seal leak that was taken out this way If we make the trip to get new bearings and races we buy new seals also


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## Jose' (Aug 31, 2013)

But we're talking about a boat trailer. .that gets wet. I'll spend the 5$ for a new set of seals every year. Why give yourself another worry?


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## fishkiller (Feb 6, 2007)

I agree with this, to not replace the rear seal on a boat trailer is not a good idea. There are also different types of seals, single lipped & double lipped for a boat trailer double lipped is what you want. The most common cause of seal failure is over greasing pushing the seal out.


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## Binks61 (Apr 16, 2006)

Honestly, with a set of bearing buddies on, you really should not have to do this every year. I pull clean and replace inner seal every 3 years. Never an issue, same set of bearings 15 years.


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## Jose' (Aug 31, 2013)

Bearing buddies are nice. But I've seen alot of people that think they should pump alot of grease in them..3-5 pumps in the spring and you should,be good to go..problem is when you over grease them it blows out the inner seal..Even,with bearing buddies on..I still beleive your better off cleaning and repacking the bearings once a year, including replacing the seals. Then thru out the season give them a few pumps of grease.


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

I would love to know where I can get $3 seals.


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

Binks61 said:


> Honestly, with a set of bearing buddies on, you really should not have to do this every year. I pull clean and replace inner seal every 3 years. Never an issue, same set of bearings 15 years.


How many times a year trailering and what kind of distance? 
At 35 to 50 trips a year an 3 or 4 out of state trips that would be too long to go.


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

TClark said:


> I would love to know where I can get $3 seals.


Amazon.


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## fishingguy (Jan 5, 2006)

I gave up on bearing buddies 3 boats ago. Every year the hubs come off and bearings get cleaned and repacked. If they are starting to look corroded, they get replaced. The seal gets replaced every year. It's a pretty cheap maintenance cost that takes about an hour or two. The boat doesn't leave the yard in the spring without it.


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## PromiseKeeper (Apr 14, 2004)

a bent seal not only leaks grease but allows water into the hub. Water + grease = problems. Not the place to try and save a buck. Also over greasing the bearings translates into brake problems for those with trailer brakes.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

With a good set of bearing buddy's and good seals there's no reason to take them out and repack every season unless your looking for something to do. The buddy's that have a spring loaded pressure plate continually keep the bearing packed under a bit of pressure and a few squirts of good molly grease every couple trips should keep you running for years to come, but you do what makes you feel good.


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

Popspastime said:


> With a good set of bearing buddy's and good seals there's no reason to take them out and repack every season unless your looking for something to do. The buddy's that have a spring loaded pressure plate continually keep the bearing packed under a bit of pressure and a few squirts of good molly grease every couple trips should keep you running for years to come, but you do what makes you feel good.


What he says is true when you use the brand Bearing Buddy...







there are a lot of knock offs out there that are most likely the source of problems some complain about. Like Pops said... whatever floats your boat.


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

I will say that the weight if the boat has a lot to do with the life and maintenance of the bearings. A 8000# sport craft is way harder on bearings than a 3500# Lund. I have bearing buddies and they work as designed. I switched to blue amsoil grease and absolutely swear by it. I always stop and feel the hubs when I pull a trailer to check for heat. I do tear it down every few years (especially for a long trip) and clean them up and replace seals. Also pay attention to the tools needed to service your hubs. Make a tool kit, channel locks, needle nose, drift punch, gloves, hammer, wood blocks, bearings, races, lots of rags, brake parts cleaner, and seals. I bought a spare hub assembly that will swap out with four bolts from loadmasters in port clinton. The job is simple in your drive way and a life or death situation on the side of the highway. Even if you have trailer towing insurance, the guy who comes to help will thank you. This is my solution, you are free to do whatever you like. We have many many miles and didn't find this by accident. It really depends on the distance traveled. I also carry a small bottle jack. Overkill? Not when semis are ripping by at 70mph!


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

capt j-rod said:


> I will say that the weight if the boat has a lot to do with the life and maintenance of the bearings. A 8000# sport craft is way harder on bearings than a 3500# Lund. I have bearing buddies and they work as designed. I switched to blue amsoil grease and absolutely swear by it. I always stop and feel the hubs when I pull a trailer to check for heat. I do tear it down every few years (especially for a long trip) and clean them up and replace seals. Also pay attention to the tools needed to service your hubs. Make a tool kit, channel locks, needle nose, drift punch, gloves, hammer, wood blocks, bearings, races, lots of rags, brake parts cleaner, and seals. I bought a spare hub assembly that will swap out with four bolts from loadmasters in port clinton. The job is simple in your drive way and a life or death situation on the side of the highway. Even if you have trailer towing insurance, the guy who comes to help will thank you. This is my solution, you are free to do whatever you like. We have many many miles and didn't find this by accident. It really depends on the distance traveled. I also carry a small bottle jack. Overkill? Not when semis are ripping by at 70mph!


Agree with this...to a certain extent. 
Agree...
Miles traveled per year is a factor
Type/quality of grease is a factor
Weight of rig also a factor...but...heavier rigs usually have heavier or even dual axles. And usually larger tires. That usually equates to larger,heavier bearings and hub assemblies.
The lighter boats as a rule will have smaller axles,hubs,bearings, wheels and tires.

IMO, I agree that whatever the rigs, the cost of replacing seals every year versus the cost of replacing a hub or axle is just to great to not replace the seals every year.

...and, like CJR, when I used to make my yearly trip/trips to Fla., always carried an extra complete, rebuilt hub assembly and all gear in case of problems on the road. Whole lot easier just to unbolt the complete hub and bolt the new one on out on the road than to rebuild the hub. Especially at 0200 in the morning out in the middle of the boonies with no towns or parts places open for miles.


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

TClark said:


> I would love to know where I can get $3 seals.


Where you guys get all your big bucks at? I paid a buck each a few years ago when I stocked up. Now $1.59 for my double lipped seals now. Highway robbery LOL!!!!

http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Bearings_Races_Seals-sf-Grease_Seals-tw-1.249_Inch_I.D..aspx

I check mine every other year. Even with bearing buddies,1 blown seal but I caught it before damage.I probably squeezed too much grease in them back then. I now squeeze enough grease in until I see tension on the bb spring start moving.

I also have a heavy boat bag that I keep a bottlejack,extra hub/bearings/grease,and all the tools in case of a hub failure. Better safe than sorry!!!


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