Wheel bearing question

[lreddmann]

I was reading another post and made me start thinking, how often should you repack wheel bearings i.e. what is the protocol and is there a post on how to accomplish with diagram? I looked on FAQ and didn’t find, but may have missed it.

[oldtimer57]

Here’s what I have done for a long time with no problems, BCB might suggest something different.

Every 2-3 years I pull both wheels, clean things out carefully, and then repack with new inner seals. I do my best to get enough grease in, particularly around the seal, so that it will never run dry and start to leak. The double-lip inner seals were about 20 bucks last time I did it. It will probably take a couple of hours or so to do this start to finish. Probably the biggest headache is getting the hub cover / bearing-buddy off. A good “dead blow” hammer is a start. Once that is removed the rest is easy, if messy.

My current boat / trailer is a 91 model, and I have never had a wheel issue of any kind other than once or twice losing a valve stem at the ramp where some idiot put rip-rap under water to block his trailer so it wouldn’t roll for some reason, and it just hit my wheel on the edge and apparently flipped up and ripped the valve stem off. Since I started the regular maintenance, I’ve not had any bearing issues of any kind. No water intrusion. No running hot. No galling. Nothing.

To remove the “bearing buddy” ttype hubs, I rap them with a dead blow (lead pellet filled hammer so there is no bouncing) to one side which will open a gap. Then on the other side. repeat and you can “walk it out”. Or you can use the crack between the hub and cover (produced when you rap it with the hammer) with a big prybar or screwdriver to help get the thing off. It is a strong interference-fit joint so its a pain to remove. A lead hammer is the best choice so that you don’t actually break the bearing buddy (they are tough, but if you try hard enough….) Once that comes off, the spindle nut can be removed and the hub will come off with the bearings leaving just the spindle and grease behind. Clean everything up. I replace the seals whether they look perfect or not, “just because” since it is pretty cheap insurance. Just get the seals from BCB or from a local marine dealer, as auto parts stores don’t usually keep the double-lip seals and using the wrong type can invite water in…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2008 Pantera Classic
2014 Mercury Pro XS 200

[Bass Cat Boats]

It was on the FAQ section. It looks like on the transition to Yuku it might have gotten diced up. There is some of this in the brake link on the FAQ, though not the original post.

We suggest every two to four years, and have seen five and more with success. If you put your hands on the wheels and there is not any excess temperatures, then you should be fine.

The brake hubs will retain more heat from the friction and they should be sequential in temperature from side to side.

If your a skilled labor hand, then you can pop them in your self. The bearings can run a long time without service if you use a rig frequently and it does not sit. Those that sit tend to chip a spot on the race from moisture, and all goes away after that.

We do not ever suggest using a grease gun on the Bearing Budd(y)ies. They tend to blow the seal out the rear and allow moisture to permeate the system. The only proper way is to repack the bearing manually and replace the seals.

Be sure to use only the proper replacement seals, as the seals from an automotive store only have one lip, and marine seals have two. One to keep grease in and one to keep water out. There are a variety of bearing combo’s and we will pull the numbers in from the Bearing post below. There is a concern on the early 90’s and late 80’s model DDR end units that you will need a race for the seal on the spindle also. Those are available in house at BCB.

We hope this helps to answer your questions on the end units, and KeeP those Grease Guns off the grease zerks to retain more life.

Of course we stock the full sets for end units. Though many have requested the part numbers for replacement in emergencies. Here are those part numbers and we will copy this over to the FAQ Section also.

Unique Functional Products:
Outer Bearing Set: Bearing L44649 – Race L44610
Inner Bearing Set: Bearing L68149 – Race L68110
Seal: AD2527-EO

Quality Running Gear (DDR): Old Trailers Mid 80s and into 90’s
Outer Bearing Set: Bearing L44649 – Race L44610
Inner Bearing Set: Bearing L68149 – Race L68111
Seal: 32373 – MFC Seal

That ‘oughta’ help some!

BCB

[Author]

Posts