Question about packing bearings

Garrett717 · 12-03-2016, 12:34 PM

This is probably a n obvious question to many of you. If I decide to pack my own wheel bearings, how do I figure out which size/type of new seals I need? I assume they come in different sizes, etc.

Thanks

dwcjb · 12-03-2016, 01:19 PM

You can crawl under the trailer and look for an axle tag, it will tell you the weight rating. Or look in you pdi materials it might be included or call your dealer. I buy mine at etrailer.com. Be sure to get double lip seals and new cotter pins. It will go a lot easier and less messy if you buy a Lisle brand bearing packer. I found mine at sears but have seen them at other places. Takes me about 15 minutes per wheel. While you are at it take a close look at your spring shackles and other under carriage components. Retorque your wheel lug nuts and check the tires for weather checking and/or bubbles. If you see any wear replace the shackles with wet bolt kit, then grease every year when you do your bearings.

SidecarFlip · 12-03-2016, 02:00 PM

+1. Lisle bearing packers are on Amazon too.

325BH · 12-03-2016, 02:19 PM

Hand-pack all the way! [emoji846]

As for seals, you have you figure out which axles you have. Might be easier to just pull a hub off and get the part number off of the seal to be sure.

Garrett717 · 12-03-2016, 02:43 PM

I have a small utility trailer. I think I will practice on it. A lot less potential damage😮😊

miniceptor86 · 12-03-2016, 05:24 PM

Practice on the utility trailer is good! When you practice, practice this: wedge a cold chisel between the hub and the raised lip of the cap and tap it with a hammer to loosen the cap. Straighten the cotter key and remove with diagonal cutter by placing the tip of the cutter on the washer if possible or hub gripping the head of the cotter key and lifting, pulling the cotter key out. Remove the nut, washer and outer tapered roller bearing. Replace the nut on the spindle and carefully pull the wheel and hub or just the hub if you have already removed the wheel ( which is a good idea for anything bigger that 12 or 13" wheels) out letting it slide along the top of the spindle until it stops. The nut should now be in contact with the inner tapered roller bearing. Push the hub back on the spindle an inch or three and pull out with a little force, rotate the hub and try again. With a few pulls on the hub the tapered roller bearing and seal will come out of the hub and be found dangling on the spindle.

DrLewie · 12-04-2016, 01:31 PM

Good idea to pack your own. I trusted my dealer to do it (I have no mechanical ability, a bad back, and not the best dexterity) and 500 miles from home I lost a wheel due to a dried-out and burned up bearing. Got to a shop, replaced the axle and the tech found the remaining bearings were dry. In addition to having the bearings repacked yearly (I hope--definitely a different dealer) I carry an IR thermometer and check the wheel temps whenever I stop.

SidecarFlip · 12-04-2016, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrLewie

Good idea to pack your own. I trusted my dealer to do it (I have no mechanical ability, a bad back, and not the best dexterity) and 500 miles from home I lost a wheel due to a dried-out and burned up bearing. Got to a shop, replaced the axle and the tech found the remaining bearings were dry. In addition to having the bearings repacked yearly (I hope--definitely a different dealer) I carry an IR thermometer and check the wheel temps whenever I stop.

IR thermometer is a bit excessive don't you think? Just place your hand on the hub to gauge the temperature... If it's warm, it's good. Hot, not good. I've never seen a 'dried out' grease packed wheel bearing and I'm 66.

I've seen dry oil filled ones but then the leaking seal is obvious.

Mstrshop1 · 12-04-2016, 01:53 PM

easiest way to get wright answer is pull hub and get number off old seal then write it in repair manual for next time!!

spudston · 12-04-2016, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrLewie

Good idea to pack your own. I trusted my dealer to do it (I have no mechanical ability, a bad back, and not the best dexterity) and 500 miles from home I lost a wheel due to a dried-out and burned up bearing. Got to a shop, replaced the axle and the tech found the remaining bearings were dry. In addition to having the bearings repacked yearly (I hope--definitely a different dealer) I carry an IR thermometer and check the wheel temps whenever I stop.

I had a similar experience but in my case I believe the failed bearing was due to the adjustment being way too tight. I got the shop who repacked the bearings to cover the costs. They replaced the axle and all of the bearings. Two days later I did a brake adjustment and found all of the new bearings to be too tight. I'm going back to doing it myself.

I now have an IR thermometer ($20, not excessive) and a TST tire pressure monitoring system.

Skip51 · 12-04-2016, 04:13 PM

I got the numbers the first time I packed the bearings, fortunately I was only a couple of miles from the dealer. If you're dealer can't give you the numbers, find a different dealer. two tools that really help is a seal remover (sears) and a bearing greaser. I put the greaser in a vice and slowly tightened it to force the grease though the bearing. I ordered a extra set of bearings so I could have a pre greased set to keep the working in the driveway time down.

DouglasReid · 12-04-2016, 04:38 PM

I like to take my old seals to a local trailer supply house and get them measured to insure I get the proper seals. Like someone else said, I prefer double lip seals.

I also like to hand pack after cleaning them in kerosene and blowing them totally dry with compressed air. This way I can watch the new grease coming out and I KNOW they are full of new grease! Messier, Yes, but I KNOW they are packed correctly!

I do this every 2 years!

sfsgm · 12-04-2016, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 325BH

Hand-pack all the way! [emoji846]

As for seals, you have you figure out which axles you have. Might be easier to just pull a hub off and get the part number off of the seal to be sure.

Agreed. I don't think there is any substitute yet on the market for hand packing.

bob caldwell · 12-04-2016, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SidecarFlip

+1. Lisle bearing packers are on Amazon too.

Best packer on the planet! And not all that messy, and grease washes off your hands...

SidecarFlip · 12-04-2016, 07:39 PM

Hey Bob.. If the grease washes off, it's not good grease. Good grease don't come off your hands easily and out of clothes (if you are messy, never).

My hint for the day is keep your Lisle bearing packer in a Hills Brothers empty coffee can. The plastic lid keeps it clean and the coffee can contains it.

That way, all that grease that sets between the 2 sides of the packer stays nice, ready for the next packing job,

bob caldwell · 12-04-2016, 07:45 PM

Gas washes grease off....haha ha!
Fill a zip lock baggie with grease and a bearing....cheap bearing packer.....

SidecarFlip · 12-04-2016, 07:51 PM

Little hint to would be bearing cleaners / packers, compressed air and bearings are a big NO.

Using compressed air to dry off a cleaned in solvent bearing can be fatal to the person using it. You can get a bearing spinning so fast, so quick with compressed air, it will literally explode in your face and possibly kill you.

I tried it in a wooden crate with a bearing on a shaft and an air nozzle pointed at it (with a valve outside the crate. Put in the lid and turned on the air. Sounded like a jet engine and wham, my Timken came apart and the shrapnel was embedded in the crate. Took maybe 3 seconds to self-destruct.

I lie testing things like that.....

bob caldwell · 12-04-2016, 07:57 PM

Not to spin bearing with air....hold cage and inner race so it won't spin......I prefer to wash bearings in my solvent tank and let 'em air dry......and Pat 'em down with a blue paper towel

bob caldwell · 12-04-2016, 07:59 PM

There's also pro's and con's on lubing Al Ko hubs

uhduh camping · 12-04-2016, 08:31 PM

ZEP heavy duty degreaser cleans bearings very quickly. Powerful stuff but is not flammable but has its own dangers; use gloves. I then use brake cleaner to be sure bearing surfaces are clean so new grease sticks well to the bearing. Brake cleaner also evaporates very quickly, so no delay repacking bearings. I also use ziplock bags to repack bearings. When finished packing bearing with bag cut the corner off, you can then get excess grease out bag and squirt extra grease onto hub at the same time.

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