Frequency to Repack Wheel Bearings?

[TeJay]

There's a lot of good sound information for those who are searching. Yes, there are many different and good ways of accomplishing this needed task. I would add a little more information and this is based again on experience not just what somebody told me. I still prefer synthetic bearing lube and engine oil to the standard. Experience and everything I've read tells me the same story. I also had the opportunity to have as a guest speaker Norm Hudeckie (sp). He was the master blender for Valvoline Oil Co. for 35 years. He backed up my believes and teachings regarding synthetics. They are good and will give better service than regular lubricants. That's not to say that the regular stuff is junk and that it won't work well. I just like that extra margin of quality that synthetics give. I refrain from using any grease solvent when servicing wheel bearings. Yes it will do the job of getting the old grease out but what if some is left behind. What will it do to the new grease? When properly packing bearings 99% of the old grease is removed. If I don't have the aid of a bearing packer I've always used the grease in hand and forcing the grease into the wide side of the bearing until the old grease comes out of the other side. After the bearing is packed I place more around the outside. Again this method has worked for me for 40 years. I taught the hand packing method because most kids didn't have access to a packer. One more story for consideration. I like to stick to the facts. Why we do some things is often based on what we've done in the past or what my Daddy told me to do and not on facts. Why is the cross bar on a girls bike lowered?? Think before you respond. It's lowered because in the 1890's when bike became popular girls wore skirts down to the ground and it was not lady like to sling your leg over the cross bar, so the bar was lowered. When's the last time you saw a girl wearing a skirt riding a bike??? Yet you can still buy a girls bike with the lowered bar. That's a tradition started 120 years ago that still persists today. The auto industry has not recommended 10W-40 oil since the mid 60's and yet it was only about 10-15 years ago that some parts stores started carrying the newest 5W-20, 10W-20, 10W-30 oils. One day I asked why and I was told that nobody asks for the newest weight oils so they didn't carry them. What does the W stand for in 10W-20 ?? Winter and not weight.

TeJay

 

[porthole]

But what is the real reason we went from 10W-40 to the lower viscosity?

Economics & environment - engines can run with less friction with a lower weighted oil, they start easier and warm up faster.
Over millions of vehicles that all adds up.

Some of same reason maintenance schedules went from "change your oil every 3000" to "oil only at 7500 and oil and filter at 15,000".

Overall maintenance costs is far less if you are changing your oil 3-5 times less frequent.

 

[lwmcguir]

But what is the real reason we went from 10W-40 to the lower viscosity?

Economics & environment - engines can run with less friction with a lower weighted oil, they start easier and warm up faster.
Over millions of vehicles that all adds up.

Some of same reason maintenance schedules went from "change your oil every 3000" to "oil only at 7500 and oil and filter at 15,000".

Overall maintenance costs is far less if you are changing your oil 3-5 times less frequent.

Well said. You also see a bit of increase in the milage which goes right along with the premise.

 

[traveler44]

The reason I made the remark about telling people they don't need to check and pack their bearings regularly because you don't on your car or truck is because car and truck bearings are set up in a way that they don't need servicing now where in the past they were more like the trailer bearings and did need periodic servicing. You can set your trailer up with special bearings and seals and maybe better hubs that wouldn't need service for ten years but I don't know of anybody on here who is doing that. Like I said I have checked and packed mine every year and I have found a damaged bearing and it also gives me a chance to look at the condition of the brakes and the hubs themselves which seem to be wearing faster than the shoes. So you can do what you want but if I were to advise people not to check theirs and the wheel fell off I would feel pretty bad about it. It gives me some measure of confidence going down the road to know the condition mine is in.

 

[Birchwood]

I used the Easy Lube for the first two years(9000k) on our Landmark.The third year
the brakes had to be checked and found a seal was leaking grease onto the brakes.
A grease seal was bent probably at time of manufacture and had it replaced.
From now on I will have it performed annually as the brakes have to be checked anyway.
I suggest checking the bearings annually if you travel south in the winter .

 

[57chevyconvt]

I had the same experience with two of the seals being bent from the factory and allowing grease to escape into the drum and on the brake shoes. In the future, I will repack the bearing the old fashion way, i.e., remove hubs, thoroughly inspect all parts and hand pack the bearing.

 

[lwmcguir]

I have watched and trained our help to install seals properly. Almost all of the folks that do the installation will damage the seal unless they have been trained to do it properly. If you don't have a seal driver then you are asking for trouble doing it yourself. I like the Eze-lube feature and we use it all the time. You can tell when you are lubing the bearings if you are loosing the grease via a bad seal. Nothing wrong with doing it by hand if you do it right, just takes a lot of hours and more expense.

 

[driver311]

why not change them over to oilers then no worry

 

[porthole]

why not change them over to oilers then no worry

That's a good question. My MOR/ryde IS axles came with Dexter hubs, set up for oil bath. MOR/ryde doesn't use or recommend the oil though. I did ask but don't remember why.
It was a good enough reason at the time for me to not change over from grease to oil. Although I did buy 4 spare plastic caps.

 

[jnbhobe]

My disc brake conversion came with plastic screw-on covers too, I also gave it a thought but didn't change over to oil. Probably because I'm not familuar with oil bath bearings, but should learn some more. It sounds like a good idea.

 

[driver311]

to change u need to put oilers seals and an oiler cap. the bearing are all the same. just wash out the grease and u are good to go. all semi changed to oilers 30 or more years ago.

 

[lwmcguir]

My disc brake conversion came with plastic screw-on covers too, I also gave it a thought but didn't change over to oil. Probably because I'm not familuar with oil bath bearings, but should learn some more. It sounds like a good idea.

The reason the oilers arent standard or recommended is most of the bearing sit way more than they are turning. Oil bearnings are great but when they sit for long periods most of the bearing only has a light film of oil that eventually runs to the bottom leaving the bearing dry. We use a lot of them on the 10K and above axles with great success.

 

[porthole]

The reason the oilers arent standard or recommended is most of the bearing sit way more than they are turning. Oil bearnings are great but when they sit for long periods most of the bearing only has a light film of oil that eventually runs to the bottom leaving the bearing dry. We use a lot of them on the 10K and above axles with great success.

So how does that affect it? Within a revolution or two they will be back in the "wash". Shouldn't be much different then the oil draining off the cylinder walls below the pistons, or for that matter the bearings in a differential.

I suppose that "sticky" stuff, Lucus oil additive, sitting on all the parts counters wouldn't hurt any.

 

[Speedy]

When you guys are checking/changed bearings and seals where are you getting your parts? From Heartland, Lippert, Dexter or NAPA?

I would like to get all the parts (mainly seals) needed prior a repack as well as a backup set for the road.

 

[jnbhobe]

When you guys are checking/changed bearings and seals where are you getting your parts? From Heartland, Lippert, Dexter or NAPA?

I would like to get all the parts (mainly seals) needed prior a repack as well as a backup set for the road.

The first time around it's a little harder because you don't know what you have for sure. I would think Heartland or the axel mfg. would be the first place to call with your serial number in hand. Once you get the bearing and race numbers and the seal deminsions you could go to NAPA or good parts store and get
your bearings and GOOD seals, there are a lot of seals avalliable at a big price range. I use a seal with a felt dust shield next to the rubber double lip seal.

 

[57chevyconvt]

I always go to a Bearing Supply house for my bearings and seals. This is their business and they know the bearing and seal numbers for your application wheither it be Lippert or Dexter 6000 or 7000 lb axles. The main reason I buy from a Bearing Supply house is the quality of the product they represent. Check the Yellow Pages in your area for a Bearing Supply house. I also find their prices are better than NAPA. As a former owner of an Auto Parts store and Maintenance Engineer in the CPI, I always went for quality when it came to seals and bearings. I also have a spare bearing(s) and double lip seal in my on the road tool kit. Price for the spare parts was $53.00.

 

[traveler44]

There should be an I.D. tag on the axle telling what kind and rating axle you have. With that you should be able to go to lipperts site and find bearing sizes. From there cross reference for any brand you want. I buy eight seals at a time, double lip with the spring inside, to keep the grease off the brakes. Seals are cheap so I keep spares. I buy a bearing set-bearing and race- at auto parts if one goes bad and keep one set for spares. I was going to give more advice but it looks like a lot of guys pretty well covered it.

 

[lwmcguir]

I always go to a Bearing Supply house for my bearings and seals. This is their business and they know the bearing and seal numbers for your application wheither it be Lippert or Dexter 6000 or 7000 lb axles. The main reason I buy from a Bearing Supply house is the quality of the product they represent. Check the Yellow Pages in your area for a Bearing Supply house. I also find their prices are better than NAPA. As a former owner of an Auto Parts store and Maintenance Engineer in the CPI, I always went for quality when it came to seals and bearings. I also have a spare bearing(s) and double lip seal in my on the road tool kit. Price for the spare parts was $53.00.

We ususally pay less than 1/2 for the same bearings and seals at the bearing houses.