do you mean EZ-Lubes? They actually hit the inner bearing but can blow out the rear seal if you are not careful - you need to jack up and spin the wheel while you pump if you use these things. They may not get much grease to the outers. The best choice is to hand pack them.

btw - I could not figure out how to remove the rear seal without destroying it... so I always do seals when I re-pack the inner bearings.

I will second the vote for a bearing packer - I got one after I packed my first set of bearing and like it a lot.

For those who have lost a bearing on the road... how did you find out? Noise? smoke? other? Just curious.

 

I saw a light amber glow on the pavement at around 11 pm just about at the Laporte Indiana exit on 90. The little plastic center cap was on fire.

I ended up staying the night and unhooking the trailer and driving to Elkhart. Gulfstreem sent me over to axle manufacturer I picked up 1 axle all the hardware to install, 4 leafs, 4 drums w/ bearings and 4 backing plates with brakes installed for under 300 bucks no tax ... The guy at the axle shop said if I had called before coming over and given him the axle drop he could have had the two complete axles ready for me for about the same price.

Trailer was 7 years old and Gulfstreem went out of their way to help me.

And I had packed the bearings before we left home.

 

Jeff in TD writes:
Once everything is clean, put about a golf ball size wad of grease into the hollow in the hub between the bearing races.

What is the logic in this? Will it ever actually make over to the bearing if needed?

I was taught to do it, just want to know the logic.

Lee

 

The space in between the bearings is actually a grease reservoir. The grease packed into the wheel bearing heats up from friction and brake heat causing it to run out of the bearing, it contacts the soft and partially liquefied grease in the center of the hub which in turn (through inertia) forces it back into the bearings. No grease in the center of the hub only gives the grease some where else to go besides back into the bearing.


Tim

 

Makes sense to me. Thanks
Lee