Wheel Bearing Lubrication

[56Nomad]

While I was lubricating the suspension, I decided to rotate the tires as well as inspect/lube the wheel bearings. It looks like we have a zerk available after removing the rubber cap.

It appears the the factory used a different kind of lubricant for these axles. Looks like a clear green grease. I wonder if lithium grease is called for........ or any suggestions from you mechanics.

Thanks.

[56Nomad]

While I was lubricating the suspension, I decided to rotate the tires as well as inspect/lube the wheel bearings. It looks like we have a zerk available after removing the rubber cap.

It appears the the factory used a different kind of lubricant for these axles. Looks like a clear green grease. I wonder if lithium grease is called for........ or any suggestions from you mechanics.

Thanks.

[Grizwald2]

56, That looks like a bearing buddy, commonly found on boat trailers. Good for the outside bearing but in my experience I've seen to many people get a false sence of security by keeping the buddy full of grease. Problem is they only grease the outer bearing, not the inside bearing. I've seen boat trailers stuck on the side of the road with a burnt inside bearing and the outer was fine. People still have to pack the inside bearing from time to time. As far as the kind of grease. I've seen that kind before but can't remember what it is. I think lithium would be fine as long as you were repacking the bearings. Don't know if I would mix different greases though. Good news for me is I can count on you to have all this zirk fitting and grease stuff figured out before I get home....making it eaiser for me and everybody else!! Thank You.

Griz

[56Nomad]

Griz,

Glad you made me do some more homework before I started putting grease into that zerk.....

Looks like I'll repack my wheel bearings when I do my first brake overhaul.

Click Here for Why Not To Use Zerk On AL-KO "Ultrulube"

[WWFan]

Howie:

Everyone will owe you a BIG THANKS for bringing this subject back up again...do you remember me telling everyone about my Bearing Buddy Experience a couple of years ago?

I'll reitinerate...I had taken the old SLC3705 to the WW factory in Perris to have new fresh water tanks put on it (geesh...that's another story in and of itself), and they must have thought they need to grease the Bearing Buddies I had put on the rig a few years earlier. Well...we were going on our 2nd Utah vacation trip and on the way to Vegas it seemed I didn't have any brakes on the trailer. I really worried about it coming down the grade into Stateline, so we got on the phone and found a trailer parts dealer in Vegas, so we stopped, bought all new brake pads, magnets, and seals and proceeded to Mesquite, AZ, where I had lined up a mechanic to look at it on a Saturday that we were going to be there. Come to find out, each of the wheels had about 2 pounds of grease inside each drum- they used over 4 cases of brake cleaner to clean up everything and installed my new brake shoes (magnets were just fine). Parts were over $500, and the labor to make everything OK was about $700, and we didn't get to leave for the next destination until Sunday.

Being a bearing peddler for the last 29 years, I've got to tell you that MORE BEARINGS FAIL FROM OVERLUBRICATION THAN FROM UNDERLLLUBRICATION. It's because grease has a tendency to hold alot more heat the more that's in the bearing, and a bearing only really needs a costing to do it's job. Of course, I knew that, and I only pumped about two grease gun pumps in the Bearing Buddies about once a year. Obviously, the WW technician didn't...

So anyone who has this inner zerk- PLEASE just put one or two squirts in annually- it doesn't take a whole bunch. The inner seals really aren't designed to keep any more than maybe 20-30 lbs of pressure, and any more grease will just blow right by them and get all over your brakes.

Thanks again Howie!

Sean