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Wheel Bearings
Wheels bearings are a critical part of your trailer and are subject to very adverse conditions such water and hot and cold temperatures. This is especially true of Colorado boaters who tend to use their trailers much more than boaters in other areas of the country because of the distances that we must travel to find water. Because of this we are hard on wheel bearings. But there are a few things that you can do to help maintain your wheel bearings and keep them in good condition and reduce the chance of having a failure on the road.
One of the most important things you can do is to install a bearing protection device. We recommend the "Bearing Buddie" brand wheel bearing protectors. These devices have a spring loaded piston and a grease zerk. This allows you to maintain a slight pressure in the axle hub which helps to reduce the chance that water will enter your hubs and damage your wheel bearings.
Second step is to check your bearings often. With "Bearing Buddie" wheel protectors installed and used properly, wheel bearings generally need to be repacked every two years. Replace any bearing cone or race that shows signs of wear of corrosion (dark areas on the metal surfaces are signs of corrosion). When reinstalling and using your bearing protectors proper use is very important! There is a common mistake that occurs when too much grease is pumped into the hub when using a bearing protector. The spring loaded piston in the "Bearing Buddie" should be slightly out from the bottom stop but not all the way out against the stop at the top of the bearing protector. When you place your grease gun on the zerk and are able to "rock" the piston this indicates that there is a correct amount of pressure in the hub. If the piston is down on the bottom stop it will not allow you to rock it and some grease needs to be pumped in. We tend to want to add grease to make sure things are okay, but this can damage your seal and even push it out the back if the piston is moved out against the outer stop and grease is continued to be pumped in to the hub. Also, if too much grease is pumped the "Bearing Buddies" will release grease out the front of the device when you are trailering and make a mess. If this is happening, the piston is too far out as a result of over filling.
Third, if and when you do repack your wheel bearings or have someone do it for you, make sure that a quality double lip axle seal is being used. Not all seals are the same. We stock high quality double lip seals that come from the manufacuters of our trailers. After market or other brand seals will not give you the protection or seal life.
If you have any more questions about this or any other topic that concerns you, please give us a call!
Aurora Marine Service Department
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