Thor Forums

[Big-Foot]

I bought a trailer once that had “Bearing Buddys” on it. Double 3500# axles. Brakes on all 4 wheels.
I didn’t like the braking performance of the trailer, so up in the air it went. Pulled the tires and then the drums. Two of the drums had a rather large quantity of grease in the brake shoe ares, thereby making them ineffective. The grease seals were blown out on those two hubs.
I pulled the bearings out and washed them in solvent and was not surprised to find brinneling in the outer bearings. Mind you the real load is carried by the inner wheel bearing. The outers had somehow accumulated moisture which etched the races and caused the bearings to start the rapid decay.
I’ve always repacked my bearings by hand with a large glob of grease in one palm and then working it into the races.
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Interesting to note here -
Most of the trailers you see alongside the highway with a hub and wheel missing are equipped with a zerk. I just don’t think most people know how to use them and even if they do, that does not preclude periodic visual inspection of the bearings...