Trailer bearing repack / service

[Bigbore500r]

I'm due to service my trailer bearings, and not looking forward to the job cleaning and repacking them. What's the going rate for a repack at a trailer shop?
Triple axle

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I know it will take a little time and is not glamorous but what are you not looking forward to?

Just buy a bearing packer and go to town. A packer will push nearly all of the old grease out of the bearing. Wipe the races out, slap greased bearings back in with a glob of grease, tighten and throw the cap and wheel back on.

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

I'd probably say $500. $100 in parts and $400 labor. It's not hard at all. Tools at harbor freight. Know it's done right. I use Amsoil marine blue grease.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Lisle Handy Packer FTW.



With new bearings the job is quicker and cleaner.

 

[Bigbore500r]

I've done it a ton of times on other trailers. Just not looking forward to it!

So here's a question for you guys -
Do you tighten the castle nut until you feel the slop gone and resistance on the rotating wheel, then back it off to the previous hole and drop the cotter pin?
OR -
Do you cinch it to the next hole and lock it in place without backing it off.

I've been told both ways. I've always done wheel bearings on cars and trailers by the first listed method, but some guys swear you should lightly preload it and by the time it rolls down the road to the corner, the grease distributes a bit more under pressure and the bearing takes a seat and no longer has spinning resistance, giving the proper clearance and long life.

Either way...we're not talking about torquing it down hard or excessively. What say ye?

 

[Kbach]

Shop rate probably $4-500 for a triple axle sounds right.

I've done it for friends and side jobs and usually charge $100 an axle. I'm out in Simi but coud do it at my dads house in reseda if you're interested.

 

[Kbach]

I've done it a ton of times on other trailers. Just not looking forward to it!

So here's a question for you guys -
Do you tighten the castle nut until you feel the slop gone and resistance on the rotating wheel, then back it off to the previous hole and drop the cotter pin?
OR -
Do you cinch it to the next hole and lock it in place without backing it off.

I've been told both ways. I've always done wheel bearings on cars and trailers by the first listed method, but some guys swear you should lightly preload it and by the time it rolls down the road to the corner, the grease distributes a bit more under pressure and the bearing takes a seat and no longer has spinning resistance, giving the proper clearance and long life.

Either way...we're not talking about torquing it down hard or excessively. What say ye?

New bearings/races or hubs I would go to the next hole if it isn't too far past cinching it down. Old bearings/races I would cinch it and back off in most cases.

 

[Go-Fly]

Anyone here use easy-lube axles?

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I tighten with light resistance with fresh bearings. They will free up slightly after a couple heat cycles. If repacking, they tend to not free up any more after heat cycles. Set with very light drag and forget.

On my race car I torque wheel bearings to 25 ft lbs which seems excessive, but it's always perfect.

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

I've done it a ton of times on other trailers. Just not looking forward to it!

So here's a question for you guys -
Do you tighten the castle nut until you feel the slop gone and resistance on the rotating wheel, then back it off to the previous hole and drop the cotter pin?
OR -
Do you cinch it to the next hole and lock it in place without backing it off.

I've been told both ways. I've always done wheel bearings on cars and trailers by the first listed method, but some guys swear you should lightly preload it and by the time it rolls down the road to the corner, the grease distributes a bit more under pressure and the bearing takes a seat and no longer has spinning resistance, giving the proper clearance and long life.

Either way...we're not talking about torquing it down hard or excessively. What say ye?

I tighten, then back off. Lots and lots of grease. I use two tubes and make a huge mess.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I tighten, then back off. Lots and lots of grease. I use two tubes and make a huge mess.

Yea you don't want to fill every cavity, but be liberal. Water will be getting in there one way or another.

My trailer was new to me last summer and was just serviced with fresh bearing buddies installed before I got it. I had some grease escape out of one of the wheels so I have to figure out if it is over packed or what. I thought the brakes were dragging but they seem good.

 

[Demoman]

Mine is going into big o in Needles on Fri AM. I think they quoted me $90 per axle plus parts. I'll let you know the total

 

[plaster dave]

I'm due to service my trailer bearings, and not looking forward to the job cleaning and repacking them. What's the going rate for a repack at a trailer shop?
Triple axle

Call Bear Trailersports ask for Vic. Number is in my sig[emoji1313]

 

[prosthogod]

In havasu, triple axle bearing service , bleed breaks and service= 600$

 

[Bigbore500r]

Just spoke with Adrenaline Trailers in Havasu.
Triple axle inspect / repack bearings, bleed and adjust brakes, check lights...etc
$375. If new bearings are needed, or any other parts, the price goes up obviously. Seems pretty fair!

They don't have time to do it this weekend, and i'm towing the boat home to do some work so I'll probably just do new tires for now, then repack them myself when I get home. Pray they make it home! It's been 5 years, the only good thing is the trailer never gets towed far over the last 5 years so there isn't alot of miles on them. Probably has been dunked in the water an average of 7 times a year over the past 5 years.

Wish me luck

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

Just spoke with Adrenaline Trailers in Havasu.
Triple axle inspect / repack bearings, bleed and adjust brakes, check lights...etc
$375. If new bearings are needed, or any other parts, the price goes up obviously. Seems pretty fair!

They don't have time to do it this weekend, and i'm towing the boat home to do some work so I'll probably just do new tires for now, then repack them myself when I get home. Pray they make it home! It's been 5 years, the only good thing is the trailer never gets towed far over the last 5 years so there isn't alot of miles on them. Probably has been dunked in the water an average of 7 times a year over the past 5 years.

Wish me luck

You'll be fine. Stop ever so often and touch the bearing buddy or hub. If it's really hot, then you have a problem.

 

[Icky]

So what brand/type of grease is supposed to be the best? I know everyone has their favorite

 

[steveo143]

So what brand/type of grease is supposed to be the best? I know everyone has their favorite

I use Lucas Red N Tacky

 

[Stainless]

Just spoke with Adrenaline Trailers in Havasu.
Triple axle inspect / repack bearings, bleed and adjust brakes, check lights...etc
$375. If new bearings are needed, or any other parts, the price goes up obviously. Seems pretty fair!

They don't have time to do it this weekend, and i'm towing the boat home to do some work so I'll probably just do new tires for now, then repack them myself when I get home. Pray they make it home! It's been 5 years, the only good thing is the trailer never gets towed far over the last 5 years so there isn't alot of miles on them. Probably has been dunked in the water an average of 7 times a year over the past 5 years.

Wish me luck

You don't use bearing buddy's? If so, a couple pumps of grease to each one is good insurance to get home.

 

[Bigbore500r]

I do have them, I'll give them a few pumps

 

[TPC]

I use Bear in the SFV on DeSoto.

 

[Sonic45SS]

Anyone here use easy-lube axles?

Trailer under my previous 42 had them, original trailer under my 45, and my newly built trailer has them with air tight hubs- no water intrusion at all, and my 2 car enclosed trailer has ez-lube axels also. One of the best axels and inventions in trailers and towing.

Even with bearing buddies and using marine grease, water still gets in and F's up the grease and original lubricity of the grease leading to issues and bearing failures. Only way I stopped issues was to lube every axel before going out, before coming back from the ramp. Putting a trailer in the water right away after towing, the hubs are hot, and the dunking causes the water to be pulled in quicker with a hot hub rather than a cold hub. With bearing buddies, hitting them before dunking helped some, but water still gets in. Bought a Snap on battery powered grease gun to ease this.

New trailer, I went with air tight hubs, no more worries about water intrusion, grease issues and bearing failures. Easy to convert most any axel to air tight.

 

[RitcheyRch]

Last time I had mine done at RG Brake and Alignment 661-259-7098 in Valencia is was about 100 per axle plus parts. I think the axle seals are about $4-5 each.