Trailer wheel bearing grease.

[dlbuck]

I have a factory made ice fishing house on wheels. It was made in 2010 weighs 2800 lbs, I doubt it has been pulled a 1000 miles. I have a 600 mile round trip I could use it on. So is there any concern with the wheel bearing grease bearing that that old? Thanks.

 

[bulletpruf]

I have a factory made ice fishing house on wheels. It was made in 2010 weighs 2800 lbs, I doubt it has been pulled a 1000 miles. I have a 600 mile round trip I could use it on. So is there any concern with the wheel bearing grease bearing that that old? Thanks.

I think you know the answer already, but I would absolutely repack the bearings. Wheel bearing grease gets dry and gummy as it ages.

Quick and easy job.

 

[wh]

Maybe a problem/ maybe not. Sure will not take long to regrease and be sure.

 

[dlbuck]

Oops, I didn't realize on Tractor and Farm Talk.

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

If it's not leaking it should be fine. When you open it up you risk introducing dirt. I just let mine be. After you drive a while stop and feel the housing, it should not feel hot to your hand, warm maybe.

 

[rustred]

I have a factory made ice fishing house on wheels. It was made in 2010 weighs 2800 lbs, I doubt it has been pulled a 1000 miles. I have a 600 mile round trip I could use it on. So is there any concern with the wheel bearing grease bearing that that old? Thanks.

maybe give us the size of the tires as that's an important factor in how fast the tires are turning. when in dought repack.

 

[dlbuck]

maybe give us the size of the tires as that's an important factor in how fast the tires are turning. when in dought repack.

They are 15 inch tires. Thanks, that could make a difference.

 

[rustred]

They are 15 inch tires. Thanks, that could make a difference.

your probably ok them but for the time it takes to repack them it might be the cats meow. if it was wheel barrow tires then them things need grease often.

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

Just imagine how fast those 4:80x8 tires are turning when you are going 60mph , probably at lest 120mph.I just checked and the 4:80x8 circumference is 55.27 " and a 205x65x16 circumference is 83.2" so maybe just a little over 100mph

 

[wh]

If it's not leaking it should be fine. When you open it up you risk introducing dirt. I just let mine be. After you drive a while stop and feel the housing, it should not feel hot to your hand, warm maybe.

And if it feels hot — 1) hope your in a safe pull off. 2) hope you brought everything you need to repack such jack, jack stand, grease, wrenches, pliers, cleaning agent for bearing, clean rags. 3) hope you have everything you need to keep all parts clean. Or just repack now at home and be sure.

 

[Ray,IN]

I have a factory made ice fishing house on wheels. It was made in 2010 weighs 2800 lbs, I doubt it has been pulled a 1000 miles. I have a 600 mile round trip I could use it on. So is there any concern with the wheel bearing grease bearing that that old? Thanks.

Re-pack! Ordinary grease is a heavy oil in filler/carrier base. In a frequently-used bearing it works fine, but when it s undisturbed for months the oil and filler separate, the oil runs to the bottom leaving only the filler in the wheel bearing. The filler material varies with different mfgrs, but the result is the same.
reference: https://www.stle.org/images/pdf/STLE_ORG/BOK/LS/Grease/Grease manufacturing -Chemistries and processes.pdf

 

[olddavid]

st imagine how fast those 4:80x8 tires are turning when you are going 60mph , probably at lest 120mph.I just checked and the 4:80x8 circumference is 55.27 " and a 205x65x16 circumference is 83.2" so maybe just a little over 100mph

A little trivia. At 60 mph every point on the tread goes from 0 to 120 mph every revolution. It doesn't matter what the diameter is. The rpm is higher the smaller in diameter the tire is.

 

[used red MN]

A little trivia. At 60 mph every point on the tread goes from 0 to 120 mph every revolution. It doesn't matter what the diameter is. The rpm is higher the smaller in diameter the tire is.

In actuality, if referenced from a stationary point it is passing every point on the tread goes from 60 mph to 180 mph every revolution.

Just imagine how fast those 4:80x8 tires are turning when you are going 60mph , probably at lest 120mph.I just checked and the 4:80x8 circumference is 55.27 " and a 205x65x16 circumference is 83.2" so maybe just a little over 100mph

I get what you are intending to say about a 4.80x8 tire compared to the 16” tire but you can’t really say it is traveling at 120mph. It would have to be stated as the rpm of the hub and tire is higher.
I will give you this much of the calculation. In every mile of travel the 8” tire would make a 1146 revolutions, the 16” tire would make 718. (That is using the circumferences he provided)

As for the OP’s bearings it definitely would not be the worst mistake to pull them a check the grease. The law of averages say that they would probably be fine. I personally would pull them off put my finger inside the back bearing probe in the existing grease pull the finger out and assess the amount and condition of the grease in there. That would determine if I just stuck my finger in there run it around pulling the grease back up into the bearing and sticking it back together adding a little new grease to the outer bearing. Or if they needed pulled cleaned and repacked.

 

[john in la]

I think you know the answer already, but I would absolutely repack the bearings. Wheel bearing grease gets dry and gummy as it ages.

Quick and easy job.

LOL !!!!
More proof the only knowledge you need to post a you tube video is how to post a video.
No knowledge on the subject matter in the video is needed.

1) While the bearing nut goes finger tight you first have to preload the bearing to 50 ft lbs then loosen the nut and tighten again finger tight.
2) Who in their right mind spends $20 for 2 seals then uses the old cotter pin.

 

[used red MN]

2) Who in their right mind spends $20 for 2 seals then uses the old cotter pin.

I worked as a mechanic for 20 plus years. I really don’t see a problem with reusing the cotter pins if they are in an acceptable condition. Would I do it on a paying customers vehicle? No, unless told otherwise.

 

[used red MN]

Oops, I didn't realize on Tractor and Farm Talk.

If you didn’t post it here what forum do you think it belongs on? I am guessing you probably were wanting to put it on Tales. Tales is for things like “this was my supper” and all other sorts of meanderings. In my opinion just about any type of repair machine, vehicle, home or farm related gets the green light here. Right now I see a couple current topics here that I would consider “off topic” I got over pointing it out. Partly because to me it seems like posting traffic is down a bit on these forums.

 

[john in la]

I worked as a mechanic for 20 plus years. I really don’t see a problem with reusing the cotter pins if they are in an acceptable condition. Would I do it on a paying customers vehicle? No, unless told otherwise.

While using a cotter pin twice is not advisable I have also used them twice when in a pinch.

But it is not good practice to “teach” using a cotter pin twice.
And basically that is what you tube is. A watch my video so I can “teach” you how to do something at home yourself.

 

[Mcrafty1]

I have a factory made ice fishing house on wheels. It was made in 2010 weighs 2800 lbs, I doubt it has been pulled a 1000 miles. I have a 600 mile round trip I could use it on. So is there any concern with the wheel bearing grease bearing that that old? Thanks.

Most trailer axles I've seen in the past several years have grease fittings on the inner bearings and if not on the outside you can easily put them there with bearing buddies (that's the TM name but there are several others making them now) your local auto parts store should have them and they are cheap insurance if you have them on the hubs. Moisture is your worst enemy with trailer bearings and if you keep them grease it generally can't get in to begin with.

 

[olddavid]

In actuality, if referenced from a stationary point it is passing every point on the tread goes from 60 mph to 180 mph every revolution.

Please explain. Picture a vertical line from the topmost point at the top of the tread through the hub to the point of the tread on the ground. The point on the ground is going 0 mph. The hub is going 60 mph horizontally the top point on the tread is twice the distance from the ground as the hub is and so is traveling twice as fast or 120 mph horizontally compared to stationary points on the ground.

 

[J.Wondergem]

I have a factory made ice fishing house on wheels. It was made in 2010 weighs 2800 lbs, I doubt it has been pulled a 1000 miles. I have a 600 mile round trip I could use it on. So is there any concern with the wheel bearing grease bearing that that old? Thanks.

If it were me, I would. I have one of those dodads that you put the bearing in , hook on the grease gun and pump until the grease squeezes out.