RE: Wheel bearings

[slowpez]

 
Why should they be packed every year?  Cars don t have to be done yearly.  We are having ours done tomorrow as suggested.  We were suprised to discover the dealer doesn t do it.
 Thanks in advance.
 Susan

[Diplomat]

 slowpez
I am sure that lots of people will comment on this.  I do it because it says to in the owners manual for the trailer AND the manual for the axle.  I know that the people that designed and built both the trailer and the axle know more than I do about the why.  It is a great leap of faith for me to trust them, but I will on this.  
 
 I have learned the hard way that it is vital to keep up with the maintenance schedule of things mechanical (and spiritual for that matter!).  Despite me not maintaining my  93 Escort for at one point I now have over 100,000 miles on it and it is going strong.  I now change the oil, rotate the tires and check the tire pressure on both my vehicles regularily so that they will last a long time and not let me down when I most need them.  
 
 I recently repacked the bearings on my trailer, it took me less than two hours and cost 10 bucks including a can of grease that I will not have to buy next year.  You can go [link=http://www.championtrailers.com/techsup.html#packhubs]here[/link] for directions on how to do the bearings yourself.  How much is the dealer charging you?

[Jeffrey]

 slowpez
Really they don t need to be done every year.
 It s just one of those things that you want to be sure is OK.
 Because if they do dry out it s a PITA. (Just ask Kelly)
 
 After 5 years, I checked mine a couple times, but only had them repacked once.
 
 Now boat trailers, that are backed into lakes, that s another story.
 They tend to need service much more.

[mike4947]

 slowpez

Why should they be packed every year? Cars don t have to be done yearly

 Because cars don t sit for months on end with all the weight on the bearings and no movement to keep the binder and oils that make up grease from seperating.
 Contrary to popular belief, the trailer that used 3 times a year with just a few hundred miles needs the bearing redone more than one used 20 times a year and several thousand miles.

[tlhdoc]

 slowpez
I have my bearing repacked and my brakes adjusted every spring.  I am not willing to wait and then have a problem.

[Bearnkat]

 slowpez
Hi Ray,
 
 I m in agreement with Tracy and the gang, Terry (DW) and I have ours repacked and the brakes adjusted when we take the popup in for its annual checkup.
 
 Each March, we take our Coleman into the dealer and have them check over all the different systems, change out the anode, pack the bearings, adjust the brakes, and check the lift system.
 
 I know there are several of the items that I could do myself, but I rather have it on our service record that the dealer is doing the checking and adjusting instead of me.
 
 Chuck and Terry

[Ab Diver]

 slowpez
As usual, Mike nailed it. (dang... he s good, ain t he? [] )
 
 Makes you want to check the bearings on that *brand new* 2002 trailer that s been sitting on the lot for a year and the dealer just made you a killer deal on, don t it?
 
 BTW: You don  wanna repack da bearings ev ry year? Ya don  hafta--- just drag the trailer around with you every day and have the trailer bearings repacked when you have the tow rig bearings repacked. Otherwise-- to paraphrase an old saying-- " listen to your manual" . []

[SCCS]

 slowpez
I agree. For me I do all my own maintenance work on my vehicles.I would rather do it in my garage than sit out on the shoulder of the road trying to replace a bad bearing.Just my 2 cents

[woodthumb]

 slowpez
I m with you Jeffrey.  Not packed mine yet....... 99 Coleman and maybe 10k miles.  Whenever we stop at rest areas on long trips, I feel each wheel just to check, and they are always barely warm to the touch if not air temp.  Some things I believe are over maintained on our pop ups, and wheel bearings are one of  em.  This packin  every year or so is really very useless.  Lot of folks even have problems arise once they DO repack !!  If I ever have one fail, I will let all know and eat some ......... for awhile, but for now.............I  m rollin  on down the pavement on my original and untouched 4 year old greased balls.  
 

[tlhdoc]

 woodthumb

 

ORIGINAL:  woodthumb
 
 I m with you Jeffrey.  Not packed mine yet....... 99 Coleman and maybe 10k miles.  Whenever we stop at rest areas on long trips, I feel each wheel just to check, and they are always barely warm to the touch if not air temp.  Some things I believe are over maintained on our pop ups, and wheel bearings are one of  em.  This packin  every year or so is really very useless.  Lot of folks even have problems arise once they DO repack !!  If I ever have one fail, I will let all know and eat some ......... for awhile, but for now.............I  m rollin  on down the pavement on my original and untouched 4 year old greased balls.  
 
 

Good luck.  If I happen to be driving by when you are on the side of the road I will stop and see if I can help.
 
 I have a friend that didn t believe in changing the oil in his car.  Says it is just a way to sell oil.  He didn t have any problems with the car...until the day the engine was toast.
 
 

[cam]

 slowpez
Good post!.  I often wondered the same thing. Maybe the yearly repacking is overkill...but it is such an easy (messy,but easy) thing to  do each year...why take a chance??
 
 PS...if you do it yourself, don t over tighen the nut.  Most folks tend to get it snug and use a wrench to get to the next spot the hole for the cotter pin lines up to.  The bearings seem to last longer if you back it  off to the next hole rather than tighten it up. ...my experience anyway, maybe others can add insight.

[GeneF]

 slowpez
I have always had the bearings repacked every year on all 4 popups that I have owned.  Never had a bearing problem but I do keep a spare set of bearings in the poppup for the time they do go bad.  Hopefully the mechanic I call will be able to fix it by the roadside.
 
 I have had some dealers tell me that you don t have to repack them every year if you don t tow very much.  One dealer suggested every other year.
 
 Guess I would rather pay the 60 bucks or so to get them repacked at the dealer than to have a $100 repack job by the roadside or pay a large towing bill.
 
 I just look at it as added insurance and peace of mind.

[slowpez]

 slowpez
Thanks gang.  We had our bearings repacked today.  Have put about 6000 + miles on it this year.  Cost - $50.00.  Do-it-yourselfers we re not but any of you have our permission to come down and do it for us the next time. []
 
 Susan

[Kelly]

 Jeffrey

 

ORIGINAL:  Jeffrey
 
 Really they don t need to be done every year.
 It s just one of those things that you want to be sure is OK.
 Because if they do dry out it s a PITA. (Just ask Kelly)
 

 [font=" comic sans ms" ]HEY!!  okay ~ he s right.  It is a PITA.  In my defense ~ I had the axle totally replaced about three weeks before the bearings burned up ... by the dealer!  They screwed up, not me!  I did my part.  (I have them done every year cuz I m not a do-it-yourselfer .... yet)  You can see the ugly aftermath [/font][link=http://photos.yahoo.com/kaecf][font=" comic sans ms" ]HERE.[/font][/link][font=" comic sans ms" ]   Click on PUaxle and/or PUtow.
 
 btw ~ I m really glad we pay a little extra for towing insurance each year .... both times we were towed on Road Trip 2003 were covered by insurance.[/font]
 

[Ab Diver]

 GeneF

I do keep a spare set of bearings in the poppup for the time they do go bad. Hopefully the mechanic I call will be able to fix it by the roadside.

 GeneF (and everybody else), if you re gunna keep an extra set of bearings (and seals) with you, why not keep a " Bearing Race and Seal Driver"  Set on hand as well? It s 6 or so tapered aluminum *drivers* and a handle you screw them on to. Then tap out the old bearings and tap in the new ones. Makes changing the bearings a piece of cake, and after you ve bought a set, the other 90 bucks of that hundred you ve set aside for a meck-a-nick can be spent on beer.  (That s Ab Diver Logic [] )