Grease nipples on trailer bearings

[Strong Farmer]

Ok I had my trailer serviced a few years ago by Saunders in St Jacobs. They gave me a lecture about using greese nipples on end of bearings. They told me there is no need to add grease inbetween service intervals on bearings and to stop using them. I asked how you know I used them. They said they could tell my different colour of grease. Also they said they put enough grease in them when they re pack them, that it doesn't go any where so there is no need to add any more grease. 
So now I am wondering if I should add some grease and if so which kind or should I just leave it and take it back for service shortly. I jacked it up and they spin fine, no noise or play. Any thoughts thanks.

I usually take it in every 3 years to have it checked.  Thanks. 

[Dave K]

I've never had a bearing fail because it had too much grease.  Just my opinion 

[oldslowsledder]

1 hour ago, Dave K said:

I've never had a bearing fail because it had too much grease.  Just my opinion 

 

Agreed, just don't get so carried away you blow the grease past the seals

[Strong Farmer]

1 hour ago, Dave K said:

I've never had a bearing fail because it had too much grease.  Just my opinion 

That's my thoughts too. Just a few pumps and regular farm high temp grease  is ok? That's what I put in last time. Guessing it made cleaning out bearings harder or they wouldn't have cared 🤷🏽‍♂️
 

[Strong Farmer]

3 minutes ago, oldslowsledder said:

 

Agreed, just don't get so carried away you blow the grease past the seals

It has a pressure release whole for greese I was told. 

[Sksman]

What brand are your axles?  
 

Are your grease fittings on a spring loaded cap?

 

or solid mounted on the center of axle with space around between wheel hub and axle where you can see the hub lock nut?

 

My Dexter axles have a grease fitting mounted on center of axle with a passage through the center of axle to behind the inner bearing. When you pump the grease it pushes through the inner bearing and then through the outer bearing.  The idea is to regularly replace the grease by pumping the new grease through bearings.

 

 

The spring loaded caps only push grease through the outer bearing and do not ensure grease gets through inner bearing.  These caps can provide a false sense of good maintenance if you think your bearings are being greased and are not actually getting the grease.

 

 

[Strong Farmer]

15 minutes ago, Sksman said:

What brand are your axles?  
 

Are your grease fittings on a spring loaded cap?

 

or solid mounted on the center of axle with space around between wheel hub and axle where you can see the hub lock nut?

 

My Dexter axles have a grease fitting mounted on center of axle with a passage through the center of axle to behind the inner bearing. When you pump the grease it pushes through the inner bearing and then through the outer bearing.  The idea is to regularly replace the grease by pumping the new grease through bearings.

 

 

The spring loaded caps only push grease through the outer bearing and do not ensure grease gets through inner bearing.  These caps can provide a false sense of good maintenance if you think your bearings are being greased and are not actually getting the grease.

 

 

Mine are spring loaded caps. What you are saying makes sense, maybe that's why they don't want me using it. I drop it for maintaince after Xmas, thanks.

[Sksman]

2 minutes ago, Strong Farmer said:

Mine are spring loaded caps. What you are saying makes sense, maybe that's why they don't want me using it. I drop it for maintaince after Xmas, thanks.

That is the theory I was told.  And what is in Dexter sales literature.  Sales pitch??

 

if there is good grease under the spring loaded caps will the grease push through inner bearing as it heats up?   Good question that I do not know the answer to.

 

I do know that with high speed bearings we had on centrifuge if you pumped in too much grease they would generate a fair bit more heat for awhile. 
 

Also be careful with battery powered grease guns   They can blow seals very easy on trailer hubs.
 

 

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

1 hour ago, Strong Farmer said:

That's my thoughts too. Just a few pumps and regular farm high temp grease  is ok? That's what I put in last time. Guessing it made cleaning out bearings harder or they wouldn't have cared 🤷🏽‍♂️
 

Check out the Dexter manual at the following link:

https://nhtrailers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/DexterServiceManual.pdf

Go to page 52 CHECK OUT THE CAUTION ON PAGE 52.

[wrightonalan]

I like to take bearing out ,clean .inspect and regrease the old school way .

[Sksman]

36 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

Check out the Dexter manual at the following link:

https://nhtrailers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/DexterServiceManual.pdf

Go to page 52 CHECK OUT THE CAUTION ON PAGE 52.

On pg 57 of Dexter Manual they show lubrication for the EZ lube hubs I was talking about.  
 

Very easy process.  Not sure what size axles it’s available on but both my ATV and sled trailer have 3,500 Lbs axles with ez lube.   I will never buy another trailer without these EZ lube axles.  
 

 

[stoney]

I had a trailer a while ago that the old owner installed those spring loaded bearing buddies over an axle that was an easylube…no idea what the previous owner was thinking. 
 

If you have the axle pushing grease from outer to inner bearing and then back out with the old grease, not sure why anyone wouldn’t grease their bearing on a frequent basis to remove the old grease / moisture.

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

2 minutes ago, stoney said:

o idea what the previous owner was thinking. 

You can damage the Bearing Buddies very easily trying to get them off the hub. I have never tried to remove the Easy Lube end caps so don't know what they are like to remove. Possibly the previous owner or his hired bearing servicer damaged the originals and BB's were the quickly available replacement.

[stoney]

5 hours ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

You can damage the Bearing Buddies very easily trying to get them off the hub. I have never tried to remove the Easy Lube end caps so don't know what they are like to remove. Possibly the previous owner or his hired bearing servicer damaged the originals and BB's were the quickly available replacement.

They just popped off with a hammer, tapping lightly….they were a press tapered fit. 

on that trailer I took all apart a number of times to inspect, grease, etc…and found no issues with anything, greased as normal with a gun and all was good until I sold that trailer around 2013/14. 
So I’m not sure why or what happened in the past…maybe some bad advice, on the internet no doubt….lol. 

[Ox]

On 12/8/2024 at 9:12 AM, Sksman said:

That is the theory I was told.  And what is in Dexter sales literature.  Sales pitch??

 

if there is good grease under the spring loaded caps will the grease push through inner bearing as it heats up?   Good question that I do not know the answer to.

 

I do know that with high speed bearings we had on centrifuge if you pumped in too much grease they would generate a fair bit more heat for awhile. 
 

Also be careful with battery powered grease guns   They can blow seals very easy on trailer hubs.
 

 

 

You need to grease a centrifuge routinely?

Must run quite a bit?

Spinning metal chips, laundry, or Uranium?

 

 

I would think to NOT use reg farm grease.

Of course it depends on what grease that you are using, but "standard" or base level or whatever tube grease that you have - is likely thinner than "wheel bearing grease".

 

I was knocking out $400 top bearings on my vibratory finisher all too often. 

When I would take it apart (from the bottom) the bottom bearing was flooded with oil, but it was only ever "greased".

Finally I called my lube guy and said that I need a case of tubes that is the next level thicker - if that is such a thing.

 

He looked it up, and the next level grease mentioned "vibrating applications" as part of it's description.

When I opened it up, it looked exactly like a can of wheel bearing grease.

So I don't buy wheel bearing grease anymore, and I have not taken out a bearing in the vibratory finisher since either.

 

The stuff that I use these days is Shell Gladus S3 V220C 2

Premium Multipurpose Extreme Pressure Grease

 

I gave the balance of my old grease to my farmer landlord.

 

.

[Strong Farmer]

3 hours ago, Ox said:

 

You need to grease a centrifuge routinely?

Must run quite a bit?

Spinning metal chips, laundry, or Uranium?

 

 

I would think to NOT use reg farm grease.

Of course it depends on what grease that you are using, but "standard" or base level or whatever tube grease that you have - is likely thinner than "wheel bearing grease".

 

I was knocking out $400 top bearings on my vibratory finisher all too often. 

When I would take it apart (from the bottom) the bottom bearing was flooded with oil, but it was only ever "greased".

Finally I called my lube guy and said that I need a case of tubes that is the next level thicker - if that is such a thing.

 

He looked it up, and the next level grease mentioned "vibrating applications" as part of it's description.

When I opened it up, it looked exactly like a can of wheel bearing grease.

So I don't buy wheel bearing grease anymore, and I have not taken out a bearing in the vibratory finisher since either.

 

The stuff that I use these days is Shell Gladus S3 V220C 2

Premium Multipurpose Extreme Pressure Grease

 

I gave the balance of my old grease to my farmer landlord.

 

.

Nice I have been using shell grease too. Mostly for equipment applications, but I put same stuff into bearings last time and nothing failed. Just trailer shop new I did it because of colour. Told me they add enough grease until next servicing. I guess I just jack it up and check by hand to see if I can feel or hearing anything. 😎

[Sksman]

8 hours ago, Ox said:

 

You need to grease a centrifuge routinely?

Must run quite a bit?

Spinning metal chips, laundry, or Uranium?

 

 

I would think to NOT use reg farm grease.

Of course it depends on what grease that you are using, but "standard" or base level or whatever tube grease that you have - is likely thinner than "wheel bearing grease".

 

I was knocking out $400 top bearings on my vibratory finisher all too often. 

When I would take it apart (from the bottom) the bottom bearing was flooded with oil, but it was only ever "greased".

Finally I called my lube guy and said that I need a case of tubes that is the next level thicker - if that is such a thing.

 

He looked it up, and the next level grease mentioned "vibrating applications" as part of it's description.

When I opened it up, it looked exactly like a can of wheel bearing grease.

So I don't buy wheel bearing grease anymore, and I have not taken out a bearing in the vibratory finisher since either.

 

The stuff that I use these days is Shell Gladus S3 V220C 2

Premium Multipurpose Extreme Pressure Grease

 

I gave the balance of my old grease to my farmer landlord.

 

.

Centrifuge were used in core drilling Exploration for mines.   Uranium, gold, copper.   All over Canada  USA and Mexico.  
 

 

 

 

[Puggz]

On 12/7/2024 at 9:40 PM, Strong Farmer said:

Ok I had my trailer serviced a few years ago by Saunders in St Jacobs. They gave me a lecture about using greese nipples on end of bearings. They told me there is no need to add grease inbetween service intervals on bearings and to stop using them. I asked how you know I used them. They said they could tell my different colour of grease. Also they said they put enough grease in them when they re pack them, that it doesn't go any where so there is no need to add any more grease. 
So now I am wondering if I should add some grease and if so which kind or should I just leave it and take it back for service shortly. I jacked it up and they spin fine, no noise or play. Any thoughts thanks.

I usually take it in every 3 years to have it checked.  Thanks. 

YOu can't say "nipples"! They're called Zerks...lol

 

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

3 hours ago, Puggz said:

YOu can't say "nipples"! They're called Zerks...lol

 

What about "Nips" is that OK?

[CAT RIDER]

Since when have us snowmobilers been politically correct ? LOL!

[stoney]

1 hour ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

What about "Nips" is that OK?

That is racist!

lol

[Candubrain]

Going to revive this old thread, with my question:

 

Why do you need to clean out and repack trailer bearings, when car wheel bearings will go 100,000Kms without any attention?

 

[CAT RIDER]

This is my thoughts only,  trailer tires are smaller in diameter and travel at a greater speed  or reveloutions per minute than a tire on your truck. The seals are not usually as good as what is used in automotive applications. Therefore more speed requires more maintenace.  they are more septable to failure on the inner bearing due to moisture getting in from the back side. It  is way easier to do prevetative maintenace  than deal with a bearing failure on the side of the highway. I use only brand name bearings not made offshore. Upgrade the seals to a double lip type with spring. If the spindle gets pitted where the seal rides I have used a speedy sleeve with success. Depending on the axle, some are drilled if you use a bearing buddy to deliver grease between the bearings so the inside bearing gets grease. Other bearing buddies only grease the outer bearing. I like to wash clean and check bearings yearly or max every other year depending on milage. Its part of my fall maintence plan for sled and trailer. For a bit of time and a few dollars its not worth chancing and ruining a trip and I never want to be that guy that has a wheel off on the highway!

[Candubrain]

thank you @CAT RIDER.   That makes perfect sense.    

I have a 10 yr old  6x10" utility trailer with 15" wheels that were repacked 5yrs ago with synthetic grease and never touched since.    I've always looked at the seal for leakage and figured since it all looks ok there is nothing to be concerned about.   That single lip seal will only keep grease in and not keep dirt out like a double lip seal.

Think I'll just purchase and entire trailer wheel bearing and seal kit and make all fresh rather than bothering to clean the old ones

[04nightfire]

You absolutely can put too much grease in a bearing. You only want to pack the bearing to at most 70 percent. If you pack it entirely, it can damage the seal, cause higher friction and overheat it.