Grease in trailer hubs

John Achmann · Feb 22, 2018

How much grease do you guys put in a hub? How about the
cap? Took a trailer apart at work today, it?s never had the
bearings repacked. I think the mfg date is 2014. I feel there
should be some grease in the hub but only on the bearings in
this one from new. What?s your thoughts?

MtMan · Feb 22, 2018

For my thoughts to put grease in the outer cap is just a waste of grease.

Stephen Newell · Feb 22, 2018

Grease is cheap. Put all the grease you can in the hub. I usually put a little in the cap. If the axle heats up it will melt the grease and get in there.

TomH in PA · Feb 22, 2018

If you have Bearing Buddies you should fill the hub. Otherwise the only place you need grease is on the bearings.

sotxbill · Feb 22, 2018

while I am not familiar with these new fangled systems....

You only greased the bearings, not the hub, not the cap. Only the bearings were greased.

Now for boats.. you greased the bearings and pumped a just a bit of grease in, to see the cap expand.. this was to just put a little bit of pressure on the hub to keep the water out.. This was only to build up pressure, not to fill the hub.

Others may like to pack hubs or caps, but packing the bearing is the ONLY thing that works and must be done. I have worked on cars where someone filled up the cap, put it back on, and called it a day after a brake job.. and even after washing the bearings dry.... I replaced a lot of bearings, races, and some spindles because of those folks.

WGM · Feb 22, 2018

Wheel bearing grease is specially formulated not to melt.

RedGreenGuy · Feb 22, 2018

When I repack my RV bearings I wash the grease out so I can check for damage and then repack with a bearing packer and put it back together. I never put grease in hub or cap. Has worked for 10 years without issues.

roy prins · Feb 22, 2018

lots of comments and most have a bearing on the subject -- so put a glob of grease on a paper towel - watch the oil spot grow over time -- that is the oil that will keep the bearing lubricated -- the actual fiber holds the oil until warmed a bit then reabsorbs the oil when cooled a bit -- take a glob of grease and it will drip for a long time -- sooner or later everything wears out then the bearings are next -- so a little extra grease in the hub and cap is not a waste -- My 2-1/2 cents worth - Roy

grizz02 · Feb 22, 2018

grease good lack of grease bad fill the hub warm grease will flow into the bearing just like it will leave the bearing

jon f mn · Feb 22, 2018

Grease in the hub usually does more harm than good. If filling the hub with grease was better the manufacturers would do it. It's best to take advice from the ones who have to pay warranty over those with good intentions but not much experience.

John Achmann · Feb 22, 2018

Thanks guys for your comments so far. I was thought long time ago from an old timer that you need grease in the hubs. Guess I?ve been doing that my whole career. I was just surprised how little grease was in the hubs on this trailer. As Jon f stated if more grease was better the mfg would put it there.

sotxbill · Feb 22, 2018

(quoted from post at 19:27:11 02/22/18) If you have Bearing Buddies you should fill the hub. Otherwise the only place you need grease is on the bearings.

Buddy bearings are ONLY to put pressure in the hub to keep water out. Instructions are careful to say pump up only till it pressurizes and you see the springs move out.. Use NO more grease till the indicator indicates a loss of pressure. They are NOT to fill the hubs, although the extra grease used for pressure goes into the cap side first, and after that void is filled will move to the inner space. If the seals are defective and leaking, you will only then fill up the hubs with grease. I have not ever seen an OEM pack the cap or hub, but then I have not worked on everything.

Packing the hub full, means that as the grease is warmed up, you will BLOW out the seal, and contaminate the brakes with grease, and let in water. This is not something you want to do.

Ever adjust or tighten the tracks on a caterpillar???? you use a grease gun to put thousands of pounds of pressure on the track tensioner.

Tracy Brown · Feb 22, 2018

The only place grease serves any purpose is in the bearing. If the hub gets warn enough for the grease to flow anywhere, the bearings have already got hot enough to be damaged. Grease in packed full hubs will expand enough to blow the seal. BTDT and ruined my brake shoes in the process.

caterpillar guy · Feb 22, 2018

I'm contrary to all of you. I put some gear oil in the cap then tip it up to the hub so I can tap it in with the oil in it. With the bearings greased that keeps the grease from drying out since I just use gun grease for that.

T.R.K. · Feb 22, 2018

Are you guys sure?

I work for a dealer that sells trailers. My boss-owner of the business- wants the hub packed as well as both bearings packed. So I pack the bearings and smear about a 3/8" layer of grease inside the hub before I drop the bearings in.

Even the Easy-lube axles that have the grease fitting in the end of the axle itself pretty much fill the hub with grease. You stop when the grease starts coming through the outboard bearing. (Except maybe for an air bubble or two.)

Back in the '80s, in Auto Mechanics class, I also was taught to smear a layer of grease inside the hub cap so it won't rust inside there.

cjunrau · Feb 22, 2018

I disagree with you there. Manufactures put enough in it to last till warranty is off , that's it. Less grease means more money in there pocket. I don't check bearings. I've had 2 factory ones go and then I take off and fill with grease. On my semi 1 tube in every hub. Bearings backed and cap full. Hasn't failed yet.

I know some large trucking companies that buy new trailer, yank all the hubs, pour out the oil and add grease like I do. They got so sick of leaking seals, like this problem almost eliminated.

I have no problems at all with seals going out. And anybody that thinks the bearing doesn't get warm enough for the grease to melt Has never stopped and check the temp of the bearings after a 4 hour drive in 100 degree weather. My grease gun leaks hanging on the wall outside with the sun shining on it. Doesn't even need to be in a bearing and it runs. Try it sometime. even in a shop with window. Set a thermometer down beside and see at what temp it starts to level off.

Steve@Advance · Feb 22, 2018

No need to put grease in the hub or the dust cap.

If it is just a routine inspection and greasing, I will just pack more grease into the bearings using the "grease in the palm" method until I see grease coming out the small end of the bearing cage.

If there is a problem, everything gets washed out and start over, otherwise, just add fresh grease to the bearings.

I then smear a small amount of grease to each race, and grease the seal lip.

Try to keep everything as clean as possible.

SVcummins · Feb 23, 2018

2.5 is that adjusted for inflation ?

jon f mn · Feb 23, 2018

I was in the business of building, repairing and maintaining trailers for many years. I've built dozens and helped maintain many hundreds, some of which were used all day every day. If you want to add to your bearing problems just fill the hub with grease. Bearing buddies are the worst, and the easy lube spindles are second. If t he hub is full the grease will eventually go out under the seal, when that happens water and dirt will wick back in through the grease causing premature bearing failure.

Stephen Newell · Feb 23, 2018

I guess gremlins are emptying the cups on my trailer.

mj · Feb 23, 2018

Spring-loaded. 8)

W_B · Feb 23, 2018

I've always filled the caps and hubs with grease. On my stock trailer there is a tiny hole on the inside of the hub where grease will squirt out when it's full. With that I don't see how you will get much pressure build up. I didn't know the holes were there until I replaced the brakes and had cleaned and regreased the hubs and bearings. Probably blocked before that.

MT RON · Feb 23, 2018

Never figured why people fill the cap and inside with grease the stuff is not going to move from where it's at ever.

Grease in trailer hubs

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