Wheel bearing grease for small trailers?

[sixdogs]

What is a good, commonly available grease for the wheel bearings on smaller trailers? It's been years since I've greased one. I want to do the wheels bearings on my 7'x10' trailer with a HD axle and 205/75-15 tires that often travels the Interstate. I tried to search but our search is confusing to me.

On slow speed farm wagons I just use Red N Tacky or Deere Polyurea because that's what I have and it's not clay based. No big deal and it works. I also have an older can of disc rated wheel bearing grease. Any advice appreciated.



Side question here is should I just replace the wheel bearings regardless of condition? I had a mechanic tell me that cleaning them often damages the bearing surface and it's better to replace. What do you think?

 

[pokey1416]

I’ve had good luck with this Lucas product.

 

[fried1765]

What is a good, commonly available grease for the wheel bearings on smaller trailers? It's been years since I've greased one. I want to do the wheels bearings on my 7'x10' trailer with a HD axle and 205/75-15 tires that often travels the Interstate. I tried to search but our search is confusing to me.

On slow speed farm wagons I just use Red N Tacky or Deere Polyurea because that's what I have and it's not clay based. No big deal and it works. I also have an older can of disc rated wheel bearing grease. Any advice appreciated.



Side question here is should I just replace the wheel bearings regardless of condition? I had a mechanic tell me that cleaning them often damages the bearing surface and it's better to replace. What do you think?

I recently replaced wheel bearings on a small trailer prior to taking a 300 mile trip.
The trailer was my son's boat trailer (salt water use), and the bearings were 20 years old.
A no brainer for me.
I did not want to risk a highway breakdown, and so far away from home.

 

[rScotty]

For the past few years I've been using JD polyurea green grease on most everything including the utility trailer. JD says it is good for high speed bearings and high pressure applications with low water washout & compatible with most other greases. I'm trying to just get down to a single hand packing wheel bearing grease, a single zerk grease, plusa moly grease for BH pivot.

I've not had a problem, but then my utility trailer does not travel the highways.

On the 4 wheel boat trailer which does do high speed long trips I use Sta-Lube Hi Temp Disc Brake Wheel Bearing Grease....mainly because that is what the guy I bought it from used and he gave me two tubs of it..... very scientific, right? It is graphite and moly fortified i.e. black grease, and sure is expensive enough.
Because it is an aluminum base grease, I don't know enough about the compatibility with other greases to risk cleaning and/or changing grease, so I just re-grease by wiping away the old and adding more of the same stuff. There haven't been any problems. Yes, I carry a complete spare wheel bearing kit.

If I were starting all over I would pack my hand-pack non-zerk wheel bearings with either that tub of Sta-Lube wheel bearing grease or use Valveline or Mobile 1 Synthetic Disk Brake grease in a similar tub. Whatever I choose, I'd stay with it until I saw a reason not to.

Then I'd lube most everything else that has a zerk with JD polyurea, and reserve the lube gun with the 5% nasty black moly for the BH swing pivot only.

Next time you see that mechanic, ask him how he cleans the bearings and then don't do it his way. Maybe he cleans in solvent and then spins them dry with air pressure to hear them "sing". That might damage them.

YMMV...and probably does.
rScotty

 

[Cat385B]

Lucas or Mystik.

 

[fried1765]

For the past few years I've been using JD polyurea green grease on most everything including the utility trailer. JD says it is good for high speed bearings and high pressure applications with low water washout & compatible with most other greases. I'm trying to just get down to a single hand packing wheel bearing grease, a single zerk grease, plusa moly grease for BH pivot.

I've not had a problem, but then my utility trailer does not travel the highways.

On the 4 wheel boat trailer which does do high speed long trips I use Sta-Lube Hi Temp Disc Brake Wheel Bearing Grease....mainly because that is what the guy I bought it from used and he gave me two tubs of it..... very scientific, right? It is graphite and moly fortified i.e. black grease, and sure is expensive enough.
Because it is an aluminum base grease, I don't know enough about the compatibility with other greases to risk cleaning and/or changing grease, so I just re-grease by wiping away the old and adding more of the same stuff. There haven't been any problems. Yes, I carry a complete spare wheel bearing kit.

If I were starting all over I would pack my hand-pack non-zerk wheel bearings with either that tub of Sta-Lube wheel bearing grease or use Valveline or Mobile 1 Synthetic Disk Brake grease in a similar tub. Whatever I choose, I'd stay with it until I saw a reason not to.

Then I'd lube most everything else that has a zerk with JD polyurea, and reserve the lube gun with the 5% nasty black moly for the BH swing pivot only.

Next time you see that mechanic, ask him how he cleans the bearings and then don't do it his way. Maybe he cleans in solvent and then spins them dry with air pressure to hear them "sing". That might damage them.

YMMV...and probably does.
rScotty

I am not sure that it makes one he11 of a lot of difference what brand of wheel bearing grease is used.
What really matters is that the wheel bearings are periodically repacked, or replaced.
Probably 90%+ of trailers do not get their wheel bearings attended to frequently enough!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I just buy/use a brand name synthetic grease and I've never lost even one bearing, these days it's all I use.

SR

 

[ArlyA]

Any grease is better than no grease or contaminated grease....

 

[sixdogs]

Thank you all for the replies. Good advice.

 

[Root Cause]

I use marine-grade grease on all bearings that get used outdoors figuring if its good for boat trailers, its good enough.
I used moly-grease (many years ago) on motorcycles. It became popular for racers as it was supposed to cling to bearings better at higher rpm's. For that reason, I don't use it on any of my current equipment.
Not factual or necessarily accurate- just my leanings formed from life experiences.

 

[Alan W.]

My father and I both purchased identical decorative windmills at the same time.
They have unsealed bearings on the blade assembly.
My father has used nothing but Mobil 1 synthetic in his. He is on his third set of bearings.
I have used Green Grease in mine and still have the original bearings.
I like the polymer greases. They tend to hold up well when exposed to water.
Still prefer moly for pins and bushings.

 

[Dwellonroof]

I purchase wheel bearing grease in a tub not a tube.

 

[ultrarunner]

Does anyone besides me use Bearing Buddies to keep trailer bearings greased?

 

[ArlyA]

Does anyone besides me use Bearing Buddies to keep trailer bearings greased?

Two of our trailers have the zerks under there bearing caps, whatever that system is called.

 

[Texasmark]

What is a good, commonly available grease for the wheel bearings on smaller trailers? It's been years since I've greased one. I want to do the wheels bearings on my 7'x10' trailer with a HD axle and 205/75-15 tires that often travels the Interstate. I tried to search but our search is confusing to me.

On slow speed farm wagons I just use Red N Tacky or Deere Polyurea because that's what I have and it's not clay based. No big deal and it works. I also have an older can of disc rated wheel bearing grease. Any advice appreciated.



Side question here is should I just replace the wheel bearings regardless of condition? I had a mechanic tell me that cleaning them often damages the bearing surface and it's better to replace. What do you think?

I use GL2 red (high temp) good for everything that uses grease.

 

[Texasmark]

Does anyone besides me use Bearing Buddies to keep trailer bearings greased?

I do on my boat trailer.....not BB per se as the trailer has a special greaseable hub. Were it not for that it would have them.

 

[PILOON]

I have seen some greases get flung from wheel bearings when they run on the hot side. Very messy.
Bearing grease is thicker and has a higher melt point and usually sold in a tin with a snap top like paint cans use.
Typically you use fingers to thoroughly pack bearings, messy, yes.

 

[fried1765]

I have seen some greases get flung from wheel bearings when they run on the hot side. Very messy.
Bearing grease is thicker and has a higher melt point and usually sold in a tin with a snap top like paint cans use.
Typically you use fingers to thoroughly pack bearings, messy, yes.

Yup,....but I do have a bearing grease packing tool.

 

[Gord Baker]

What is a good, commonly available grease for the wheel bearings on smaller trailers? It's been years since I've greased one. I want to do the wheels bearings on my 7'x10' trailer with a HD axle and 205/75-15 tires that often travels the Interstate. I tried to search but our search is confusing to me.

On slow speed farm wagons I just use Red N Tacky or Deere Polyurea because that's what I have and it's not clay based. No big deal and it works. I also have an older can of disc rated wheel bearing grease. Any advice appreciated.



Side question here is should I just replace the wheel bearings regardless of condition? I had a mechanic tell me that cleaning them often damages the bearing surface and it's better to replace. What do you think?

I would ONLY use Wheel Bearing Grease. It is fibrous and stays put longer I believe.
I carry a complete Hub with lubricated bearings with me and mount the spare to it on a spindle welded to trailer frame.
One Nut for tire/wheel/hub change.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Agreed with using any good brand 'High Temp Wheel Bearing Grease' for over the road trailers.

If you think they need to be cleaned out first, instead of just replacing the old grease, plain ol' gasoline works pretty good. Just don't spin them fast while dry as said previously.