Bike trailer owners

Nac305rm

Nac305rm

PR Member
Be vigilant with maintenance on wheel bearings. We arrived at the Society Hill GNCC this morning in South Carolina and found this image.jpeg on our trailer!
Bearings were greased in the last 2 weeks! It could happen any time!
Wheel was held on only by the nut! We Spent our entire day finding an entire axle as the spindle had all of the bearings welded to it! Check, double check and double check it again! So thankful it did not happen on the highway!
 
If you greased it 2 weeks ago, my guess is the bearings failed from OVER greasing.

Too much grease in a bearing will cause the bearing elements to begin churning the grease, pushing it out of the way, resulting in rising temperatures. This leads to rapid oxidation (chemical degradation) of the grease as well as an accelerated rate of oil bleed, which is a separation of the oil from the thickener. (grease is just thickened oil) The heat that has been generated along with the oil bleed eventually will cook the grease thickener into a hard, crusty build-up that can prevent proper lubrication and even block new grease from reaching the core of the bearing. This can result in accelerated wear and then component failure.

Seal damage is another problem of overgreasing. Grease guns can produce up to 15,000 psi, and when you overgrease a bearing housing, the lip seals can rupture, allowing contaminants access to the bearing housing. Keep in mind that lip seals usually fail around 500 psi. This excessive pressure can also damage single and double-shielded bearings, causing the shields facing the grease supply to collapse into the bearing race and leading to wear and eventually failure. When too much pressure is generated from a grease gun due to overgreasing, it is easy for the hard, crusty grease formed from heat to be broken apart and sent directly into the bearing track. Never grease a bearing until it comes out of the seal....

Thank goodness it didn't start a fire. I have seen that happen as well!
 
I wondered the same thing. Seemed too coincidental with them just greasing the bearings two weeks ago.
Another consideration is that not all greases are compatible when mixed. This can actually cause the mixed grease to quickly harden and damage the bearings. We see this a lot at work.

I've mentioned this before that the older I get, and more experience I gain, the more small details seem to matter, and often bite me in the butt. It's dreadful and boring but reading OEM literature on equipment mechanicals is sometimes the only clear path to ensuring correct maintenance.
 
NQ1965 said:
I wondered the same thing. Seemed too coincidental with them just greasing the bearings two weeks ago.
Another consideration is that not all greases are compatible when mixed. This can actually cause the mixed grease to quickly harden and damage the bearings. We see this a lot at work.

I've mentioned this before that the older I get, and more experience I gain, the more small details seem to matter, and often bite me in the butt. It's dreadful and boring but reading OEM literature on equipment mechanicals is sometimes the only clear path to ensuring correct maintenance.
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I should have mentioned that in my post!! That is also very critical. Not every grease will play well with others. Unfortunately, there is not a rule of thumb to go by on mixing greases.
 
Fluid power is correct, nothing was changed just a little grease added!

With all of the info laid out, how do you truly know if or when you have pumped enough grease into a wheel bearing?
This was my buddies trailer but I have one as well. I certainly want to avoid this in the future all together but I dont want to smoke a bearing due to not enough grease!
Both of our trailers are greased right into the and of the spindle so no spring loaded mechanism to tell me when I need more grease!
Thanks for the tips and the mixed grease is def true! Add good grease to a pre greased replacement bearing for your bike and let me know how that works! Chemical reactions can be a b**^^!!
 
If there are manufacturer specs, follow those. (I know, I know stupid answer) I only put 1 pump in the wheel bearing in each side and do it when the manufacturer recommends, which is usually based on mileage.
 
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Nac305rm said:
Fluid power is correct, nothing was changed just a little grease added!

With all of the info laid out, how do you truly know if or when you have pumped enough grease into a wheel bearing?
This was my buddies trailer but I have one as well. I certainly want to avoid this in the future all together but I dont want to smoke a bearing due to not enough grease!
Both of our trailers are greased right into the and of the spindle so no spring loaded mechanism to tell me when I need more grease!
Thanks for the tips and the mixed grease is def true! Add good grease to a pre greased replacement bearing for your bike and let me know how that works! Chemical reactions can be a b**^^!!
Click to expand...

Did you get the wheel of the ground, spin the wheel and add enough new grease to displace the old grease? If the end of the cap is off I don't understand how you can get too much pressure? Could the axle nut have already been too tight or the bearings bad before greasing them?

My '88 HiPoint has the original bearings. I just replaced the seals last year. I have always used these.
images

Though I lost the dust caps years ago. My trailer has spent a lot of time in the water with jet skis.
 
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