Re-packing Wheel Bearings

[minuteman62-64]

Pulled trailer wheel hubs to inspect. Removed enough grease to check bearings. Bearings and inside of hubs in good condition, no evidence of water intrusion. Put new seals on and now ready to re-install hubs and Bearing Buddy(s).

Question: when you guys re-install your bearings (or, pack new bearings, for that matter) how much of the old grease do you remove from the inside of the hubs, Bearing Buddy and bearings? Do you leave some of the old grease? Use solvent to remove all grease? Wipe as much as possible out with a rag? Other?

I've read somewhere that two different kinds of grease don't mix and can lead to bearing failure. On the other hand, I've had the hubs on my truck off, and simply packed in new grease on top of the old, without knowing the brand of the old grease, about 50,000 miles ago with no apparent problems.

Maybe as long as the old and new grease are both wheel bearing grease there would be no problem?

Appreciate any and all insight.

 

[90stingray]

Re: Re-packing Wheel Bearings

Since you went thru all the trouble... get rid of all the old grease! And "packing the bearings" is not just smashing grease on top of old grease. Bearings should be solvent cleaned, blown dry, and inspected. Repack by hand.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Re-packing Wheel Bearings

Since you went thru all the trouble... get rid of all the old grease! And "packing the bearings" is not just smashing grease on top of old grease. Bearings should be solvent cleaned, blown dry, and inspected. Repack by hand.

Can't go wrong with that advice.

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: Re-packing Wheel Bearings

OK, makes sense to me. Any suggestions on a solvent. I use kerosene or diesel fuel for a lot of cleaning operations, but it seems like it would be kind of slow for heavy grease. Maybe a degreaser from the auto parts store?

 

[Mark42]

Re: Re-packing Wheel Bearings

Kerosene will work just fine. I only use a solvent on the bearings. The hub just gets wiped clean with rags.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Re-packing Wheel Bearings

Bearings should be solvent cleaned, blown dry, and inspected.

You can blow them dry but don't let them spin...very bad for the bearing.

If you are changing the grease and you don't know the type of grease that was in there, you need to get all of the old grease out.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Re-packing Wheel Bearings

Know 2 things that work very good to clean the grease off, carb cleaner, and a product caled slide mold cleaner (red can).