Packed Bearings

Been noticing many newer Vocational Trailers have returned to Solid Hub Caps/Packed Bearings, are any seeing this in Long Distance Trailers or even Front Truck/Tractor Hubs?

Some are, usually you find that with Tip Lease and companies like that. The problem that comes into play
is when it lands in a shop and during service and someone adds gear lube because they see nothing in
the window. In the olden days it was common practice grease hubs were painted red. In the olden days.
With 75X90 synthetic the bearings last three times longer.

One old story around here was of guy hauling double loads of steel coils across the turnpike. Then one of them got a new trailer with packed bearings and it didn't make the first trip.

Truck Shop said:

Some are, usually you find that with Tip Lease and companies like that. The problem that comes into play
is when it lands in a shop and during service and someone adds gear lube because they see nothing in
the window. In the olden days it was common practice grease hubs were painted red. In the olden days.
With 75X90 synthetic the bearings last three times longer.

Click to expand...

I pack a hay trailer for the farm and feared some one would fill them up but they dont look at any thing unless the smoke turns to flames.

I grease packed some a few years ago that do more sitting than moving and the farthest trip they make is about 2 miles this is what we used for them

Pack the hub well full pack the bearings and set at .005 to zero end play and will run just fine.

Yessir, more times change the more they repeat. Have grease packed more than my share from little single wheel trailers to the old Eaton truck drives with inboard and outboard axle seals, the older Eucs had a similar design greased bearings and seals inner/outer on axle stubs. Just did not expect to see and hear of so many coming back into use, greases are far superior than even 30-40 years ago withstand heat and pressure loads far better.

I heard from some cattle haulers that they were sick of wheel seals not holding up, and running all the oil out. Then they get dinged at the scale for leaking hubs. So back to grease they go.

I'll admit I was considering grease for one that I couldn't get a seal to hold on. It was not a pristine seating surface for the seal, but I didn't think it was bad enough to not seal. Finally got one to hold.

Tyler d4c said:

One old story around here was of guy hauling double loads of steel coils across the turnpike. Then one of them got a new trailer with packed bearings and it didn't make the first trip.

Click to expand...

Must have been either not packed or faulty bearing from the factory. My bet is they were dry as a popcorn fart.

It is funny, I thought I remembered a discussion on here years ago where the participants were all in agreement that grease hubs were the way to go, and that oil hubs got converted to grease when the opportunity came.

I don't think most participants run the kind of miles as TS, it is good info to have that bearings last longer in oil. But is that because it is oil or because is synthetic? And would there be a synthetic grease that would do as good?

One problem I might suspect is that packing bearings is kind of an art, and we all know how many artsy mechanical tasks get handled these days. Do you suppose the experienced or the green mechanic gets assigned to service a grease bearing job? It is a lot more fun doing an oil hub, that's for sure.

Is a LOT cleaner resealing a Oil Hub rather than sit and hand pack or even bearing packer load cones and rollers. Last several New to Me Grease packed bearings on a early repack as ran warm were found to have had NO Grease placed in the center reservoir, cheapskates. Have had several friends machines show up same way, no reason to save PENNIES on not filling the center with lube.

Oil hubs run cooler, check them with infrared gun. Cattle haulers get dinged because it's a cattle hauler,
notorious.
Oil bath seals go bad prematurely because-
#1 Used a pi$$ poor brand.
#2 Did not properly clean surface area of hub where seal makes contact to hub.
#3 Did not drive seal straight.
#4 Did not use proper seal driver for particular brand of seal, which leads to.
#5 Distorted inner seal race.
#6 Did not check seal inner race for distortion and free movement and rotation after installation.
#7 Did not properly dress seal area on spindle and spindle shows no uneven wear where seal rides.
#8 Did not use proper equipment such as wheel dolly, or adapter on jack for air disc hubs and damaged
seal installing hub over spindle.

I change a minimum of one a week, sometimes four- trailer or tractor. I only use CR brand 46305 for trailer,
42623 for Wabash-Fruehauf, 47697 for drives and 35066 for steer and drop. I have all the CR seal drivers
and never a problem, With CR drivers you mount the seal and inboard bearing and drive with bearing held
straight on driver. If you buy enough CR seals and or ask CR will give you the drivers.

Wait, are you saying a socket "almost" the same size as the seal isn't a "proper" seal driver???

Truck Shop said:

If you buy enough CR seals and or ask CR will give you the drivers.

Click to expand...

I was about to mention that as I read the post!

DMiller said:

Is a LOT cleaner resealing a Oil Hub rather than sit and hand pack or even bearing packer load cones and rollers. Last several New to Me Grease packed bearings on a early repack as ran warm were found to have had NO Grease placed in the center reservoir, cheapskates. Have had several friends machines show up same way, no reason to save PENNIES on not filling the center with lube.

Click to expand...

Can't justify packing center cavity unless it's a really liquidy grease. The old bearing grease of the 60's and 70's used to stay right where you left it. I'd pull hubs and rotors and see the marks the previous guy left in the grease. Grease doesn't seem to move without help, in my experience anyway.

What about the old block o wood in the corner, we shouldn't use that and a 12lb to drive the seal in?

Tags said:

Wait, are you saying a socket "almost" the same size as the seal isn't a "proper" seal driver???

Click to expand...

At an average price for drive seals at $36.00 I suppose Harbor Freight has something on the shelf to
smash it into place and mangle it.

funwithfuel said:

What about the old block o wood in the corner, we shouldn't use that and a 12lb to drive the seal in?

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I use a five pound-three swats till it rings.

funwithfuel said:

What about the old block o wood in the corner, we shouldn't use that and a 12lb to drive the seal in?

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I'm with you except I lay the block of wood on it flat and aim for the center. Still holding up a year later...