? about bearings

[Brian Toth]

I greased my wheel bearings on my trailer the other day and whenever I pumped the grease in water came out of the bearings. Does anyone know what caused this ? And does anyone know where to buy the little rubber cap that goes over that grease fitting on a 00 model nitro trailer?

 

[Jim B]

Tehre are really only a few reasons you would have water in there. one is that little rubber cap, if its cracked it will let water in. Another is the reas seal is due for replacement. The third is you dunked it in the water with the bearings hot after a long tow, if you tow any distance let them cool down before you dunk it in. If you put them in hot when it hits the cold water it will suck water right in there.



Regardless if you havge water in there a take apart, inspection and repack is in order to make sure nothing bad may be brewing. A seal replacment is a normal part of that job. as far as the little caps go you can get then at the link i put below part number 3079.
http://www.championtrailers.com/dust_caps.html

 

[Brian Toth]

the rubber caps are definitely cracked... Im guessing thats how the water got in.... it has the flow thru hubs... do you think the bearings and seals need to be replaced??

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

A Trailer shop will have the rubber caps. I carry extra. Be careful not to overfill with grease.



TOXIC

 

[Dan J.]

They're designed to be in and out of water. I use Henry Ford's motto of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." You definitely want to be up on your bearing maintenance and as Jim pointed out, it's never a bad idea to repack to verify. What I would recommend is to get replacement dust shields and pump the Flo-Thru hubs full of a good, lithium, marine grade grease. I like a white color to keep as a gage of grease's durability. As you pump your hub full, the old grease gets pushed back through the bearings and out the front for inspection and clean up. When you see the new colored grease coming back out the front, you'll know you have pretty thoroughly flushed out the old grease and replaced it with the new. Do both sides like that, put the dust covers on and your done. Then periodically, as use dictates, pump grease a few times into the zirc hub to see the color coming out and determine the wear on your grease/hubs. Good luck!

 

[Dan J.]

Oh yeah, the Flo-Thru hubs can't be over filled when functioning properly. Unless there is some strange blockage, they will hold a finite amount on the bearings/races and the rest pushes through out the front. Whatever grease comes out the front wipe clean and use that clean area as another visual indicator of wear/use.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Is there any grease on the back of the wheels?

If not...your seals should be allright but, I keep a spare set of seals and bearings just in case

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Dan, the reason I said that is that I was told by my trailer shop that by forcing grease out the back seal you can damage the seal. If you want to clean out and re-pack pull em' out and don't do it the overfill way. Then for in-between maintenance just give them a couple pumps a couple times a season. They hated the spring loaded bearing caps.



TOXIC

 

[Dan J.]

Tox - Flo-Thru's do not force grease out the back seal. The axle spindle is drilled and the channel opening inserts the grease at the back of the bearing/race, pushing through the bearing and out the front. On a traditional spindle/bearing buddy application I agree with you wholeheartedly. The Flo-Thru system, however, really is a great system that removes a lot of the problems away from hubs and is the most user friendly I've experienced. They're not infallible, but close.



Here's a pic of the axle you describe with grease packed from front:



http://www.onboardwithmarkcorke.com/.a/6a010536216f64970b01156f35c422970c-400wi



Here's a pic of the Flo-Thru type packed from rear:


http://www.championtrailers.com/images/cuthub.gif

 

[TOMMY RICH]

If the seals are bad, the grease will come out the fractured seal and sling it on the wheels.

I replace my seals about every 4 years regardless when I pull the wheel to check the bearings every winter. Easy job...just gotta make sure you get the right ones.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Mine load from the front. 2000 Trailstar.



TOXIC

 

[Dan J.]

Actually Tox, unless you've changed your axles/hubs out, your zirc fitting is in the front, but you should have Flo-Thru hubs as standard factory issue from Trailstar as depicted in the second pic above. It was a standard feature on your trailer at that time, and also years prior and for many years after. If your zirc fitting is mounted into the center of the spindle under the black rubber dust cover, you have the Flo-Thru's. Your 2000 929 trailer combo would be the first I've ever seen without them and I'm willing to bet, the first known to the factory. (I had a couple 2000 9 series as drivers that year and many others before and after, all with flow-Thru's.) Check your dealer or call Tracker to check my statements, because I think somehow, somewhere, somebody steered you wrong. Just trying to help.

 

[TrepMan]

Dan do you know if a local trailer shop or if BPS would carry the rubber caps? I've torn one of mine on the Nitro trailer, and for a $1.50 part Champion Trailers has a $7.50 shipping charge.

 

[Jay K]

I havea quick question about grease coming out through the front on my dust caps. They are not cracked, but ever since I first started greasing my hubs, I'll notice some grease on the front of my right hug after I go to the lake. I try to really clean out the extra grease, but I'm sure I'm not getting all of it. No water ever comes out.



I have no grease on the back of the hubs, and they do not get hot at all. Any ideas..am I just not gettting enough of the extra old grease out?



Thanks!

 

[Mike Clayton]

Learn something new every day....I always thought it was normal to have some water get in the bearings and when you added grease it would force that little bit of water out and that was one of the purpose's of having the grease fitting??

 

[TOMMY RICH]

The rubber caps you can get at most marinas and a lil' water is not gonna kill your bearings unless they've set for awhile. I pump the hubs up until you start seeing new grease coming out. I just grab an old towel and wipe all the old grease on it with my finger until I see new. I also leave some room room for expansion so no grease can squeeze out the front.

One reason I inspect the bearings every year for pits or scratches...saves trouble down the road. Also remember a full grease gun and an extra tube for if you have to change bearings out on the road. There's not a lot of places open for repair at 2:00 in the morning