Trailer Bearings Question

I recently purchased a used boat, a 2002 pro craft. Today, after loading the boat, I noticed a large splatter of grease had come from the hub and gotten on the tire. Does this mean my seal has gone out on the interior bearing? I found a bearing repair kit with new seals. Is this what I need to do? First time boat owner, any help or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Do you have spring loaded bearing covers on the hubs? Overloading grease in those can cause expansion pressure to push past the seal on the backside to relieve that excess pressure. There's a proper way to service those fittings and "full" is not a friendly word for what it needs. Did you pump them full? (Some newbies default to this, thinking it's the thing to do.) The seal may not be blown if someone has filled them. You can usually clean it up without disassembly to inspect the seal from under the trailer to see if it has failed.

if you just bought the boat you should change all the bearings, seals etc. so you know when they were done last.
cheap insurance against sitting on the side of the road when one goes out.

Don't you like the thrill of gambling, hop?

get rid of "bearing buddys " they are hogwash --put a regular automotive dust cap on --if grease is not coming out anywhere there is absolutely no reason to put grease in --most cases of " blown seals are the results of such products !

You're correct. Due to almost nobody reading how they should be used, more damage results by having them.

I have replaced dozens of wheel bearings over the years. Best way to know what you need is to take the old ones out and get the numbers off of them. The seals and the bearing all have numbers on them except for the cheapest, cheesiest POS Chinese bearings, and even most of them are marked.

You will destroy the seals removing them, so you will have to replace the seals BUT, if the bearings and their races are not rusted, pitted, or corroded beyond recognition, you can clean them up and repack them with grease, put new seals in and be ready to go for $10 per wheel. I always use Bel Ray Waterproof Grease which is a High Temp wheel bearing grease that is readily available.

Very few boat trailers get enough miles on them to wear the bearings out unless they get water in them and rust/corrode.

Also, if you don't know the proper way to pack a wheel bearing, look it up. You do NOT just slap a glob of grease in there and call it packed.

Wayne

So true on packing bearings. I bought the "packer" tool at an auto-parts store, an inexpensive purchase for something so critical. The one I bought uses the force of the grease gun via a zerk fitting at the center.

You can pack a bearing just be putting the grease in the palm of your hand and mash the bearing into the grease till it comes out the other side.

^^^^^
This is what I would be doing.
Note: when you rebuild those hubs, write down the #'s of those bearings and seal. The next time you feel the need to do it or need to replace that back seal, you can order your parts ahead of time.
That or just buy an extra set at the time of your purchase.

You absolutely can pack them by hand and i think its a good thing to know how to do.

We have 4 tandem axle trailer and probably going to add to it soon, i like the pump up packer, i repacked the bearings on our utility trailer 2 weeks ago, less than a minute a bearing to pack and my hands stayed clean.

Quick check for the bearings. Jack up each wheel and spin it and listen for unusual sounds, growl/grind/clunk etc. check for excesive travel/play in hub and look around the back at the grease seal condition. If the seal is good not too much play and no noises let it ride.

I keep a box of different grades latex gloves I bought at Harbor Frieght. They come in handy for painting, oil changes, packing bearings, etc..