One of the best guys I've ever worked with, and I mean that in about every way possible, spent a few weeks in the burn unit after using gas to clean some turbo oil feed lines. Air compressor kicked on when he was blowing the gas out of the lines and ignited the atmosphere in his garage. Burned about 1/3 of his house down doing it too.
I like brake clean, outside, over a drain pan for stuff like this. That's assuming that I don't have access to a parts washer with water based cleaner in it (Simple Green works pretty well).
A Parts cleaner would be fine. Break clean is a no go unless you want to use about 10 cans per hub. Axle grease is tough to get rid of. Diesel is ideal. Knowing the dangers, I've used gas in the past because it's what was handy and I did it all outside and then air-dried the parts.
I am curious if anyone was taught to fill the entire cavity in a formal educational format or how the technique became widespread?
There are plenty of vids out there on how to do it, packing the bearings by hand is surprising easy and efficient. In tech schools years ago one was taught to just use the necessary grease, the opposite of those who believe in packing the cavity full of grease. I am curious if anyone was taught to fill the entire cavity in a formal educational format or how the technique became widespread?
If you want to save money and time running around looking for parts go to Waymire, Paul's trailer, or Midwest Brake.
We make alot of $ off of people putting to much grease in the hub. It will blow out the seal & we charge $90 an hour to clean the grease off the brakes or if it to bad, the shoes have to be replaced.
He is right about grease stopping crud and moisture, just don't go crazy.
Grease doesn't heat expand, can't blow the seal out on it's own.
I guess you could pump the seal out while pressure pumping grease in, but you would have to be pretty inexperienced for that.
A completely filled hub/bearing cavity is desirable, particularly in wet, high grit situations.
Mud is liquid sand paper... That's why 4x4 guys pump hubs full.
And again, I will point you to 'Bearing Buddy' and similar products that have been around for 50 years or more that keep the hub cavity not only full, but under spring pressed keep forcing grease into the cavity as small amounts escape past the bearings.
The issue with trailers is often humidity & sitting still. Bearings rust.
Keep them full and moist air doesn't get in, and surfaces stay coated in grease.
Even if a seal partly fails, the grease is your second line of defense,
If the hub is full, it's safe.
Timkin web site says specifically bearings are still US made, but seals can come from anywhere.
Notice I didn't say Timkin seals only...
Since the old grit guard seals aren't made anymore it's a crap shoot...
If you think you got a COUNTERFEIT, look for the Greek symbol at the end of the part number ON THE BEARING, and look it up on Timkin's website.
Keep in mind Timkin makes commerical aircraft bearings and their anti-counterfeit measures are the best I know about.
Part numbers have date codes,. It can be anticipated, but the Greek symbol means counterfeiters are always a step behind.
Information on having hubs and bearings packed full of grease can be found in the
Marine Corps Horse Pulled Caisoon Service Manual Dated 1882.
It's interesting that lubrication would be the second line of defense....
Can you please point to any accredited sources such as FAA, SAE, ASE, etc that state you should pack bearings as you say? The manufacturer of bearing buddys doesn't count
We have a Haulmark race trailer that came with hubs that have a rubber cap. Remove the rubber cap and there is a grease zerk. The info that came with the trailer specifies to pump in grease until you get a sufficient amount of used old grease out. At the beginning of every season we pump in new grease and have never had a problem with a bearing.
I have no idea what brand hubs are on it though.
We have a Haulmark race trailer that came with hubs that have a rubber cap. Remove the rubber cap and there is a grease zerk. The info that came with the trailer specifies to pump in grease until you get a sufficient amount of used old grease out. At the beginning of every season we pump in new grease and have never had a problem with a bearing.
I have no idea what brand hubs a... on it though.
It's called ez lube and probably a Dexter.
Dexter used to use a gray grease & there would be hardly any on the axles they put together. Whatever it was it was great. I would see trailers that were 5-10 years old that still had it in the hubs and the bearing were in great shape, now they use a red grease, it's still good, but I don't think it's as good as the gray stuff.