Trailer bearings - question

Today I winterized the boat and noticed that the trailer bearings seem to be leaking grease on the inboard side of the wheels.

Every few weeks, prior to taking a trip I shoot some grease in the bearing buddies so the spring loaded blue rings line up with the outside of the bearing buddy insert. I then put the caps back on. I’m thinking I have been over filling them.

Have I damaged anything? or are they made to allow some grease to seep out on the inside when over filled?

Thanks for your help

Rick

I'm not saying there won't be anyone on here that would know but this may be a better question to ask over on bassboatcentral. There WILL be someone over there that will answer your question and if you have never been to the site check it out you'll like it.

You will be ok. When I worked at Thoroughbred boat trairlers many moons ago that how we would fill new bearing, we would fill them till they started to come out around the rear seals.

I would replace rear seal

I don't know if it is the right thing to do but I have been greasing mine until it came out the back for 11 years and many miles and the bearings are still fine.

The rear seals are not suppose to leak grease. PERIOD. Bearing Buddies are made so that they keep a constant grease pressure via the springs on the outside bearing side. Fill the grease fitting on the bearing buddies with grease until the springs pop out. If you have grease leaking out on the inner part of your wheels then your rear seal is leaking and must be replace. If grease can get out though the rear seal then water can get in though the rear seal. The rear seal is very close to the actual steel bearing races and you sure don't want water sitting in those bearings for any period of time. Bearing tend to rust when they get exposed to water.

I see grease leak out of the front of my bearing buddies when I over fill them. I just take some paper towels out to the boat trailer and clean up any excess grease that leaks out of the front sides. Then I reinstall the bearing buddie Bras back on the bearing buddies before heading out. I refill my bearing buddies with new grease a lot. Once ever other trip.

Remember when you travel a long ways and the bearing inside the wheel get hot they heat up any air inside the bearings. When you back a trailer wheel into relative cold water the air inside the bearings will be compress and form a vaccume inside the bearings. This will #### grease in toward the bearings and water will seap into the rear seals if they are leaking. And if the rear seals are ok the the springs on the bearing buddies will compress the grease inside the bearings as any vaccume is formed. This prevents the water from reaching the bearings.

Make sure that you get the right sized rear seals that fit your axle or spindle. You want those rear seals to seal tight and not leak any at all.

If you see grease slung around on the INSIDE of your trailer tires or wheels then your rear seals need to be fixed.

I would replace the seals. The 7 or 8 bucks each is worth the peace of mind.

Time to replace the rear seals, if you don't it will only get worse and sling grease everywhere underneath. Also you are probably adding too much grease which has blown out your inner seals. Those buddy bearing grease indicators get stiff over time and just because you don't see blue doesn't mean you don't have enough grease, it's easy to over grease if you are not careful.

Thanks for the info. you all are great!

I will replace the seals asap.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday.

Rick

Please wear your life jackets out there!;)