Boat Trailer Wheel Bearing Grease for Hubs

Updated 04/29/2019 | Published 04/26/2019

Question:

Hello, I just inherited a boat and trailer. I inspected the wheel bearings by raising the wheels and trying to wiggle the tires back and forth no play and then I removed the wheels and the brake calipers and spun the hub by hand and it rotated nice and quiet. The hubs have bearing buddies and everything seems to be in great shape. The grease I can see is a darkish silvery color, unfortunately, I dont know what grease it is. If possible, I would like to avoid taking the hubs off and repacking the bearings with a known grease. Assuming the existing grease is appropriate for the application, and knowing the color, do you have any suggestions as to what the existing grease is, or if not, what greases might be compatible with it, so that I can simply pump a few shots into it as required? Many thanks!

asked by: Jim

Expert Reply:

I wouldn't be able to identify the grease you have based on just what you listed but I can tell you that there isn't a single grease that is compatible with everything. Most likely you have a marine grease in your hubs like the Lubrimatic # L54FR that you referenced but it's hard for me to determine this only based on what you listed. This would be a great choice when it's time to repack your bearings/hub.

Also you should note that using bearing buddies to add grease to a hub that doesn't need it is the most common way we see people blow out grease seals.

expert reply by: Jameson C