How to Grease a Trailer Axle?

How to Grease a Trailer Axle?

Summary

The trailer axle may cause a certain degree of wear due to the long-term bearer of the load of the trailer. This article will specifically introduce the method of greasing the axle of the trailer.

How to Grease a Trailer Axle?
the method of greasing the axle of the trailer

The trailer axle may cause a certain degree of wear due to the long-term bearer of the load of the trailer. If the trailer axle is not frequently greased, there may be certain safety hazards, which may cause the trailer axle to fail. The following is the method of greasing the axle of the trailer.

Soak the trailer axle and spindle nut in kerosene

Use a small pan and fill the bottom with 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) of kerosene. Set the greasy axle and spindle nut into the kerosene and let them soak for about 10 minutes.

If you notice any damage to the bearings, like scratches, pitting, or discoloration, you’ll need to buy
replacements.

If you don't want to use kerosene, you could also use acetone or mineral spirits.

Warning: Kerosene is flammable, so don't use it around open flames and don't smoke or operate a lighter while you’re using it.

Clean the inner and outer races while the trailer axles are soaking

Wipe away any visible grease with a clean rag and visually examine them out to see if they are damaged at all. If you need to, dip an edge of a rag into kerosene and use it to clean off any stubborn grease.

Damage to a race might look like pits, dents, or scratches.

Just like there are inner and outer bearings, there are also inner and outer races. Thankfully, they are the same shapes and sizes, so you don't need to worry about getting them mixed up.

Replace the grease seal every time you grease the trailer axles

Even if the grease seal still appears to be in good condition, it's recommended that it be replaced every time you perform maintenance on the trailer axle bearings. Keep in mind that you’ll need 4-8 grease seals, just depending on how many wheels your RV or trailer has.

You can buy new grease seals online or at your local auto parts or trailer supply store.

Wipe down the clean bearings and spindle nut with brake cleaner

Take the axles and spindle nut out of the kerosene and set them on a clean rag or newspaper. Spray them with brake cleaner and either dry them off with another clean rag or let them air dry.

This step just helps get the trailer axles and spindle nut extra clean. If you feel satisfied with how the bearings look after soaking in the kerosene, you can skip this step.

You can buy break cleaner online or at an auto parts store.

Repack the axles with new grease

If you don’t want to get grease all over your hands, wear a pair of rubber gloves during this process because it can get messy. Scoop up about 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of grease with your fingers and manually push it into the bearings. Rotate the rollers as you go, making sure all of them are thoroughly covered. Coat the inside of the bearings, too.

Replace the bearings, hub, spindle nut, cotter pin, and dust cap

Use the wooden dowel and hammer to tap the bearings back into place in the hub. Then reassemble the rest of the trailer axle parts until the dust cap is popped back into place. Tap it with the hammer as well to make sure it is in there as securely as possible.

If your model of the trailer also had a nut and washer, don’t forget to replace those between the outer bearing and the spindle nut.

Put the tire and lug nuts back into place

Settle the wheel back onto the rod and screw the lug nuts back on with a wrench or tire iron. Once it is secured, you can lower the trailer jacks and move on to the next tire.

The correct cleaning and maintenance of the trailer axle can reduce the failure of the axle and extend its service life. If you feel that the above content is not very helpful to you after reading the above, you can get more detailed and comprehensive information and solutions by contacting us. At the same time, we also produce high-quality trailer axles and other trailer accessories to meet your purchase needs.

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