How Often Should I Repack My Trailer Bearings? (The 12-Month Rule)
Quick Summary:
The Rule: Repack bearings every 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.
The Myth: Pumping grease into the "EZ-Lube" zerk is not the same as a repack.
The Risk: Ignoring bearings leads to seized hubs, lost wheels, and ruined trips.
Quick Check: Use the "Touch Test" at gas stations to spot overheating hubs early.
The single most common roadside failure we see isn't a flat tire—it's a bearing failure.
A seized bearing is a nightmare scenario. It can fuse your hub to the spindle, cause the wheel to fly off on the highway, or even start a fire. The worst part? It is almost entirely preventable with a simple maintenance schedule.
"So, how often do I really need to repack them?"
The Industry Standard: Most axle manufacturers (like Dexter and Lippert) recommend a full bearing repack every 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Most people understand the mileage part, but they ignore the time part.
"But my trailer just sat in the driveway all year!"
That is often actually worse. When a trailer sits for long periods, moisture and condensation can build up inside the hub depending on the weather conditions. This causes the bearings to rust and pit.
When you finally hook up for a trip, that rough, rusty surface acts like sandpaper against the smooth metal race. While it might not fail instantly, it creates excessive heat and friction that degrades the system rapidly. It might last 50 miles or 500, but it is a ticking time bomb that will eventually fail, usually when you are furthest from a shop.
The "EZ-Lube" Myth (Read This Carefully)
Many modern trailers come with "EZ-Lube" axles, which feature a grease zerk fitting on the end of the spindle.
The Myth: "I don't need to take my hubs apart. I just pump fresh grease into the fitting once a year."
The Reality: That fitting is designed for adding grease between services, not replacing a full service. Furthermore, most people use them incorrectly.
To use an EZ-Lube system properly, you are supposed to jack up the axle and spin the tire while pumping the grease. This ensures the fresh grease distributes evenly inside the hub.
If you just pump grease into a stationary wheel (or pump it too fast), you create pressure pockets that will blow out the rear seal. Once the rear seal blows, grease spews out onto your brake assemblies. This coats your brake shoes and magnets in grease, effectively ruining your brakes. We see this constantly in the shop: a customer thinks they are maintaining their trailer, but they actually just destroyed their brakes.
How to spot a problem: The "Touch Test"
While you can't see the bearings without taking the wheel off, you can check for heat.
Every time you stop for gas, do a quick walk-around. Place the back of your hand on each wheel hub (the center part of the wheel).
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Warm is normal: Friction creates heat.
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Hot is a warning: If you cannot hold your hand on the hub because it burns, you have a failure in progress. Stop driving immediately.
What actually happens during a "Repack"?
When you bring your trailer to Jayhawk for a bearing pack, we don't just squirt grease in. It is a messy, thorough process:
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Disassembly: We remove the hub and clean out all the old, contaminated grease.
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Inspection: We inspect the "races" (the smooth metal rings the bearings roll on) and the bearings themselves for pitting, heat discoloration, or wear.
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New Seals: We always install a brand new high-quality grease seal. This keeps the grease in and the water out.
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Adjustment: We tighten the nut to the specific tension required so the wheel spins freely without wobbling.
"I think I'm overdue."
If you can't remember the last time your bearings were packed, you are likely overdue. Don't wait for the grinding noise—by then, you usually have to replace the axle spindle, which gets expensive fast.
If you need to schedule a repack or aren't sure what axles you have, let us know.
Contact: Service@jayhawktrailers.com parts@jayhawktrailers.com or 303-286-7293 option 1
Need more information? reach me at Cale@jayhawktrailers.com