How to repack bearings on a Harbor Freight Trailer

[@jameskleist4019]

For the 1st time, I saw someone pack bearings the way I learned in high school in a class that doesn't exist anymore. Good job! 👍 PS I was in high school in the late 1960s and 70s.

[@HUAZCine]

I've owned two of these trailers, my father in law also owned one. NEVER had issues with bearings. Just seems like something that gets hyped up on the internet after a recall and now the helpful Ace Hardware folks say, "yep, in addition to cranking on 148 nuts and bolts, gotta repack those bearings..." with a cheap piece of plywood and some 2x4s, stock LED lights, and stock bearings on my rig- I've helped friends move, done 4-6 dump runs, two film shoots- and have yet to have a single failure/issue with it.

[@phantomshtter]

EXACTLY. What I have learned in buying one of these and jumping on the Facebook page, is that these guys will literally look for extra stuff to add in getting these trailers rolling. Where precisely is it stated that it's just shipping grease??? Someone show me, I'll wait. This is silly, aside from the fact his bearing was actually dry.

[@ry2456]

Thank you so much. I am working on putting my 1920 lb trailer together now. I had the bearings full, but didn't know what to do about replacing the grease between the bearings. It's been a LONG time since i did anything with bearings like this. You have been a huge help. Looks like I need to get more grease. I agree that the way these come full of grease is ridiculous. Spent so much time and mess cleaning them.

[@jimrosesadventureinmanilap715]

Something to remember.. After 1500 pounds in many States of the USA... You are going to need trailer brakes.

[@wellsd1959]

This is exactly how I learned to pack bearings back in the early 70s...good job!

[@ridemfast7625]

The inner bearing and seal can be removed by using a 32mm socket and tapping the inner bearing outer cage from inside the hub. Easier, faster and less effort. And Lubrimatic High Temp Disc/Drum Brake Wheel Bearing Grease is one of the best.

[@herbmanning8348]

I used the plastic handle of a large Philips screwdriver and tapped the inner bearing and seal out with a hammer. They both came out easily and with no metal to metal damage.

[@osvaldoumana4494]

I just finished doing my bearings....this video has 18k + views... think I was the one that viewed it the last 3k while working on my trailer...... Thank you...thank you... thank you...!!!!!

[@mctenold]

Tip when spraying brake cleaner, wear eye protection. I've had it splash off of what I was spraying and go back into my eye. Never again, that stuff is harsh.

[@TrueHelpTV]

that rear bearing trick is something I'll never forget. ty

[@dustsmoke]

You don't need to take the bearings out and do all that. The blue stuff is just standard grease suitable for axles. All you do is put the wheels on and pump some more grease through the grease fitting which hits both bearings. I wouldn't mess with the seals or you're asking for things to leak.

[@christianjensen3182]

I never knew this about the "grease" that comes in the bearings. I have been running my HF trailer for about 8 years on the original grease. I wonder what it's going to look like.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

LOL ... only one way to find out ...

[@calicuts909]

We’re you using it on the freeway as well?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

@@calicuts909 ... I've used mine a lot on freeway ... laden/unladen; 100+ degrees to freezing; 55-65 mph (or even more when unladen), and often check hubs for any sign of overheating. So far, I've never felt them any warmer than ambient air temp. But that's after cleaning/repacking the bearings with a high-speed, industrial-grade grease (e.g., Valvoline Cerulean), and replacing the OE dust caps with Bearing Buddies ...

[@skippylippy547]

@@dmrtechnology6033 I use bearing buddies on my boat trailer. It really works!

[@genegene3348]

I put mine together one day over loaded it the next day then pulled it over 3k miles the third day. That has been 7 years ago and although i have probably only used it 2 or 4 times since, and only to haul my trash off, about 6 miles round trip. I have never had any problems even with the factory grease. I recently, last weekend, dissasembled it back to a folding frame, and inspected the bearings. Other than being a little thin on grease the bearings have no discernable problems. I did repack them and installed buddy bearing caps before i stored it. Proper caps to fit were not as easy as i expected in my area. Not sure this is a statement on HF trailer quality because I have however had a very blessed life.

[@thishombre1979]

*crenelations not castleations Thanks for the breakdown. Super helpful!

[@dondale68]

Thanks for the 'heads up',, on the low shipping grease, possibly a dry bearing, and the replacement parts. I wonder with the right sizes, if we can match up some Timken bearings and some CR seals??????

[@paulklingele]

I bought the Ironton version, my bearings were 30205 (imprinted on the back of the bearing).

[@southernexposure123]

They tell you to clean out the shipping grease because it's not road worthy? What else did they cut corners on? Cheap, soft steel? I was thinking about buying a HF trailer. Now I'm not so sure.

[@AerialLensVideo]

THANKS! This really opened my eyes; I'm getting ready for a 3000 R/T trip carrying maybe 1000lb each way with the same HB trailer you have, and WOW! Gotta do this before I go! By the way, since I have no spare, should I change the tires (maybe made from rubberized paper mache'), too?

[@user-gi3xj8nz3s]

First time using a harbor freight greese gun was unable to remove is this the way to remove grease gun right angle and then pop out like you said in your video

[@Tsiri09]

Thank you for this wonderful video. Too many new trailer owners think that "trailer in a box" items are ready to go. You found dry bearings, which could be a disaster on the road.

[@mainj54]

I was taught in auto shop class not to load hub with grease. When it gets hot and expands it will leak past seals. Just lightly coat inside of hub and a little around the bearings.

[@ridemfast7625]

Timken recommends this method also.

[@drummerjosh1984]

And he mentions that it leaked two weeks later hmmm

[@kdstoffel7574]

Yep. I was talking to the screen, “waaay too much grease!”

[@maineiacoutdoors689]

I spent a few years as a USAF Equip mechanic. Stopped watching before he even got the cap off. We never degreased bearings, we just packed more grease in usually with the palm method. And yes, SOME grease in the cavity, but not packed full. I built my trailer (1720) summer of 2020 and the bearings look just fine out of the box.

[@da324]

@@maineiacoutdoors689 Ever had any issues mixing two different types of grease?

[@EliteGeeks]

"packing grease" I have owned a dozen of these HF Trailers over the last 25 years, never changed the grease out till it was well worn after 5 years and never had issues... now I am not saying do not add grease, I am saying removing the blue bearing grease is not needed when new. The Blue Grease is a high-quality, multipurpose, extreme-pressure (EP), lithium grease for industrial equipment operating under heavy loads and at high temperatures. Best to just Inspect all the parts as you build it and after 100 miles check the hubs, after 3k miles swap the grease.

[@billwiley7216]

I see a lot of comments suggesting bearing buddies I have seen a lot more problems with ruining the seals caused by bearing buddies than problems actually solved! Pack your bearings correctly with a good high quality grease and they rarely need to be looked at again until after many, many miles. Biggest issues with these small trailers is people wanting to run 80 miles an hour on these small 8" wheels, do you realize how many rpm's those bearings are spinning at those speeds with those small tires?

[@brentbradley6711]

You guys are over thinking it , I just added grease when new and still great at 18 years......

[@Christopher_R]

Are both bearings identical? I may as well replace all 4…

[@guyh.4553]

I absolutely need to do this to mine! Very informative sir! What about just replacing the bearings all together? And I've seen a lot of folks put on Bearing Buddies, thoughts? Lastly make dang well sure you put the lug nuts on correctly! Cone shape in, NOT the flat surface. From personal experience, it's an expensive screw up!

[@r.weaver3769]

I take and put back on trailer without outer bearing, install nut on shaft, abruptly yank wheel/hub off, may take a couple of yanks but bearing and seal will come off normally unharmed.

[@josecabrera5632]

What good bearings would you suggest to use? Could those OEM ones be replaced by a Japanese sealed ones?

[@DaninVirginia]

Outstanding video. Thanks for taking the time to teach this! You saved me a lot of trouble.

[@user-gi3xj8nz3s]

I put the grrease gun back on and pumped more geese into grease hole I spun the tire after I had done everything and my wheel spun freely on the right not on the left tire it stopped after a few spins like 5 does that mean I might have tightened the screw to right on the axle should I loosen it up a bit ? What do you suggest?

[@karlthoennes3942]

I've been running a HF trailer for 16 years, hundreds of miles every year, and NEVER greased or repacked the bearings. Last weekend I thought, okay, fine, after all those years I'm living on borrowed time, let's do it. The original grease was still in there and still looked okay Maybe I'm just freakishly lucky.

[@motarted1735]

Great informative video. I wonder why they just didn't opt for the better grease? They are only reducing the cost by pennies and adding much more labour to the customer. I wonder if anyone has burned up their bearing by not changing the grease? My inner bearing was completely covered by grease out of the box and the entire assembly was much more packed with grease. Very interesting.... Lol. Have a nice day

[@scottjohnson676]

Wouldn't packing with new grease automatically push out the old grease?

[@waymenlawrence2064]

No

[@brentbradley6711]

@@waymenlawrence2064 yes

[@zombanator3000]

@@brentbradley6711 no. And mixing greases is never a smart idea. Never know how the base oils and thickener might react with one another.

[@ramroad2008]

Where did you get the idea that this is shipping grease? When items are shipped for protection they are coated in oil. Not packed, assembled, and greased. You read the instructions wrong. What it says is “Whenever a hub is disassembled (if a hub on a new unit requires assembly or a hub is disassembled for maintenance), the following procedure must be obeyed. Then it lists the steps. I am on my second trailer. After selling the first. Never repacked the bearings. Don’t waste your time.

[@foxmulder7616]

I think your right! The idea that its "shipping grease" doesn't sound right I'm gonna replace the wheels anyways. My instructions just say pump 8/10 pumps of grease in, it doesn't say anything about repacking. And it looks like there's plenty in there.

[@AerialLensVideo]

Very helpful and well done - Thanks! I wil do this the grease replacement right away, but do you think the titres are any good for other than local driving - like a hundred miles on the highway with moderate weight of a few hundred pounds - what did you do, tire-wise? Oh, and by the way, did you have any trouble with the lighting that comes with the trailer - mine does NOT work correctly at all and makes the whole dashboard in the car flash (honest, it's crazy, so i gotta figure out what the problem is now after going exactly by their wiring directions).

[@smithmal01]

Thanks for this. Really helpful. One of my HF dust caps fell off. Does anyone have any idea where I can obtain another one?

[@kdstoffel7574]

Uh... Harbor Freight? Not tryna be a smart ass, but I believe the hubs are all metric so over the counter solutions are probably not likely. HF might have some on the shelf or at least be able to order some from their distribution center.

[@smithmal01]

@@kdstoffel7574 Thanks. I found out that HF sells dust caps called "bearing buddies" which is what everyone seems to purchase. I think they are like $5 for a pair.

[@chrishoganfishing]

I appreciate the information and the dry humor, very enjoyable lol

[@unitcharles689]

Its easy. Wipe out some of the original grease. Then start pumping quality grease onto the grease fitting. And use the trailer and pump grease as needed. Now the model i have has a grease valve fitting.

[@Blade_Outdoors]

Is the grease seal at the rear bearing rubber? I have a hub with a rubber seal.🤷‍♂️

[@Johnleefromthemist]

hey bro this maybe a stupid question sorry for my ignorance but do you have to balance the trailer tires ? i am new to trailers

[@brentbradley6711]

Some people do but it's a waste of money.

[@Johnleefromthemist]

@@brentbradley6711 ok cool man

[@jcarlson2727]

mine needed a full 2 oz on one side to balance - highly recommend if you're doing lots of highway miles - static balancer works fine.. i use one for motorcycle tires.

[@brentbradley6711]

2 oz is nothing.........waste of time

[@paulklingele]

+1 for the Fifth Element reference

[@dtdionne]

So the axels aren’t like 1 1/16”?

[@zombanator3000]

No. Metric. 25mm Id I believe. I got gifted one of these trailers and that's as much as I know so far

[@marbinbarrios5866]

not proper cotter pin installation. ida. inward downward and aft

[@stephennewman5900]

Thanks for the very thorough explanations.

[@justingarza1253]

Are all trailer bearings the same size or is there a specific size I need to replace for my harbor freight trailer?

[@justingarza1253]

@Sarsoar will definitely take a look...thank you

[@byronmill]

Many small boat and utility trailers similar in size to the harbor freight ones use 1"spindles on the axles for both the outer and inner bearing. The harbor freight trailers on the other hand use a 25 mm spindle which is equal to .984". The parts from a 1" bearing and hub kit look almost like they will work, but they will not.

[@solarpoweredboat]

@@byronmill EXCELLENT ADVICE!

[@danielberry6]

Looks like I found something I need to do for the used on I just bought.

[@j.w.3345]

It's packing grease. it says in the instructions 'REPACK THE BEARINGS'. You may have damaged the seals when you ripped it across the threads for the castle nut. Put a thin coat of grease on the axle and lip where the seal will sit before you slide the hub on. Not the best way to remove seals.

[@DD-uf2uo]

Stop the video at 4:18 and you will see the seal Never came in contact with the axle threads. Even the Bearing is still on the smooth part of the axle also.

[@da324]

My instructions do not say to repack the bearings and I just bought it. They give instructions if you want to repack them at some point. The bearings are packed perfectly with a machine. Why would they bother to do that when bearings sit on shelves for long periods of time in auto part stores without packing grease? This trailer is designed for the every day do it yourselfer, not a trailer and axle pro.

[@billypirtle1443]

Back when I got mine you had to pack the bearn thy where not in the hub mine is an 1982 model still going today not bad for a 40 year old trailer.

[@acjmathis]

One informative and cool video.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Re the "update," I had the same issue with one of the two hubs after repacking, but I also replaced the OE dust covers with Bearing Buddies, so the slight pressure applied by the spring plate built into the Buddies (3 psi) might have contributed to the leakage. I think part of this is due to the inner hub surface that mates with the seal being too rough/uneven to allow a proper seal. The effect is compounded when you yank out and re-use the seal ... the seal may "look" intact, but it is damaged nonetheless. If/when I pull out/re-do the bearing job again, I'm going to check these surfaces and hone them out a little, if/as needed, to smooth out any rough spots, AND replace both seals with new ones.

[@SSBeastman77]

Thanks for the video Dan. How fast do you take the trailer? Does the addition of high speed grease allow you to take trailer faster than 45 MPH?

[@brandonpratt5130]

I have almost 2,000 miles on mine at about 70% weight cap at 75mph no issues yet. Never very long trips but 150 mi in a day is normal

[@ElJefe-zu4ee]

The speed rating is 100% dictated by tire type, no need to get different anything except tires. I’ve been using the 45 mph rated tires at 70-80 all summer with no issues.

[@andycanfixit]

Look for that tire size but in radial tire instead of the bias ply tires it comes with, you can find them only for $45-$60is a tire and they'll be rated for 80 miles per hour. Radial will dissipate heat a lot better than a bias ply will at high speeds and that's why they hold up better.

[@TroyWarr1980]

@@ElJefe-zu4ee I bought one recently, manufactured late 2022, and it actually came with Carlisle Sport Trail LH bias-ply tires (pretty good quality considering the low kit price) that are N rated for 87mph. I had budgeted a tire upgrade but definitely won't need one since I top out around 65 while towing. Maybe they've started including better tires. Not a bad deal!

[@matrixownz]

Part numbers !

[@levimaor123]

I used my hf trailer for about 150 miles on the freeway the first time using it with the grease it came with, the bearing were busted by the time I got finished the 2 hour ride

[@MrLegit-mq9ki]

I'm guessing you were speeding since you didnt state your speed, and the grease it comes with is supposed to be replaced, as it's not highway worthy high temp grease, so you overheated the bearings by going whatever, 75 mph?

[@genegene3348]

My first trip with my "overloaded" HF trailer was just over 3k miles. Since i found i can get appx an extra 6 mpg at 60 mph, i set cruze at 60 and let it roll. Only stops were for refueling. Fresh out of the box with prepakaged grease. Did notice the hubs seemed a bit warm at a couple stops, but couldn't feel any difference than the hubs on my van. Had zero problems from trailer. Only problems i had were breaking the hitch pins the held the couplers together. And i think that was caused by bottoming out the hitch a time or six.

[@jamesscott3164]

You are better off getting regular wheel bearing grease because it is heavier duty and will protect better than just regular grease.

[@genegene3348]

Couldn't you just replace the cap with a buddy bearing cap, fill it with good hitemp grease? Then as the cheap grease dissipates the good grease will automatically fill that void. Check it every long trip and refill buddy bearing cap as needed?

[@brentbradley6711]

YES AND BEARING BUDDY IS A RIP OFF item

[@patw9175]

@@brentbradley6711 how can you agree with that and also say the bearing buddy is a ripoff? Your 9 word sentence is somehow in conflict.

[@frankbatenga3167]

There is a grease nipple on the back of the hub so you don't have to remove everything. You put a grease gun on it and pump grease in it

[@G_The_Fishing_Reel_Tor]

Changed the rubber seals with metal seals.

[@96conv]

Did you torque down the lug nuts after?

[@fishingmojados1121]

80

[@sjfk1306]

When someone kind of knows what to do but has no idea why they are doing it or how a bearing works…. 😂

[@jeffconnors4631]

Is it really necessary to fill the hub and dust cap with grease?

[@solarpoweredboat]

Haha- No!

[@GrantOakes]

A couple of other channels also recommend that the bearings actually be replaced as they are VERY cheap, inferior ones from the factory (in China). Also, the corrosion is most likely due to the salty sea mist on the ship coming over from China. Another good idea is to either replace the hardware with grade 5 or grade 8 and use lock nuts, not lock washers. It won't take much road use to loosen them up and you'll end up with missing bolts and a serious issue on your hands. I plan on welding mine together after I true everything up, that will make for a VERY sold base for my teardrop trailer.

[@MrSTOUT73]

Ran mine for over 20 years and thousands of miles with original bearings without issue. Just repacked and adjusted them every year.

[@dustsmoke]

Almost all bearings these days are from China. They're fine...

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Sucks ... doesn't it. Good/helpful video, with two items to note. It's easier to "thump" the rear bearing/seal out with the wheel still attached to the hub (easier to grip the tire than the much smaller hub), and the extra weight of the wheel gives more heft to each yank needed to dislodge the rear seal. Second, I HIGHLY recommend use of a denser, high-speed grease (e.g., Valvoline Cerulean) for re-packing the bearings on this particular trailer ... the high speed grease will not only hold up better in wet environments, it will help prevent overheating of the bearings/hubs at normal highway towing speeds. For an added layer of protection/convenience, replace the cheap OE dust covers with Bearing Buddies, which, among other helpful features, replace the OEM's awkwardly-located, non-standard grease fittings with easily accessible, standard ones.

[@JoseArmendariz-z9f]

Que mal el golpear en lugares donde no se golpea

[@mercedescherokee6853]

That 5th element quote killed me!!!

[@frankmondo756]

I think the movie The 5th Element is so funny and I missed the reference, I went to the microwave twice when viewing. Now I have to watch this video again.

[@CosmicNuisance]

I don't have much to contribute but I do know it's easier to take the dust covers off with channel locks.

[@WayPastCrazy2525]

Nooooooo! Channel locks will cause abrasion to the covers. Plus it will almost assuredly cause the cover to warp from the compression.

[@CosmicNuisance]

@@WayPastCrazy2525 I do it at work. It doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to come off and go back on. Any warping can be squeezed out using the channel locks.

[@SprayandPrey11]

Now just gotta do the other side!

[@physicaldetails8492]

Good job

[@RandyRandersonthefamous]

very high quality video!

[@TheGrainDoctor]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@TheGrainDoctor]

I built my trailer today - couldn't have done it without your video, so thanks!

[@billcayemberg2104]

Very useful video thanks! Useful tip for you please invest in a tripod....they are cheap and the shaking/moving camera is tough to watch.

[@Joenoblocks]

Don’t take that whole rear bearing out just squeeze grease in the grease fitting and you’re good to go That’s why it’s dry just pack the front like the instruction say

[@peacetoearth]

you can put grease on your finger and inserted where the bearings are inside the wheel and surround them with grease without removing them, you can put the wheel on axel and spin it a bit, the grease with be automatically around all the bearing, then remove, the wheel and check, you will see the grease is inside and out of bearing. also if you don't wanna do any of this just put the,wheels on, as they came from manifacture ,and use your trailer around your town(about 40 miles or so) , then inspect the the axle,wheels,for over heat or any wavling or looze/shaking. if none, then wheels and trailer are good to roll 😉. 👍

[@everettsmith971]

I hear that the blue stuff inside the wheel is not grease but packing to keep them from rusting? Any info?

[@da324]

Around them yes, but that method does not pack grease between the little rollers.

[@anthonybarbee8828]

Please don’t do what this dude does replacing the grease is fine but that’s all

[@chicagotruckerlifeforlife5570]

Thank You…👍

[@ColdShoulderMedia]

Seems like way too much grease...

[@lexiemn]

You can never have too much grease.

[@herbmanning8348]

Oh yes you can @@lexiemn

[@abdulnawaz4314]

Very good

[@Channel_unavailable614]

Well see how long that repair last smh

[@robertmadsen8687]

I'm 60 years old. I have never heard of cutting of a portion of the cotter pin.

[@larryharvey7709]

Sorry. Can’t watch the hammer beating any more. 😂

[@garyfrank1521]

Pretty cool, huh?

[@markgraves9429]

Walter White lmao

[@robertuffman3041]

i love the WW comment. i bet alot of people didn't get it. lol

[@H4v0kksh0tgunMan]

Thx u

[@renzogamarra81]

You need some latex gloves man. Rookie

[@brentbradley6711]

crummy intro

[@echo8287]

I'll tell you what's a no go> that loud ass music at the beginning of your video. Do you know anything about editing? Some people listen on headphones and you blast the living shit out of em with that intro. Learn how to edit your videos> you are not alone in this regard.