Grease for bearings

[Mattblack]

I'm going to attempt to re-pack the boat trailer bearings for the 1st time and would appreciate some advice:
Should you pack them by hand or use a specific bearing packer tool?
Can any marine grease be used or do you need specific 'bearing grease'.
Is there a preferred brand of grease people use (I've used the red Inox stuff, but it seems to liquefy when sitting in the gun especially over summer)
Cheers!

[Fahro]

Are you just re greasing? Or are you changing the bearings, seals etc? Do you have bearing buddies?

[purple5ive]

you need to use marine grease, they are made for the marine environment and have a higher heat rating from what ive been told.
ive just packed them by hand previously.
are you changing the bearings out as well?? make sure you get the marine seals not normal road seals.

[Mattblack]

Just going to re-grease this year....and they are standard bearings/dust covers.

[purple5ive]

replace them man, std seals will let more salt water in than a marine one as its just a basic dust cover.
your bearings will be most likley corroded by now and almost all of your grease might have leaked out the dust cover by now
see how you go when you take them out anyway..

[Persistence]

I'd be interested in what you find when you take them out to re-grease.

[Mattblack]

Apologies...I'm presuming they are standard marine grade bearings (I hope Dunbier use marine grade!)...and no, I don't have bearing buddies.
Is it better to bite the bullet and get new bearings every year?

[Fahro]

Marine grease is preferable, must be Lithium grease, due to its capability of handling extreme temperatures. You can pack by hand, and if you're going to remove the bearings from the hub , then make sure the grease passes through the grooves of the bearings, messy job.

Keep plenty of rags about

[Sinsemilla]

There is no need to get new bearings after a year. as long as you clean and regrease them they should last a few years. Marine bearing grease will be fine.
Pack by hand (with gloves on) and make sure you really push the grease into the bearings until its coming out the other side. those bearing packers are rubbish.

I wouldn't trust dunbier to use jap quality bearings.. If they are shot make sure you get the jap bearings.

Cheers, Anth

[drew 2]

As others have said make sure you check them well out before putting them back in.If you find a crook one change the lot.
I'd get the numbers off them while you got it apart and buy yourself a spare set for next time anyway.Always handy to have.
Sourcing bearings from the local bearing/engineering supply place rather than the chain stores is a good way to avoid dodgy quality.