If you have driven or towed an RV, you'll know how important it is to keep your wheels lubricated. With all the excessive weight a travel trailer carries, it takes its toll on your wheels, but this is where wheel bearing grease comes in.
Good lubrication not only helps prevent friction and corrosion of metal parts, but it also cuts down the wear and tear rate of your wheels. And ultimately help prolong the life cycle of your parts and accessories.
There are different types of wheel bearing grease best suited for different vehicles or weather conditions, but what is the best wheel bearing grease for travel trailers?
In this article, we look at what we believe to be the best wheel bearing greases available in the market. We offer a guide on what to look for and what makes a wheel bearing grease ideal for a travel trailer. So, with that said, let's get straight into it...
Comparison Chart of the Best Wheel Bearing Greases For Travel Trailers
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What is Wheel Bearing Grease?
Wheel bearing grease is used as a lubricator for various automotive uses. It has an inorganic clay base and can withstand high pressures and temperatures without melting. It also prevents rusting and oxidation of the surface it is applied to, thus giving it protection and stability. It is essential for the maintenance of wheel bearings.
Can Any Wheel Bearing Grease Be Used on a Travel Trailer?
The market is full of different types of wheel bearing greases for travel trailers, so you must be familiar with all the types to know, which will be the one most suited to you.
- Multipurpose Greases are like jacks-of-all-trades. They have extensive uses, so they are safe for all industries.
- Calcium-Based Greases are best if you need high water resistance. They also work great in areas of high humidity, but not very well in hot temperature environments.
- Lithium-Based Greases are also great for water resistance and have amazing temperature withholding ranges, making for a very solid lubricant.
- Moly-EP Greases work best in extreme pressures, so it is unmatched for if you're looking for grease with very high-pressure tolerance.
- Marine-Oriented Lubricating Greases are best for resisting corrosion, so it is the most suitable for trailers that have to travel along the coasts.
How to Choose Wheel Bearing Grease for a Travel Trailer
There are some things that you must look after to choose the best wheel bearing grease. These include:
The Type of Grease
Depending on your locality and the temperature range of the environment, you may need wheel bearing grease that caters to those conditions. Not all greases are made for hot and humid areas, as they could melt if exposed in those conditions.
Protective Abilities
If you use the trailer in a very rugged manner, you will need to ensure a lot of protection. Or, if the environment is very humid, you will need to make sure to get grease that does not let moisture penetrate inside.
Another factor you have to consider is its thickness. If you need it for a trailer, then grease of rating two will work just fine.
Overall Maintenance Cost
Grease is something that needs to be reapplied, time, and time again. There is nothing wrong with getting high-quality grease, but the more it offers, the higher its price will be, which is why you must take into account how much you can spend on its upkeep.
Reviews of the Best Wheel Bearing Greases for Travel Trailers
With so many brands out there, getting your hands on the best wheel bearing grease set to your preferences becomes a hectic task, but we have made it easy for you. Below you will find the top choices, each with its own unique benefit to offer.
Best Overall Wheel Bearing Grease for Travel Trailers:
Lucas Oil 10005
[amazon fields="B000ARPVO8" image="1" value="thumb" image_size="large" image_align="center" image_link="none"]
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Most customers say this grease withstands heavy loads for the longest durations and is of very good quality, so they don’t have to go on changing it frequently. It has been very easy to use for them, and their trailers have remained in a mint condition ever since applying it.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This one has amazing washout properties, which makes re-application a lot easier. Also, it has water-resistant properties, which makes it perfect for marine environments. It also comes in various packaging forms so the customer can choose what they can work with most easily, making it super flexible in terms of use.
Bottom Line
Overall, this wheel bearing grease very a popular choice, and for a good reason. It comes in all forms of packaging, so you can choose if you want to get an easy grip can or want the satisfaction of taking it out of a container. And, it has all that good quality lubrication can offer, provided that you are willing to spend a few more bucks.
Runner-up:
Star Brite Wheel Bearing Grease
[amazon fields="B000XBHAV8" image="1" value="thumb" image_size="large" image_align="center" image_link="none"]
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Customers appreciate how they can get this product directly into their cartridge, which fits the grease gun. Many also like how it has diverse uses such as inside pumps, pins, and other intimate spaces. They have used it consistently in many parts of the household, too, because of easy flexibility.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There is no better wheel bearing grease out there for coastal areas. It deals very nicely with the presence of salt in the air. After spraying it on, the oxidization rate reduces by five times. It is made using special chemicals that form the perfect protective layer that is needed to prevent the surfaces from corrosion.
Bottom Line
To conclude, this one is best for marine use as it works great under damp conditions. It can be a perfect choice for boats and the equipment that comes in contact with water frequently. So if you need something protective and long-wearing, this is the one to go for.
Best Grease for the Money:
Lucas Oil 10301
[amazon fields="B000IG20RW" image="1" value="thumb" image_size="large" image_align="center" image_link="none"]
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Customers reported not having to grease their larger machinery for about six months when they used this product. This was a relief for them, as upkeep requires a lot of time and effort, so they were happy that they made the right investment.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This works amazingly with larger machinery. You will not have to spend a lot of time on its upkeep because of the thickness that it has to offer, which does not easily wear or meltdown in temperature or pressure changes, which is a great feature to have in a lubricant.
Bottom Line
If you have higher speed bearings, you might have to look elsewhere. It does not last long if there is a lot of friction involved in the running of the metals. You will have to do the machinery’s upkeep in shorter spans, which can be a nightmare, so go for this heavy-duty grease if you want it to last longer and save you the trouble.
Allstar ALL78241 Timken
[amazon fields="B006K8VIAM" image="1" value="thumb" image_size="large" image_align="center" image_link="none"]
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Overall reviews agreed that Allstar Timken has an excellent online delivery system where the product does not get leaked out of the container. And, they liked that it is water-resistant so that it could last a bit longer and would not require re-application time and time again.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We are all for the reliability this brand offers. It is known that after using it, any trailer is good to go for about 40,000 miles without being a victim of corrosion or internal damages. It can also withstand extreme temperatures ranging from -40° to 149° Celsius, which means you don’t have to worry about travels to and from different regions.
Bottom Line
This one can be a great choice for people who need ordinary lubricants, which are not too heavy on the pocket. However, if you live or operate machinery in a coastal environment, this may not be the best choice for you, or you can mix it with grease that offers water resistance for achieving ultimate protection for your wheel bearings.
Timken GR224C
[amazon fields="B00460DVFQ" image="1" value="thumb" image_size="large" image_align="center" image_link="none"]
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Customers are impressed by this wheel bearing grease's water-resisting ability. They are relieved that no major upkeep is required, saving time and money on any extra maintenance. It is one of the most preferred product for people who have to operate in coastal areas and are afraid of corrosive properties.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This is one of the best wheel bearing grease products in the market. It offers the most protection because of its hardness and consistency. It can stick to the surfaces for a long period of time, even in a wide-temperature range. It also provides a lot of mechanical stability, which is not easy to find in the market.
Bottom Line
Since it works the best in wet conditions, it can easily prevent water from coming inside the intimate parts of the machinery, which can prevent a lot of damage early on. The ingredient mix has anti-wear and water-resistant additives, which are essential for coastal areas. It can also reduce oxidization by high levels.
What Do I Need To Know Before Buying Wheel Bearing Grease
There are some features to keep in mind before choosing a wheel bearing grease. These include
Water-Resistant
This feature reflects the ability that the grease holds to act as a protective layer to prevent any moisture coming inside the wheel bearings. This is a must-have if you are using the trailer in marine environments.
Withstand Extreme Temperatures
The temperature range is mentioned on the packaging. Often, the grease breaks down and is then unable to offer the amount of protection needed. So always look for a higher range than you need because the temperatures can get super high in the wheels. The best ones are lithium greases.
Withstand High Pressures
Wheels are high-pressure areas of a trailer. Many times, the maximum pressure limit is mentioned on the packaging. EP greases are the best to use in this case.
Viscosity
Different types of greases have different thicknesses. Those rated 0 are very runny while the ones rated 6 are the thickest. The one you need for a trailer is rating two, and its texture is like peanut butter.
Acquisition Cost
This depends on you. You can go for the highest quality product or try to save some bucks. Otherwise, sub-standard ones also do the job well.
Wheel Bearing Grease - FAQs
Purchasing a wheel bearing grease and using it requires a lot of knowledge. If you are unsure about why exactly you need it, how much amount to use or how to go about the lubrication process, we have gathered the most frequently asked questions and answered them for you.
How Much Grease to Put in a Trailer Wheel Bearing?
After getting a blob of grease in your hand, you can use something to scrape it into the bearing till it fits between the rollers. You will know that you have put enough in when there is no space left between each roller. It is also wise to add a layer on the outside, but the grease should be of quality high and must be able to work in high temperatures.
How Often Should You Grease Wheel Bearings on a Travel trailer?
The best way to keep out of trouble is by lubricating the wheel bearings of your trailer after it has completed 10,000 miles. Don’t wait for the grease to completely wear out because it will no longer be efficient, posing an efficiency problem. Greasing in shorter spans also makes the wheels spin faster.
How Do I Know If My Trailer Bearings Need Grease?
You can manually check the bearings to find out when and if they need greasing. Some bearings allow the grease to seep out from the edges if you lubricate it too much. If you notice your trailer wheels making weird sounds or any signs of corrosion, it is an obvious sign that you need to grease it up.
Why Does Bearing Temperature Increase After Greasing?
The main reason why this might happen is because of over lubrication; it raises the temperature inside the bearing. Lubricating is required only to reduce friction in the wheels, so if you feel like they are working fine, you don’t have to unnecessarily add more. You should monitor the time periods, so you know the right time to grease it next.
What Happens If You Over-Grease a Bearing?
If you lubricate the bearing too much, it will build pressure and force the rolling elements on the outer rim, which will make it harder for the wheel to work efficiently. It also increases friction, which raises the temperature inside the bearing. It may also lead to separation between the oil and thickener.
Wheel Bearing Grease - Keeping Your Travel Trailer Moving
Wheel bearings are crucial to your travel trailer, and their conditions must be met with utmost care. Applying grease is essential for keeping them lubricated and protected, in the absence of which they might become contaminated, and friction might occur.
It's not something that springs to mind when you're planning your future road trips, but keeping your wheels lubricated is critical and will help you minimise future maintenance. So, always keep some handy and regularly apply it to keep the wheels in motion.