Mobile wheel bearing repack and replacement for trailers across Sydney metro. Box trailers, boat trailers, plant trailers, horse floats, camper trailers. The right grease for the application. Inspection from $220 single-axle, $350 dual-axle.
A wheel bearing is one of the smallest, cheapest parts on a trailer and the most likely to leave you stranded. When a bearing fails, the wheel does not just stop turning smoothly: in extreme cases the wheel parts company with the axle. Roadside bearing failure is common, and almost always preventable.
The fix is straightforward. Every 12 to 24 months, depending on use, pull the wheels, inspect the bearings, repack with the right grease, replace the seals, and put it back together. Half a day of work, parts cost typically under $80 a wheel. Compared to a roadside breakdown, an insurance claim, or an axle replacement, it is one of the highest-value bits of preventative maintenance on any trailer.
The most common Australian trailer axle brand. Uses metric bearings (commonly LM67048/LM67010 inner and LM11949/LM11910 outer, or larger sizes on heavier axles). Hub caps have a grease nipple for periodic re-greasing in some configurations. We stock the common AL-KO bearings and seals on the van.
Common on imported and premium Australian trailers. Often uses Dexter EZ-Lube hubs with a grease nipple in the centre of the spindle that allows greasing without removing the wheel. We can service both EZ-Lube and conventional Dexter hubs.
An aftermarket grease cap that holds the bearings under positive pressure with a spring-loaded grease reservoir. Common on boat trailers because it keeps water out. We service Bearing Buddies but recommend a full strip-and-inspect every 12 months regardless because the system masks early bearing wear.
Found on some older and lighter trailers. Uses parallel ball bearings rather than tapered roller bearings. Different service procedure, same general principle.
Not all trailer bearing grease is the same, and using the wrong type accelerates failure. The three common types we use:
For box trailers, plant trailers, and any trailer that does not get submerged. Good lubricity, handles moderate heat, widely available.
For boat trailers and any trailer that will be submerged or splash-exposed. Calcium sulfonate-based or specialised marine lithium-complex. Water-resistant, does not wash out easily.
For plant trailers and any trailer that gets worked hard with significant braking on long descents. Synthetic-based, often calcium sulfonate or polyurea, handles up to 250°C without breaking down.
Mixing greases is bad practice because some grease types are chemically incompatible and turn into something resembling soup when mixed. If your trailer has been greased with an unknown product, we will clean and re-grease with a single product matched to your application.
Repacking is taking the bearings out, cleaning them in solvent, inspecting them, then putting them back with fresh grease and new seals. If the bearings show no wear, pitting or discolouration, repacking is the right service. Replacement is required when bearings are pitted, worn, or have heat-discoloured. Bearings themselves cost $15-$40 each. Labour is the same either way.
A spring-loaded grease cap that keeps positive pressure on the bearings, preventing water ingress. Recommended for boat trailers. Not needed for box trailers or anything that does not get submerged. Worth fitting if you launch in salt water regularly.
The grease nipple lets you add grease without removing the wheel, which is useful for top-ups, but it does not replace a periodic full strip-and-inspect. You cannot see bearing wear from outside. We recommend a full service every 12 months even on EZ-Lube hubs.
You can. The tools are common (sockets, hammer, bearing drift) and the process is documented widely. The difficulty is in the inspection, knowing what wear is normal versus what is heading for failure, and torquing the hub nut to the right preload (too tight runs hot, too loose causes wobble). If you have time and the right grease, learning to service your own bearings is a useful skill. If you would rather get on with using the trailer, that is what we are here for.
In a mild failure the bearing seizes and you hear or feel grinding before it gets dangerous. In a more advanced failure the bearing disintegrates and the wheel can come off the axle. Most roadside bearing failures end with the trailer immobilised but no further damage. Some end with the wheel rolling off into a ditch and the trailer dragging on its axle. Either way it ruins the day. Easier to service.
Bearing inspection is, yes. We pull a wheel and check the bearings as part of every Annual Service. Full repack-and-reseal is an add-on if the inspection shows the bearings need it.