Getting a Trailer Hub Cap
When shopping for a trailer hub cap you want one that is tough and will endure the harsh road conditions. Stemco has a large line of hub caps that are designed to meet this need. The company makes both parallel and narrow spindle hubcaps that are made from durable material such as steel and aluminum. They also make hub caps that are sealed with rubber or polyurethane and that are built for either grease or oil. These are a great way to help keep your trailer bearings well lubricated. Whether you have grease or oil hubs it is important to keep the bearings properly lubricated for optimum performance.
If your trailer is sitting in a storage area for long periods of time it is a good idea to change the grease often. This keeps dirt, water and other contaminants from settling on the bearings. Over time this can destroy the bearings and the hubs. It is best to use a high-quality marine grease, such as the kind that is used in boat anchors. This type of grease will not evaporate quickly and will remain a solid mass. Many people overgrease the hubs of their trailer. This can add too much pressure to the real seal and cause it to blow off. It is better to add just enough grease on the hubodometer for trailer before each trip to the boat ramp to keep the bearings lubricated.
Having the right trailer hub caps is vital to ensure that you are getting a good bearing life and that your bearings will not fail prematurely. If you do not have the proper hubcap, there is a chance that the cotter pin that holds the wheel to the trailer will come loose and push the bearing off. This can be very expensive to repair. In addition to the cost of replacing a new bearing and wheel, you will have to pay for a replacement trailer axle, click to read more.
You may have heard about a trailer hub bearing protector called a grease cap, but you might not know how they work or what they are made of. These small, round metal covers sit at the center of a trailer wheel and protect the bearings from debris such as dirt, dust, sand, road grime, salt and other contaminants that can (and will) destroy them. In addition to protecting the bearings, the grease cap itself is packed with grease.
This provides a constant supply of grease to the wheel bearings and prevents the grease from migrating away from the cap and leaving the bearings dry. You can purchase a grease cap from a trailer parts counter or from the parts department at your local hardware store. It is a good idea to buy several to ensure that you have spares on hand in case one of them fails during your haul. Getting one with the correct stud size is very important as well. Check out this post that has expounded on the topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_cap.
This provides a constant supply of grease to the wheel bearings and prevents the grease from migrating away from the cap and leaving the bearings dry. You can purchase a grease cap from a trailer parts counter or from the parts department at your local hardware store. It is a good idea to buy several to ensure that you have spares on hand in case one of them fails during your haul. Getting one with the correct stud size is very important as well. Check out this post that has expounded on the topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_cap.