How often should I have my wheel bearing inspected?
In the spring when you are thinking about your RV and what maintenance to do to get ready for another season, one of the most important things to check is your wheel bearings.
Your wheel bearings are an essential component of your RV. They are what allows your wheels to spin freely on the axles. Certain things can affect your wheel bearing even when the unit is not in use. Being parked in the same position for longer periods of time can cause more pressure on one side of the wheel, possibly causing damage such as scoring or knicking of the bearing itself. Moisture on the road or where your unit is parked can possibly affect your grease.
How often should I grease my wheel bearings?
A good indication you may need servicing of your wheel bearing and/or brakes is noise coming from the wheels Squealing, grinding or growling are bad signs that some type of failure may be happening. Most manufacturers recommend you do your bearing yearly. Obviously this depends on how much you use your RV and the type of terrain you are traveling on. A good rule of thumb is every 10,000 km with normal use. Another factor to consider is the size of the wheels themselves. The smaller the wheel the faster it rotates, thus the more wear and tear on your bearings and wheel assemblies in general, as the grease will break down eventually from the heat.
What kind of grease do I need to use on my RV Wheel bearings?
If you are going to do your own maintenance make sure you are using a proper high temperature grease that is recommended by your manufacturer or recommended to you by a professional for use with bearings. Do not mix grease types or even brands. You must completely clean your wheel bearing assemblies before you apply new grease.
Leaving the inspection of your bearings for too long can result in the bearings overheating, warping or binding to the point that they seize up and will not move. Then you are stuck on a road somewhere with your family, where you will have to pay for a tow or a roadside assistance service call. Either way it won’t be a cheap fix.
At Swift RV Repairs we have a package deal where you can have your wheel bearings inspected, repacked along with a brake and tire inspection to make sure your RV will ride smoothly down the road with no issues. Give us a call and make an appointment 403-919-4911.
