06/10/2026
Safe Towing Starts Here:
Trailer Safety Week
✅️Checking trailer bearings and hubs ensures safe towing. Key steps include jacking up the trailer to check for wheel play, and inspecting for smooth rotation, checking for heat. Always investigate excessive heat, grinding noises, or a wobbling wheel immediately.
✅️What's normal: The hub should be warm to the touch, and you should be able to keep your hand there comfortably.
✅️Signs of issues: If the hub is too hot to hold your hand on, or if you smell burning grease, the bearings lack lubrication or are failing. Let it cool completely before attempting to tow further.
✅️Check for play: check for wiggles, wobbles, or loose
✅️Spin test: Spin the tire freely by hand. It should rotate smoothly without any resistance, rumbling, or grinding noises.
✅️Visual and Mechanical Inspection
✅️Grease condition: Remove the hub dust cap. If your trailer uses grease, it should look clean. If it is milky or white (water contamination), dark/burnt (overheating), or has metallic shavings in it, you need to repack or replace the bearings immediately.
✅️Check the spindle: If you are servicing the bearings, check the axle spindle for scoring, grooves, or heat damage.
✅️Seals: Check the rear of the hub for signs of leaking grease, which indicates a failed seal.
David McCarley
Clay N Kelsie Mccarley Blake McCarley Mary Ann Andrews McCarley Following
