Bearing Service 2015 178

I looked at Dexter's service manual, and on page 85 it says to repack the bearings every 12 months or 12,000 miles.  I believe axles that are subject to submersion (boat trailers) are supposed to be repacked more often but I didn't see that in the manual and I've never owned a boat.  Personally I stick more to the mileage recommendation.  If we have several summers full of local weekend trips I'll go 2-3 years.  If I'm about to go on a 7000 mile trip, they get it before we leave.  I'm sure Dexter's recommendation is more CYA, like my Generac generator's recommendation to change the oil and filter every year.  Oil oxidizes and does need to be replaced every year, but with only 20-30 hours of run time annually I see no need to change the filter then.  Cars on a 5000 mile schedule get over 100 hours of run time between oil changes.

Axle bearings on a car or truck are factory sealed, trailer axle bearings aren't - but obviously we have the technology so I don't see why they don't (other than the obvious - price wars between manufacturers, make them as cheap as possible).  I would pay a little more for a camper if they advertised that the bearings never needed maintenance.  But, this is again like my big generator.  Auto manufacturers perfected paint jobs by the early 90's.  In most cases.  Yet my genset after only a few years started getting rust spots.  Make 'em cheap, make 'em cheap.