[Phil P]

Hi Irlpguy

I have repaired or replaced a lot of spindles and axles over the last 50 years ever thing from 18 wheelers to boat trailers.

Sitting does shorten the life of the bearing. I am convinced that the rollers put an indentation in the race in the location where they sit and the grease hardens and the volatiles evaporate from it and the result is lost of lubricating qualities this is the reason for cleaning and repacking every year.

Heavy aircraft are required by the government approved maintenance program to have the wheels rotated every 30 days while in storage.

The buddy bearing system works on boat trailers to keep the water out because there is always a positive pressure in the hub. However just the summer of 2011 on a buddy bearing equipped travel trailer I replaced the spindle, hub and wheel bearings because the bearings had spun on the spindle. This trailer sits all but 3 days a month and then is only pulled a maximum of 300 miles round trip each month. The owner then had his regular service person do the other three wheels, they all needed new bearings and it wasn’t because of lack of grease just a lack of lubrication there was plenty of grease it was just hard as a rock.

Then I complained when the left front wheel on my old pickup failed the bearings at 210,000 miles and they had never been inspected or repacked because the front spindles are not repairable and have no provisions for disassembly or greasing. The truck dealer said that 200 to 300,000 miles is normal on pickups driven every day.

My TV is 4 ½ years old and has 113,000 miles and the front wheel bearings haven’t ever been lubricated or repacked. The rears are oil lubricated and they will outlast the truck.

Phil P