Are these roller bearings okay? One is gray, the other muddy


Can you mix bearings and races?

While you may encounter difficulty removing the old race during replacement, you should never match it with a new bearing. Doing so creates mismatched raceway wear patterns and can lead to early failure.

Can you clean wheel bearings?

The best way to clean wheel bearings and the spindle of the axle is to remove all old grease with shop rags or disposable paper towels. This takes some time and can get quite messy, so make sure you use latex rubber gloves to protect your hands from exposure to chemicals.

Do you need to replace bearing races?

If the race surfaces are completely smooth and free of discoloration (most often caused by heat build up) then you can leave them in place and just replace and re-pack your bearings.

Is it the bearing or transmission?

The transmission is a device that converts the power from the engine into driving force and transmits it to the wheels. Inside, many different types of bearings are working together, each utilizing their own strength, and inside the individual parts of a car there are also a great many bearings in use.

Are all bearing races the same?

Inner vs Outer Races



Ball bearings have an inner race and an outer race. As the name suggests, outer races are those found on the outside of the balls, whereas inner races are those found on the inside of the balls. The balls within a given ball bearing are sandwiched between these two types of races.

What is a race on a bearing?

The outer race, or cup, is the bearing’s exterior ring. Since it protects the bearing’s internal parts, it must be machined smoothly and accurately. The inner race, or cone, is the part of the bearing that sits directly on the shaft.

Can I use gasoline to clean wheel bearings?

Using gasoline as a solvent won’t harm your bearings. It may dissolve some plastic components though.

When should I repack wheel bearings?

The axle manufacturers recommend that you repack your trailer bearings once annually or every 12,000 km.

What happens if you over grease a bearing?

Too much grease volume (overgreasing) in a bearing cavity will cause the rotating bearing elements to begin churning the grease, pushing it out of the way, resulting in energy loss and rising temperatures.

How often should bearings be greased?

Using the chart and the formula, the bearing only needs 8 grams of grease every 10,000 hours. If your grease gun delivers around 1.35 grams per stroke, that means the bearing needs 6 strokes every 13 months; you could average it out to a stroke every 8 weeks or so.