Maintenance Schedule: How Often To Service Trailer Bearings

Whether you’re towing your boat to the ramp, heading off in a caravan or hauling work gear between sites, well-maintained wheel bearings are non-negotiable. Overlooked bearings can seize, wear prematurely or let water in—problems that lead to wheel wobble, roadside breakdowns or costly repairs.

Trailer wheel bearings sit between axle and hub, allowing smooth rotation under load. When grease degrades or contaminants creep in, bearings fail—and with them, your trailer’s stability. Regular checks prevent minor issues from escalating into dangerous malfunctions.

In New Zealand, bearing maintenance forms part of your trailer’s annual Warrant of Fitness (WoF) inspection (https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/warrants-and-certificates/warrant-of-fitness). Staying compliant not only keeps you legal but also ensures every journey is safer.

This guide walks you through establishing service intervals, performing systematic inspections, removing and cleaning bearings, repacking with fresh grease, testing rotation, keeping accurate records and recognising when to call in a professional. By following each step, you’ll extend bearing life and tow with confidence.

Whether you’re a boatie, camper, RV owner or tradesperson relying on heavy duty trailers, you’ll find practical advice here to keep your bearings—and your adventures—on track.

Step 1: Determine your trailer’s service intervals

A steady maintenance rhythm is the best defence against premature bearing failure. Not only does an established service schedule help you catch wear or contamination early, but it also ensures you comply with warranty requirements and avoid unexpected downtime. Elite Trailers recommends an initial bearing check shortly after purchase, followed by six-monthly inspections—an approach that balances proactive care with practical timing.

By setting clear intervals based on manufacturer guidance, distance travelled and environmental factors, you’ll prevent grease breakdown, water ingress and heat damage. The following subsections explain how to tailor your service plan to your trailer and usage patterns.

Manufacturer and warranty recommendations

Your trailer and hub manufacturer’s manual is the definitive source for bearing service intervals. Most warranties insist on adherence to their specified schedule—skip a required inspection and you may invalidate coverage.

• Consult the printed or online manual for your trailer brand.
• Note any mileage or time-based intervals, such as “first service at 1,000 km” or “inspect every 12 months”.
• Record these dates in your maintenance log to demonstrate compliance if a warranty claim arises.

By following the prescribed intervals, you’ll maintain warranty validity and benefit from the manufacturer’s expert guidance on bearing care.

Usage-based scheduling (kilometres and time)

Balancing distance and duration is key to a robust service plan. A common rule of thumb is to repack bearings every 10,000 km or every 6–12 months, whichever comes first. Worked examples help illustrate:

• If you tow 2,500 km monthly, you’ll hit 10,000 km in four months—plan a bearing service at four-month marks.
• For lighter use, say 5,000 km per year, aim for an annual check with a mid-year grease top-up.

Keeping a running total of kilometres on your trailer tongue sticker or in a smartphone app makes it easy to see when the next service is due. Adjust the balance of time versus distance to fit how often and how far you tow.

Environmental and seasonal adjustments

Not all conditions are equal when it comes to bearing wear. Marine trailers: shorten intervals to every 6,000 km or every six months if you launch in saltwater—freshwater users may stick to the standard 10,000 km.
Off-road or dusty conditions: inspect and re-grease after any extended trip where dirt and grit can breach seals.
Heavy loads and steep terrain: service more frequently, since extra friction and weight raise operating temperatures.

By tuning your schedule to seasonal and environmental demands, you’ll keep bearings clean, cool and running smoothly year-round.

Step 2: Use a structured maintenance checklist

A reliable checklist ensures you don’t miss any critical steps each time you service your trailer’s bearings. Systematising your inspections means faster turnarounds, fewer surprises and a clear record for warranty or WoF assessments. KT Trailers’ maintenance checklist offers a great template—but you can tailor yours to suit your trailer type and towing habits.

By breaking your service into repeatable tasks and ticking them off in order, you’ll spot developing problems early and maintain consistency, whether you’re doing the job yourself or handing off to a workshop. The following subsections cover the key checks for new trailers, the items you’ll revisit at every service and how to keep a clear log of your findings.

Initial break-in checks for new trailers

New trailers need a little extra attention during their first few outings to bed components in and confirm everything’s torqued to spec:

• First 600 km:
  • Torque U-bolts and wheel nuts to the manufacturer’s settings.
  • Lift each wheel and check bearing play—any perceptible movement means adjust or repack.
• At 2,000 km:
  • Repeat the torque checks, as metal-to-metal contact can settle after the initial run.
  • Visually inspect seals and grease caps for weepage or distortion.
  • Listen for unusual rumble or grinding when you spin each hub by hand.

These early checkpoints help detect assembly issues while components are still fresh, protecting bearings from uneven loads or improper sealing.

Recurring checklist items

Once past break-in, treat every service like a mini audit of your trailer’s running gear. At each interval, work through:

• Bearing endplay: measure with a dial indicator or feel for free movement.
• Seal condition: look for cracks, splits or grease leaking past the cap.
• Hub bolts and nuts: torque to spec and ensure none have backed off.
• Grease quality: old grease should be clean, free of water or grit; replace if discoloured.
• Visual inspection: scan hubs, studs and backing plates for corrosion, scoring or metal shavings.

Tackling these points every time stops small faults from becoming big failures—and keeps your trailer in top shape for WoF checks.

Recording checklist outcomes

A checklist is only as good as its record-keeping. Jot down or log:

• Date of service
• Trailer kilometres (or hours of use)
• Results for each check (e.g. “seal intact”, “bearing play adjusted”)
• Any corrective actions taken
• Next due date or km/h reference

Whether you prefer a simple paper logbook stored in the trailer toolbox or a trailer-maintenance app on your phone, having these details at your fingertips builds a history you can rely on—especially if you ever need to demonstrate compliance for warranty or insurance.

Step 3: Align with industry-standard inspection schedules

Following a recognised industry cadence for trailer bearings helps you avoid guesswork and stay on top of maintenance. Repco suggests setting aside a full afternoon every 10,000 km or 12 months to carry out a thorough bearing check. Adopting this benchmark gives you the confidence that bearings are inspected regularly, whether driven hard or barely moving the odometer.

By aligning your own schedule with these guidelines, you’ll create a maintenance routine that dovetails neatly with other service tasks—tyre rotations, brake checks and your WoF inspection—and ensures nothing gets overlooked.

Time-based vs. distance-based inspections

Distance-based intervals (for example 10,000 km) tie directly to bearing wear: the more you tow, the sooner grease degrades and contaminants build up. Time-based intervals (such as every 12 months) catch trailers that sit unused for long periods, when seals can dry out and allow moisture ingress.

Combining both approaches is ideal:

• If you tow a lot, let your kilometre counter dictate service timing.
• If you tow infrequently, stick to a 12-month minimum.
• Note exceptional cases (long storage, heavy loads) and adjust accordingly.

This dual strategy ensures bearings remain lubricated and sealed, regardless of how you use your trailer.

Integrating checks into regular servicing

Rather than treating bearing checks as a standalone chore, bundle them into your existing service routines:

• When you rotate tyres, spin each hub to assess play and listen for noise.
• During brake servicing, remove a wheel to inspect seals and grease condition.
• As part of your WoF prep, confirm hub bolts are torqued to spec and record the bearing condition for your inspector.

By weaving bearing inspections into other maintenance tasks, you save time, maintain a clear service history and avoid double-handling components.

Setting reminders and alerts

Even the best intentions can slip off the radar without prompts. Here are a few ways to keep your bearings on someone’s calendar:

• Use digital calendars (Google, iCal) to schedule 10,000 km or 12-month reminders.
• Add stickers or a dry-erase panel on the trailer tongue noting next due date or kilometre reading.
• Try a dedicated maintenance app or a simple spreadsheet shared with anyone who tows your trailer.

Automated alerts and visible cues are invaluable for busy boaters, campers and tradespeople who juggle multiple responsibilities. A quick ping on your phone or a glance at the trailer’s log can save you from a roadside drama down the track.

Step 4: Conduct twice-yearly preliminary inspections

Before you dive into full bearing removal and repacking, it pays to carry out a couple of quick visual and noise checks each year. Mudgway recommends at least two preliminary inspections—ideally spaced six months apart—to catch early warning signs like seal leaks or bearing chatter. These mid-year check-ups take only minutes each, yet they can save you from expensive breakdowns when you’re towing your boat or caravan.

During these biannual routines, you’ll lift each wheel, give the hub a spin and eyeball seals and grease caps for damage. By turning these simple steps into habit, small issues—like a cracked seal or gritty grease—get spotted long before they spiral into wheel wobble or seized bearings.

Safe jacking and support methods

Always start on level ground, chock the opposite wheels and place your trailer in gear or at least engage the handbrake. Use a suitably rated jack under the axle beam—never under the hub itself—to lift one wheel clear of the ground. Once up, slip quality jack stands under the chassis, ensuring they sit on solid points recommended by the trailer maker.

Tip: Mark your jack-stand positions with paint or a marker so you can repeat the process quickly each time. Avoid under-torqued stands or uneven ground: they’re more likely to slip or tilt when you’re leaning into the hub.

Manual wheel spin test

With the wheel off the ground, grab the tyre and spin it by hand. A smooth, nearly silent rotation means the bearings and races are still in good nick. Listen for a slight rumble or feel any gritty resistance—both signs that grease may be breaking down or contaminants have crept in.

Spin each wheel both clockwise and anti-clockwise to detect play in the bearing duo. If you hear clicking or encounter resistance part-way around, plan a full bearing service sooner rather than later.

Inspecting seals and protectors

Once the wheel is spinning, take a close look at the grease cap and any rubber seals or Bearing Buddies fitted. Grease weeping around the cap’s base, cracked rubber lips or rust streaks down the hub housing indicate leaks. Even a tiny split in a seal can admit water, which leads to corrosion and bearing pitting.

If your trailer uses Bearing Buddies, ensure the breather cap is clear and the O-ring is seated snugly. Replace any damaged seals straight away. A fresh, undamaged protector is your last line of defence against dirt, water and salt spray—especially on marine trailers.

By slotting these quick checks into your calendar every spring and autumn, you’ll head off moisture ingress and grease contamination before they take hold, keeping your bearings and your trailer running true all year round.

Step 5: Plan grease replacement and lubrication routines

Well-lubricated bearings run cooler, shed moisture and resist wear—critical traits for any trailer, but especially boat trailers facing saltwater and wet ramps. Over time, grease breaks down, traps grit and loses its protective qualities. A structured lubrication plan ensures fresh grease is always at the rollers, reducing heat build-up and corrosion.

Mercury Marine recommends a complete grease replacement every three to five seasons under normal conditions. By coupling this guideline with targeted pre- and post-trip greasing, you’ll protect your bearings from the elements and extend their service life.

Choosing the correct grease

Not all greases suit trailer bearings. Aim for one that:

• Withstands high temperatures (dropping point above 260 °C)
• Resists water wash-out, especially crucial for marine use
• Meets NLGI Grade 2 consistency, ensuring proper load support

Marine-grade or heavy-duty automotive greases usually tick these boxes. Always check the datasheet for “water wash-out” ratings and load-bearing specs before you buy.

Seasonal lubrication planning

Link your greasing schedule to New Zealand’s seasons:

• Spring (pre-season): Strip out winter-soaked grease and pack fresh lube before your first launch.
• Summer (mid-season): If you’re hitting the water frequently, a quick grease top-up helps expel any moisture.
• Autumn (post-season): Repack for storage to prevent corrosion during colder months.

Coordinating greasing with seasonal milestones keeps seals supple and prevents sludge accumulation.

Pre- and post-trip greasing tips

A quick blast of grease after every boat launch urges water out and primes bearings for the next journey. Connect your grease gun to the fitting and pump just enough until you see a fine bead emerging at the seal edge. Likewise, before long hauls:

• Post-launch: Add grease until a small bead appears around the cap.
• Pre-departure: Inject fresh lube, wipe away surplus to avoid mud build-up.

These brief rituals slot neatly into launch and retrieval, ensuring your bearings stay clean, cool and corrosion-free.

Step 6: Perform full annual bearing removal and re-greasing

Once a year—and more often if you tow heavily—nothing beats a complete bearing overhaul. Epic Trailers recommends this full disassembly and fresh packing as the foundation of long‐term bearing health. Stripping the hub down, cleaning every component, inspecting for early wear and then repacking with fresh grease ensures contaminants and degraded lubricant don’t lurk in your rollers or races. Set aside a few hours, lay out your tools and follow these steps carefully.

Cleaning and degreasing bearings

Begin by safely jacking up the trailer and removing the wheel and hub assembly. Pull the hub off the spindle, then slide the inner and outer bearings out along with the grease seal.

1. Use a clean rag to wipe away the bulk of the old grease from bearings, races and hub chamber.
2. Spray a brake-parts cleaner or purpose-made bearing solvent into the hub and onto each bearing.
3. Allow solvent to dissolve grease and grime; agitate the bearing rollers gently with a soft brush or clean rag.
4. Rinse or repeat solvent application until all residue and old grease are gone.
5. Dry components thoroughly—compressed air is handy but don’t spin the bearings while blowing or you can force debris inward.

A spotless component makes inspection far more reliable and prevents trapped grit from causing premature wear.

Inspecting bearings for wear or damage

With bearings and races clean, look closely for defects:

• Pitting or flaking on roller surfaces
• Scoring or grooves along the raceways
• Discolouration (blue or brown tint) indicating heat stress
• Shattered or cracked rollers
• Metal burrs or uneven wear patterns

If you spot any of these signs, replace the bearing or race before reassembly. Even minor surface damage can shorten service life and lead to sudden failure.

Packing bearings with fresh grease

Choose a high-quality, marine-grade grease with excellent water-wash resistance and a dropping point above 260 °C. To repack:

1. Place a small blob of grease on your palm.
2. Press the open end of the bearing into the grease, forcing it between rollers.
3. Rotate the bearing slowly, working grease from one section to the next until you see a uniform coating through the rollers.
4. Lightly smear a thin film of grease around the inner and outer races—this helps initial lubrication on startup.
5. Refit the inner bearing, slide on the seal, then refit the hub and outer bearing.

Finish by torquing the spindle nut to the trailer manufacturer’s specification, fitting a new grease cap (or Bearing Buddy), and topping up with a small bead of fresh grease. Wipe away any excess to keep mud and grit off the hub.

Performing this comprehensive strip-down and repack every 12 months not only chases out moisture and old lubricant, but also gives you a hands-on chance to spot developing issues before they shut you down at the boat ramp or campsite.

Step 7: Consult detailed guides for bearing overhaul or replacement

When regular repacks and inspections reveal more complex issues—like damaged races or persistent noise—it’s time to consult a comprehensive reference. A detailed how-to can guide you through full bearing replacement, advanced servicing techniques and troubleshooting. For those ready to tackle an overhaul, check out MyTrailer’s ultimate guide to trailer bearings maintenance and replacement. It walks through every step, from disassembly to final torque checks, helping you approach the job with confidence.

Drawing on expert tutorials ensures you have the right tools, know when a bearing has reached its end of life and can upgrade your trailer’s sealing systems effectively. The following sections cover the essential equipment you’ll need, criteria for bearing replacement versus repacking, and options for better moisture protection.

Essential tools and equipment

A successful bearing overhaul requires more than just basic wrenches. At minimum, you’ll want:

• A quality grease gun with compatible grease cartridges
• Bearing packer or handheld tool for even grease distribution
• Hub puller or slide hammer to remove stubborn hubs
• Torque wrench to tighten nuts and bolts to manufacturer specs
• Dial indicator or feeler gauge for measuring bearing endplay
• Seal installer or drift for fitting new grease caps or seals

Having these specialised tools on hand speeds up the job, reduces the risk of damage and ensures every component is torqued and aligned correctly.

When to replace bearings vs. repack only

Not every service call needs new bearings. Use these indicators to decide:

• Visible pitting, flaking or deep scoring on rollers or races
• Heat discolouration (blue or brown tint) suggesting overheating
• Persistent grinding, clicking or rumbling after a repack
• Excessive endplay that adjustment can’t correct

If your bearings exhibit any of these faults, replace them along with the races. Otherwise, a thorough clean and fresh pack will often restore smooth rotation and extend service life without the extra cost of new bearings.

Upgrading seals and protection

Even the best bearings can fail prematurely if moisture and grit breach the seals. Consider these upgrades:

• Dual-lip grease caps: offer two sealing surfaces for better water exclusion
• High-quality rubber or Viton seals: resist fuel, oil and saltwater corrosion
• Bearing Buddies or automatic grease lubricators: maintain constant pressure on seals and purge contaminants
• Stainless steel or alloy grease caps: stronger than stamped steel and less prone to corrosion

Enhanced seals and external protectors add an extra layer of defence, especially for marine trailers or those operating in dusty, off-road conditions. Pair them with regular repacks to keep bearings dry, clean and chilled under load.

Step 8: Identify warning signs requiring immediate action

No matter how disciplined your maintenance routine, bearings can still fail abruptly if you miss the early warning signs. Fishing World Australia’s trailer maintenance tips highlight several critical indicators—visual, auditory and performance-related—that demand immediate attention. If you notice any of these, pull over safely and investigate before continuing your journey. Ignoring them can lead to wheel seizure, axle damage or full trailer detachment, putting you and other road users at serious risk.

Visual signs of failure

Often the first clues appear right on the hub’s exterior:

• Grease seeping or oozing around the grease cap. A bead of fresh grease is normal, but continuous leakage suggests a failing seal or excess internal pressure.
• Rust streaks running down the hub housing. These indicate water has breached the seal and mixed with grease, leading to corrosion within the bearing assembly.
• Heat discolouration on the hub flange or bearing races—blue, brown or blackened metal spots show the bearing has overheated, often from inadequate lubrication or overloading.

Whenever you spot these defects, clean the area, top up grease and re-inspect. If the grease quickly turns milky or you see any metal fragments, schedule a full bearing service at once.

Auditory alerts

Your ears can be your best diagnostic tool:

• Rumbling or grinding sounds when spinning the wheel by hand point to metal-to-metal contact inside the bearing.
• Squealing or a high-pitched whine under load often means grease has thinned or escaped, leaving the rollers to run dry.
• Intermittent clicking or popping as the wheel rotates can signal damaged rollers or pitting in the race.

These sounds rarely improve on their own. If you hear any unusual noise, don’t delay—remove the hub and inspect the bearings for wear, contamination or seal failure.

Towing performance issues

The way your trailer tows will change subtly as bearings degrade:

• Wheel wobble or noticeable play when driving in a straight line. Even a small amount of endplay magnifies at speed, making steering unpredictable.
• Uneven or accelerated tyre wear, especially on one side. Misaligned or loose bearings can cause the wheel to tilt under load.
• Vibration through the trailer frame or floor at towing speeds, often intensifying when cornering or under heavy load—a tell-tale sign that bearings are no longer running true.

If you experience any of these symptoms, slow down, find a safe place to stop and inspect immediately. Continuing to tow with compromised bearings risks a breakdown or, worse, wheel separation.

Step 9: Tailor service frequency to your usage patterns

Without a Hitch’s guide to greasing your trailer highlights that there’s no one-size-fits-all schedule. Instead, adjust your service intervals to match how often, how far and under what conditions you tow. Below are guidelines for light, heavy and special-case use to help you refine your bearing care routine.

Light-use trailer schedules

Trailers that spend most of their time parked in a garage or shed and are only towed occasionally need a simpler maintenance plan. Aim for:

• An annual full bearing repack and seal inspection, ideally just before the season’s first outing.
• A mid-season grease top-up if you surpass roughly 1,000 km during the year or notice any grease deterioration.
• Visual checks of seals and grease caps every six months, even if you don’t tow, to guard against seal drying and moisture ingress.

This minimal schedule maintains lubrication, prevents seals from hardening and catches any moisture build-up before winter storage.

Heavy-use trailer schedules

If your trailer sees regular, high-mileage service—whether hauling work gear, commercial loads or frequent recreational runs—step up your regimen:

• Carry out a bearing repack every three months or every 5,000–7,500 km, whichever comes first.
• Inspect seals, torque wheel nuts and check endplay at the halfway mark between repacks.
• For marine or dusty off-road use, factor in extra interim grease applications following each launch or trip to expel saltwater and grit.

By tightening the service window, you’ll keep bearings cool under constant load and maintain peak performance with minimal risk of unexpected failure.

Special-case servicing

Certain trips demand immediate attention beyond your regular cycle:

• After long interstate or South Island crossings: perform a quick grease and seal check at your next stop to clear any accumulated water or debris.
• Following off-road adventures: inspect for ingress of mud and dust, and repack bearings before the next journey.
• Before towing antique or vintage trailers: give bearings extra scrutiny and fresh grease to compensate for older seal technologies.

A targeted service in these scenarios helps you adapt to unusual stresses and ensures your trailer stays reliable from the Hauraki Plains to Fiordland’s backcountry.

Step 10: Implement pre-launch, mid-trip and post-launch checks

Even with a rock-solid maintenance plan, the way you handle your trailer on the road and at the ramp can make or break bearing life. Adopting simple routines before you launch, during long hauls and immediately after retrieval helps you spot heat build-up, purge moisture and keep water out of your bearings. Drawing on Fishing.net.nz’s boat-trailer maintenance tips, here’s how to build these checks into every outing.

Cooling hubs before launch

After a long tow, hubs can be scorching hot. Immediately backing into the ramp risks a sudden temperature drop when the bearings hit cold water—this can create a vacuum that sucks water past seals. To avoid this:

• Park on a level section of ramp and leave the trailer stationary for around 20 minutes.
• Crack your wheel chocks in place and step back as the hubs settle to ambient temperature.
• During the wait, give each hub a quick visual: look for any grease weeping or steam from seals indicating early condensation.

This brief pause protects seals, preserves grease viscosity and stops water ingress at the very start of your launch.

Mid-trip heat checks

No matter how well you plan, long distances and heavy loads still generate heat. Scheduling a mid-trip stop to check hub temperatures can head off bearing failure before you’re stranded. When you next break for fuel or a cuppa:

• Ease off the highway and pull into a safe bay or rest area.
• Carefully feel each hub (using the back of your hand)—it should be warm, not burning.
• Compare both sides: a significant difference suggests a binding or under-lubricated bearing.

If any hub feels too hot to touch or you detect a faint burning smell, slow down and inspect further. A couple of minutes’ attention now could save you hours of towing nightmares later.

Post-launch moisture expulsion

Water is a trailer’s worst enemy. As you pull the trailer up the ramp, you want to force any trapped moisture out of the bearings before it settles. Use your grease gun immediately after retrieving your boat:

1. Connect the gun to the zerks or Bearing Buddies.
2. Pump until a small bead of fresh grease oozes from the outer seal—this pushes water and old lubricant away from the rollers.
3. Wipe off excess so the hub surfaces stay cleaner longer.

Carrying out this quick greasing ritual after every launch is a small step with big returns: your bearings stay drier, cleaner and ready for the next tow.

Step 11: Maintain a detailed service record and schedule next service

A thorough service record is more than just paperwork—it’s the roadmap to your trailer’s health. By logging every check, repack and repair, you’ll spot trends in wear, confirm warranty compliance and make WoF inspections a breeze. Boatsales’ top 5 handy trailer maintenance hints also champion detailed notes as a cornerstone of safe towing. Whether you keep a paper log in your toolbox or an app on your phone, the act of recording will pay dividends down the road.

Creating and using a maintenance log

Start by choosing your format: a simple bound notebook, a spreadsheet or a dedicated trailer-maintenance app. Whichever you pick, be consistent and thorough. Here’s a basic example of what your log might look like:

Key details to capture:

• Exact date and trailer kilometres (or hours if fitted with a meter)
• Tasks completed (clean, repack, seal change, torque check)
• Observations (seal condition, grease quality, any play or noise)
• Next service target (date and/or km)

Storing these notes in your trailer’s toolbox or online means you’ll always have a clear history—and proof of maintenance—for warranty claims or WoF assessors.

Digital reminders and tracking

Manual logs are great, but digital alerts ensure you never miss a due date. Consider these tools:

• Calendar apps (Google Calendar, Apple Calendar): set one-off or recurring reminders for both time-based and distance-based services.
• Maintenance apps (e.g. Fleetio, MyCarFAX): track multiple trailers, send push notifications and attach photos of inspections.
• Spreadsheet with conditional formatting: highlight upcoming or overdue services in red or amber.
• Trailer-mounted sticker or dry-erase panel on the tongue: jot down the next service km and date where it’s always in sight.

Combining a visible cue on your trailer with an automated phone ping is a foolproof way to stay on top of maintenance, even when you’re juggling work, family and the weekend hunt for the perfect fishing spot.

Knowing when to call in a pro

Even the most diligent DIYer reaches the limits of home-garage servicing. Arrange for professional help if you encounter:

• Persistent rumbling or grinding noises after a repack
• Visible damage to bearings, races or seals (pitting, scoring, heat discolouration)
• Unexplained grease contamination (milky or gritty grease)
• Significant endplay that won’t adjust out
• A major trip or before your next WoF inspection

A qualified technician can perform pressure tests, replace worn races, verify torque settings and issue a professional report—giving you peace of mind for long hauls, remote adventures or simply ticking off your WoF requirements. By knowing when to hand over to the experts, you’ll keep your trailer—and your gear—safe for every journey.

Step 12: Arrange an annual professional bearing service

Even the steadiest DIY routine benefits from an expert’s eye once a year. A professional bearing service goes beyond a simple repack: it can uncover subtle wear, confirm torque settings with calibrated tools and replace seals or races that might otherwise be missed. Aakron Xpress recommends a comprehensive annual inspection and service to ensure your trailer is ready for your next big tow — whether that’s a family holiday in the caravan or a commercial haul on the open road.

Selecting a qualified service centre

Choosing the right workshop is the first step. Look for centres that:

• Hold industry certifications such as NZQA-recognised qualifications or manufacturer authorisations.
• Specialise in trailers or marine trailers, demonstrating specific experience with spindles, hubs and bearing systems.
• Display customer reviews or testimonials detailing reliability, turnaround times and service quality.
• Offer clear pricing and warranty on labour and parts, so you know what’s covered if something goes wrong.

A quick web search or a call to local towing clubs can often point you to reputable businesses — ask around, check online forums or even drop into a handful of workshops to compare their professionalism and expertise.

Preparing your trailer for service

A smoother handover means a faster, more accurate service. Before you book in:

1. Give your trailer a quick wash to remove mud, salt and grime — it helps the technician spot any hidden corrosion or damage.
2. Note any irregularities you’ve experienced: noises, heat spots, vibration or grease leaks, and list them on a page or in your log.
3. Share your maintenance record or app export with the workshop; having your service history at hand ensures they know exactly what’s been done and what needs focus.
4. Remove loose items from the deck and toolbox to give full access to the undercarriage and hubs.

These simple steps let the technician get straight to work, reducing the chance of overlooked issues.

Verifying post-service work

When you collect your trailer, don’t just drive away — take a few minutes to confirm the job is done properly:

• Check that torque specs on wheel nuts and spindle nuts match your trailer manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Look for a neat bead of fresh grease around the cap or Bearing Buddy, indicating a complete pack.
• Ask for a written or printed service report detailing parts replaced, measurements taken (endplay, seal clearances) and next service due.
• Update your maintenance log with the date, kilometres and any recommendations the technician made.

A written record not only keeps your bearing care on track but also strengthens your case at WoF inspections or if you ever need warranty support. With expert checks in place, you can tow with added confidence, knowing your bearings have had the professional attention they deserve.

Stay on Track with Your Bearing Care

Now that you know how often to service trailer bearings, staying consistent with your schedule is the key to safe, trouble-free towing. Regular inspections, timely grease top-ups and full annual repacks work together to ward off wear, corrosion and unexpected failures. By following a routine that blends distance-based, time-based and environment-sensitive checks, you’ll keep your trailer’s running gear in prime condition and extend its service life.

Every trailer and usage pattern is different, so tailor these steps to your own needs. Whether you’re a weekend boatie, an occasional camper or you haul heavy loads day-in, day-out, adjust your intervals when conditions change. Use a maintenance log or digital reminders to record each service, note any observations and flag your next due date—small tweaks in your routine can deliver big gains in reliability and peace of mind.

For quality bearings, purpose-made greases and the right tools to carry out every maintenance step, head to Action Outdoors. Our Auckland-based store and online shop stock everything you need—from high-performance marine greases to replacement bearing kits—so you can keep towing with confidence, season after season.