Did you know you need to grease the bearings in your hot dog cart axle? No worries. Alex has a Big Dog® and Cash Cow® cart that he keeps well maintained. He shared how to do hot dog cart wheel bearing maintenance and shows repacking the bearings from start to finish.

Hot Dog Cart Wheel Bearing Maintenance Video

Tools & Supplies Needed

• Axle or bearing grease
• Disposable gloves
• Cardboard to set your parts on
• Flathead screwdriver
• Needle nose pliers
• Standard pliers
• Hammer
• 1 1/4″ socket and ratchet
• You'll also need something to jack up and stabilize cart while working

DIY Wheel Bearing Removal – Packing – Reassembly

Most trailers are similar and some trailers have special alemites (aka: grease fittings) – but usually, hot dog carts and small utility trailers don't. Bearings must be packed by hand.

I've seen some people put an alemite in their axle dust cover but this would require lots more grease and is not as effective as doing it by hand.

Same goes for using “Bearing Buddy” a brand that makes a system so you don't have to remove anything. However – according to other vendors, this is also not as effective as doing it by hand.

STEP ONE: Remove the dust cap with a flathead screwdriver by wedging between the cap and the axle body and twisting screwdriver as to pry loose.  (usually a dome shaped piece on the end of the axle)

STEP TWO: Straighten the cotter pin by bringing the split ends together and straightening as much as possible.

STEP THREE:Pull from the looped end of the cotter pin out to free the nut.

STEP FOUR:Using your socket and ratchet, remove the nut (crown nut)

STEP FIVE:Using the same screwdriver – pry out the axle washer.

STEP SIX: Slide the wheel off the axle.

STEP SEVEN: Remove the bearing by sliding it out carefully.

STEP EIGHT: Flip tire over and remove bearing seal with screwdriver and slide out bearing carefully.

STEP NINE: Repack the bearings by hand. Take a dollop of grease and spread generously into each roller around bearing.

STEP TEN: Reassemble (make sure wheel spins freely) – if it doesn't, remove cotter pin and loosen crown nut by 1/2 turn.