c'bee corrugations 1 : wheel bearings 0

Kevin Kevinson · Post by **Kevin Kevinson** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 11:16 pm

took some interstate visitors for a look out to the billabong for a look on thursday, and after copping a pounding on the road coming home, was waved down by a bloke after the palmy lights who pulled up beside and said "youre about to lose a trailer wheel"....

so i pull up and pull the wheel off to find a bearing in about 500000 pieces. Bugger! I have a spare kit at home i think...then I turn around and there is BTC straight behind me.

so $40 later (new hub, bearings and grease) I change over my first wheel bearings. Now happy for people to tell me if I am wrong, but I basically just packed the hub full of grease with the bearings, and put it all together...seemed easy enough??

in the end, no tears, just smiles for the good luck of pulling up right out the front of BTC!!

Dex38 · Post by **Dex38** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 7:25 am

KK, did you replace the bearing cup also?

When bearings go, they normally rip apart the bearing cup surface also. The hardened bearing surface is only a few microns deep and once you damage it the bearing rollers won't take too much time to wear out and end result could be what you encountered.

I just palm the bearing with grease. Basically put a heap of grease on your palm and push the grease into the entire bearing one section at a time. You know you've got enough grease in the section you're working when the grease eminates from the top off the bearing. A bit of grease on the cup and grease on the stub axle for the seal to run on. As for filling up the hub, thats the way I do it now as I run bearing buddies which do that for you. You just save a heap of time by filling the hub first and then pumping the bearing buddy with the grease later.

Dex

flicker · Post by **flicker** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 1:45 pm

G day KK, I think its all been said before but most bearing failures are a result of the harsh environment that boat trailer axles are subjected to mainly being water and even worse salt water, incorrect adjustment (too loose or too tight) and general lack of maintenance.

Not having a go at you because it can happen in a short time between trips if your axle seal lets salt water in and a bit of rust starts it may only be a matter of weeks and things will turn pear shaped.

I once had a longer than usual break between outings and one wheel was letting out all sorts of ugly noises when I went to move it , just lucky I heard it before I got too far from home.

If it was only due to rough roads wheels would be falling of cars all the time.
Just adding to dex38's tips, when you tighten the axle nut you need to have it so the wheel spins freely but have no play if you grab the wheel and rock it side to side/up and down you can't allways have it perfect because of where the split pin holes line up with the nut so back it off slightly to the closest hole rather than force it tighter to the next one.
You may already know this but others may not .

PS did you get any fish?

Cheers Flicker

Kevin Kevinson · Post by **Kevin Kevinson** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 2:09 pm

well time will tell if i have done a decent job i spose

??:

??:

as for fish, got 1 toga and 1 barra (58)...just a sightseeing trip rather than hard fishing...

BEAR · Post by **BEAR** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:38 pm

You gotta love those flogged out trailer bearings KK

what I do when adjusting the lock nut is tighten it so the wheel wont spin then slowly back it off until it spins freely that should be fine

thats how I was taught and they seem to last alright for me

but then again I'm always pulling them apart and repacking because I hate being stuck stuck somewhere especially when it could've been avoided with some simple maitenance

BEAR

2rods · Post by **2rods** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:10 am

Bugger KK...lucky you got it before it fell off

If you want to do the other side (and you should) I am happy to show you how to do it correctly. I enjoy showing people the "tricks" of the trade and save them some time and $$$

would only take an hour or so to check both sides and repack them if needed

I even have some spare bearings (holden) that you can have as I no longer have a use for them on the new trailer.

dodgyone · Post by **dodgyone** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 1:10 pm

Good to see you got it sorted. Seems like the weekend for trailer problems.

Kevin Kevinson · Post by **Kevin Kevinson** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 2:18 pm

will take you up on that offer in the near future there 2rods...

BEAR · Post by **BEAR** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 4:08 pm

Kevin Kevinson wrote:will take you up on that offer in the near future there 2rods...

hey kev, while 2rods is doin the other side maybe get some pics and do up a post of how to correctly replace/repack your own wheel bearings

especially since the guru is doin it

just refrain from posting any more

BEAR

2rods · Post by **2rods** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 5:26 pm

BEAR wrote:
Kevin Kevinson wrote:will take you up on that offer in the near future there 2rods...
hey kev, while 2rods is doin the other side maybe get some pics and do up a post of how to correctly replace/repack your own wheel bearings especially since the guru is doin it just refrain from posting any more

BEAR

I don't know about guru BEAR

??: just my trade thats all...I do it the same way as you

I will check any pictures for

shots before KK leaves the shed