Wheel Bearings

Don’t think there is a worse job than repacking wheel bearings. Brakes on the trailer don’t make it any easier!! One side done, one to go. I always wonder if I have the nut on tight enough or to tight.

Isn’t the rule of thumb to snug it up and back it off a 1/4 turn?

Yup hate that job too but I’ve never been stranded or caused damage with a bad bearing so it’s worth it. I’d be interested on what an expert says about the nut tightening. I usually put it on so there’s just the very slightest wiggle left then check it againg after a run to the river and home.

When you are tightening the castle nut spin the tire at the same time.

When the tire begins to act like someone is applying brakes you are a hair too tight. Back up to the nearest cotter pin slot and you are good.

As mentioned a little wiggle is ok. It much better than being over tight.

Long ago… made the mistake of tightening them down hard…. never again. Froze up, sheered spindle clean.

When I was younger I never had a clue on bearings and use to blow bearings all the time. I now have taken the time to learn. I use to be able to change them pretty quick though.

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When you are tightening the castle nut spin the tire at the same time.
When the tire begins to act like someone is applying brakes you are a hair too tight. Back up to the nearest cotter pin slot and you are good.

As mentioned a little wiggle is ok. It much better than being over tight.

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This is essentially the method I’ve always used.

First, I snug up the castle nut pretty tightly to make sure everything is seated. Then back it off a turn or two so the wheel spins freely.

When you have the wheel spinning, slowly tighten the castle nut. It’s obvious when you’ve tightened up the castle nut too much as the wheel stops like someone put on the brakes suddenly. Loosen the nut enough to get the cotter pin hole aligned with the previous open hole and then spin again. The wheel should again rotate freely. That’s the spot and there should be just a little bit of play.

After the first trip, I quick jack up each wheel and make sure the amount of play has remained constant. If it got sloppy, something wasn’t seated correctly, so remove the pin and redo the process.

I like to do bearings and then go on a few short trips to make sure everything is seated correctly, etc. Doing bearings before a long trip is what I try to avoid.

Grouse

Anybody still have the link to the Video on repacking bearings?
It was here on IDO about 2-years ago!

I did bearings on SAturday. I hadn’t been using marine grease and one race was a little rusty. Now, on to emptying the gas cans into the car..

What about oil bath bearings? Mine still look good,level and color. What is normal maintenance?

Once the brakes are back on, wouldn’t it be hard to feel any play plus it’s hard to turn the tire with the brake system mounted.

A box of blue gloves. A roll of shop towels. A tub of grease. A good floor jack. A brown paper grocery bag. A couple extra coder pins. 4 or 2 rear seals. And hopefully no races or bearings needed. Equals a lot more fun than a locked up bearing smokin’ down the freeway ruining a fishing trip.

After putting the nut on hand tight, spin and rotate the hub foward and backwards. Push and pull the hub in and out, to make sure the seal is seated on the shaft properly. Then check the nut again. To tight, bad. A little wiggle good.

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Once the brakes are back on, wouldn’t it be hard to feel any play plus it’s hard to turn the tire with the brake system mounted.

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Shouldn’t be, it should still spin freely and be moveable.

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I did bearings on SAturday. I hadn’t been using marine grease and one race was a little rusty. Now, on to emptying the gas cans into the car..

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It is very difficult to avoid rust completely. There is no such thing as a perfect rotating seal, so some ingress of water will always occur eventually. Where there’s water and metal…

Where is the rust? On the rolling surfaces of the races or on the rollers themselves or on the cages, I would replace.

Grouse

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Once the brakes are back on, wouldn’t it be hard to feel any play plus it’s hard to turn the tire with the brake system mounted.

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What? Do you have electric brakes where the deadman is engaged when disconnected?

If your wheels don’t turn easily, your brakes are dragging.

Grouse

They are surge brakes. They just don’t turn and spin free like trailers with no brakes.

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They are surge brakes. They just don’t turn and spin free like trailers with no brakes.

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I have a trailer with surge brakes. It has an actuator on the coupler. When the trailer “surges” forward it engages the actuator applying pressure to the brake fluid, causing the wheel cylinder to push the shoes into the drums, kind of like stepping on the brake pedal of a car. If it’s not able too spin freely, it will prematurely ware out the shoes/pads. Just did a brake assembly and packed my two axle trailer bearings. They spun freely till the actuator is compressed. Are your brakes adjusted correctly?