Changing your trailer bearings?? Need Help!!

[bfrank]

Can someone bestow their knowledge, of changing out their trailer wheel bearing to me and the many other Tige members??
I need to do it, and would like to do it myself.

Thanks
Bert

[NICKYPOO]

I guess nobody works on their own trailers on this site. I know I don't. I take it to a trailer shop and let them deal with it. What seems to be the problem, besides the the bearings going out?

[dogbert]

Ok, I had a trailer cluster going over the weekend so I'm painfully aware of what needs to happen and how to do it (see my thread on maintenance).

First, remove the tire.
I'm assuming you have Bearing Buddies or some equivalent. These are basically spring loaded grease containers that will consistently grease your bearings when you go in and out of the water. There's a little round clip that goes around the outside of the outside of cylinder for this and you just pop it out. This will release the spring and you should be able to pull out the grease point for the bearing buddy. I highly recommend a pair of needle nose pliers for this that have nipples on the end of them to do both the clip and pull out the rest of the bearing buddy. Keep close attention to the order in which you pull the pieces out because you'll need to assemble them the same way.

Next, you'll need to remove the cotter pin that holds the hub nut in place. You'll probably need to get a new one for each wheel. Once you have that out, you should be able to loosen the nut and remove the entire hub and bearing assembly.

Grease your new bearing real well and pop them back in. Make sure there's no dirt before you do this or this will just grind up your bearings. Put the nut back on, but don't make it too tight. The hub should spin freely, but not be too loose either. In other words, you don't want it wobbling side to side. Line up your new cotter pin and bend it back a bit so it doesn't fall out or touch the side of the hub or the front of your bearing buddy (which won't be on yet).

Add more grease and put the bearing buddy back in there. The hardes part will be getting the clip back on there. You may need someone to help you with this and a lot of patience.

Hope this helps.

[spharis]

You can buy an entire hub asly with new studs for less than the time it would take to swap yours (lug nuts). I think you can get them for about $50 a piece. You should go ahead and do this at the same time.....they get pretty rusted after a while. The kit will come with new bearings, seals races, tetc too.

On another note, changing/repacking trailer bearings is super easy, and you can do it yourself.

Buy a kit per wheel...the kit has an inner seal, inner and outer bearing and race, and should have a new cotter pin.
Buy some good bearing grease, and maybe check out your bearing buddies, you could replace those too, but it probably is not necessary.
I like a pan with some off-road diesel to use for parts cleaner, and a bristle brush, to brush down parts (for repacking bearings, if they are still ok.....bad ones can be noted with flat spots, or grimey spots in them.....kind of like mine right now)

Pick a side....loosen lugs, jack up trailer, take off wheel. remove the bearing buddy/dustcap whatever you have. They remove the same way, just pop off with some persuasion hammer sometimes necessary

You will see a cotter pin going through a castle nut probably, just bend it straight, and tap it through the hole and remove the castle nut. Keep the castle nut for sure. (Looks like a castle turret hence the term castle nut).

Now pull on the hub, it might come off, you may have to persuade it. Bearings may also come off, whatever. Keep the washer that may be in front of the outer bearing for later.

The front bearing probably just fell out, so flip the hub over, and remove the seal....it will bend so just get it out. The rear bearing should fall right out too. All thats left in the hub you need out are the races, you will need a flat screwdriver and a hammer for these, and they are pressure fit so get on em. Just dont mar your hub and kind of work around tapping from the back of the race. You will need to tap it ALL THE WAY OUT.....so you need a block to elevate the hub some way to continue to tap....Once out, clean the hub and other parts (nut and washer)

get a block of wood and start tapping the new race in the front. Taper goes out. Once it gets flush, you can use your old race to tap it in a little more......the old race will stick so be careful and stop once it starts to get tight. Then take your screwdriver and finish by tapping it in the rest of the way to the seat. You can see when it is flush by looking for a gap between the edge and the race. Dont hit too hard so you dont mar the race or the hub. Do the back side next.

Get you bearings and pack them with grease....easiest way is in your palm by kind of rubbing them into it on the side. You want them to be fully packed. Once packed set the rear bearing in the hub, followed by the seal....pack it as well. You will need to tap the seal with your block to get it flush....it will bend so be careful.

Put a dab of grease on the clean spindle, and slide the hub back on it, then put the outer bearing into place, followed by the washer and then start the castle nut.

Now you need to seat the bearings, what I usually do is tighten until it gets tight (probably 70 ft. lbs.) then I back off until the hub spins freely, but not too freely....usually about a half to 1 full turn back. Then pack your bearing buddy back in place......

rinse repeat on side two.......BTW the bearings on your car or truck work the same way.....

[NICKYPOO]

Or drop it off at the trailer shop for a day. I dunno.

[dogbert]

Originally posted by NICKYPOO
Or drop it off at the trailer shop for a day. I dunno.

I agree...this is one of those jobs you want to pay someone else to do. However, if you're in a bind and your local trailer shop tells you it'll be 3 weeks...desperation sets in and we all know what we're willing to suffer to get back out on the water

[spharis]

I dunno....I think if you have the slightest bit of mechanical inclination, changing your wheel bearings is about an hour and a half job and you can save your money, and be sure it is done correctly.........then again, I guess you have to enjoy getting your hands dirty, as they definately will be.

[ghollow]

Good explanation spharis. You covered it pretty well. A couple of things I have found that make the job a little easier.
First, I will take my old races and grind down the outside of them slightly on my bench grinder. It makes it easy to get them back out after you have used them to tap in the new ones. That is only if the races need to be replaced.
Second, most auto part stores carry a bearing greasing tool. It is real simple to use and does an excellent job of thoroughly greasing the bearing. They are under $10 and sure beat the greasy palm method.
I also carry one of those complete hubs you mentioned. I think it was $35 from Bass Pro Shops. Never have had to use it but I figured it was pretty good insurance.

If you keep your bearing buddies lubed on a continous basis, trailer bearings should not have to be totally torn down every year

[dogbert]

Originally posted by spharis
I dunno....I think if you have the slightest bit of mechanical inclination, changing your wheel bearings is about an hour and a half job and you can save your money, and be sure it is done correctly.........then again, I guess you have to enjoy getting your hands dirty, as they definately will be.

I've got a place that will do it for about $100.

[ghollow]

$100 does not sound bad considering the work and the mess you make. I just have this thing about paying someone to do a job that I can do myself.

Is that $100 for two hubs or four?

[dogbert]

Originally posted by ghollow
$100 does not sound bad considering the work and the mess you make. I just have this thing about paying someone to do a job that I can do myself.

Is that $100 for two hubs or four?

All four. It cost me an extra $80 to have one of the studs welded off and all 5 of them replaced with new studs and lug nuts.

[bfrank]

Greese is a mess and is a pain.........I now recommed having some one else do it. It will be money well spent!!