Beginners guide to trailer wheel bearings..

[MarcJ]

Hi there,
Just in case there's anyone out there looking at their trailer wheel bearings for the first time. I came across this video that was very helpful. Luckily my wheel literally fell off pulling into a layby after the bearings failed, so was looking at how to change them. Haven't offered up the new bearings yet so don't know if the axle shaft is knackered or not - especially given the amount of grief it was given by the rescue vehicle after dragging it onto his truck and off. Lucky it didn't happen on the dual carriageway!
Video:

 

[VicS]

Well !!

Obviously no body has told him that he should not be putting anything like that amount of grease in a hub. No more than half fill the space between the bearings, even if that much.

If you over pack them the grease overheats and breaks down!

Lakesailor .. what say you ?



Wonder also why he bought complete new hubs instead of knocking out the pitted outer tracks and just replacing the bearing assemblies.
No mention even that the outer tracks knock out ! ... perhaps he does not know that.

A little too much play left for my liking too but he is right that they must not be tight.


( My boat trailer has angular contact ball races rather than roller bearings ... I wonder what he'd make of those ...... Must admit though next time I replace them it will be with tapered roller bearings)

 

[SAMYL]

+1

What a plonker. Too much grease, too much play, and no need for a new hub - just new bearings.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Wonder also why he bought complete new hubs instead of knocking out the pitted outer tracks and just replacing the bearing assemblies.

Might have been cheaper. I can buy complete hubs including bearings for rather less than the cost of two bearings.

 

[MarcJ]

Thanks Vic, think you've answered what the "extra bits" are that came with the new bearings, they must be the outer tracks!

 

[lw395]

Might have been cheaper. I can buy complete hubs including bearings for rather less than the cost of two bearings.

I carry a complete spare hub in the car.
You can get the bearings cheaper, but then I found the plastic cap was split...

 

[VicS]

Thanks Vic, think you've answered what the "extra bits" are that came with the new bearings, they must be the outer tracks!

This is the sort of thing.... actually a wheel bearing set for a car... the bearings are different sizes otherwise much the same. The seal is possibly different type too.

Often not much of the outer race exposed to whack to knock them out but probably a couple of slots diametrically opposite that you'll see when all the grease is cleaned out of the hub that will enable you to get a small drift in to them.

Take care to knock them out fairly straight and be sure the new ones go in dead straight and fully.. If you can probably better to use a press or a vice to squeeze the new ones in straight. Tighten the nut while spinning the hub to pull them right in fully then back off and then re-tighten to leave "barely perceptible" play with the wheel on. I find tightening between thumb and finger gets them about right.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Tighten the nut while spinning the hub to pull them right in fully then back off and then re-tighten to leave "barely perceptible" play with the wheel on. I find tightening between thumb and finger gets them about right.

The rule for the taper roller bearing front hub of a Triumph Herald is to assemble ungreased, tighten until the wheel just starts to bid, back off one flat, mark the place, dismantled, grease and reassemble to the same place. Which, with all the grease, will probably be extremely stiff, but which lets go to just the right place in no time. I find that this method works well for most roller bearings.

 

[VicS]

The rule for the taper roller bearing front hub of a Triumph Herald is to assemble ungreased, tighten until the wheel just starts to bid, back off one flat, mark the place, dismantled, grease and reassemble to the same place. Which, with all the grease, will probably be extremely stiff, but which lets go to just the right place in no time. I find that this method works well for most roller bearings.

I think every manual I have had suggests a different method!

 

[JumbleDuck]

I think every manual I have had suggests a different method!

Lots around. From memory you do a (proper, aircooled) Beetles hubs by setting the endfloat dry, then greasing and doing up to the same place. The end result is probably the same for all of 'em.

 

[MarcJ]

Thanks again for the replies, especially the heads up on the inner tracks - they took some getting out, and getting in. I didn't have any special tools, but found an old section of scaffold pole that was a perfect fit. Without that, not sure I would have got it done without damaging something!