- Joined
- Mar 9, 2005
- RO Number
- 16534
- Messages
- 1,745
Hopefully, Les will allow this to stay here, But I flinch when I see folks heading for trouble.
I have trailered my boats for over 20 years and have done more than my fair share of hubs and bearings.
REMOVAL
After jacking and properly supporting the trailer with JACK STANDS, remove wheel.
Remove center dust cap or bearing buddy. The buddy will come very easily by tapping it from side to side...gently...with a mallet or hammer.
Remove cotter pin
Remove castle nut
Remove outer bearing and place on shop rag
Remove hub assembly
Flip hub over and remove inner grease seal
Discard grease seal
Remove inner wheel bearing
Throughly clean all old grease from inside the hub assembly using many shop rags. Don't use a chemical spray unless you can get all of it out. It will only break down your new grease.
The bearings are repacked by placing a healthy blob of grease in one palm and then working the new grease into the bearing a little bit at a time by holding the bearing by its edge and pressing incrementally into the grease until new grease is pushing its way through. (This is the old fashioned way and it works very well)
Repeat for inner wheel bearing
Make damned sure you do NOT get any dirt or sand in the bearings while repacking.
Set bearings aside on clean rag
Pack liberal amounts of grease INTO the hub assembly. Pack it...don't coat it. Fill the cavity.
ASSEMBLY
Replace inner wheel bearing into the rear of the hub. Pack more grease on it. Pack the NEW grease seal.(Use the double cup seals) Replace innner grease seal. Set it onto the hub, take a small block of wood and tap into its seat. You'll know by the tap when its fully seated.
Pack more grease into the 1/8" space between the seal and the bearing.
Install hub onto axle.
Place outer bearing onto the axle and push to seat
Install castle nut. Tighten just til it meets bearing
Turn wheel to seat bearing.
Now tighten the castle nut full down and then back 1/2 turn. This preloads the bearing.
Install cotter pin.
Install the dust cap or bearing buddy.
If using bearing buddies...I'll give you a tip. Just pack them full of grease and let it go at that. No need to pump them up...more times than not, people just blow out their rear seals because they don't know when to stop.
Do this once a year...or once every other if trailer is not in hard use.
But do it right!
I have trailered my boats for over 20 years and have done more than my fair share of hubs and bearings.
REMOVAL
After jacking and properly supporting the trailer with JACK STANDS, remove wheel.
Remove center dust cap or bearing buddy. The buddy will come very easily by tapping it from side to side...gently...with a mallet or hammer.
Remove cotter pin
Remove castle nut
Remove outer bearing and place on shop rag
Remove hub assembly
Flip hub over and remove inner grease seal
Discard grease seal
Remove inner wheel bearing
Throughly clean all old grease from inside the hub assembly using many shop rags. Don't use a chemical spray unless you can get all of it out. It will only break down your new grease.
The bearings are repacked by placing a healthy blob of grease in one palm and then working the new grease into the bearing a little bit at a time by holding the bearing by its edge and pressing incrementally into the grease until new grease is pushing its way through. (This is the old fashioned way and it works very well)
Repeat for inner wheel bearing
Make damned sure you do NOT get any dirt or sand in the bearings while repacking.
Set bearings aside on clean rag
Pack liberal amounts of grease INTO the hub assembly. Pack it...don't coat it. Fill the cavity.
ASSEMBLY
Replace inner wheel bearing into the rear of the hub. Pack more grease on it. Pack the NEW grease seal.(Use the double cup seals) Replace innner grease seal. Set it onto the hub, take a small block of wood and tap into its seat. You'll know by the tap when its fully seated.
Pack more grease into the 1/8" space between the seal and the bearing.
Install hub onto axle.
Place outer bearing onto the axle and push to seat
Install castle nut. Tighten just til it meets bearing
Turn wheel to seat bearing.
Now tighten the castle nut full down and then back 1/2 turn. This preloads the bearing.
Install cotter pin.
Install the dust cap or bearing buddy.
If using bearing buddies...I'll give you a tip. Just pack them full of grease and let it go at that. No need to pump them up...more times than not, people just blow out their rear seals because they don't know when to stop.
Do this once a year...or once every other if trailer is not in hard use.
But do it right!