Removing trailor brake drum

[UPSER76]

I've never removed a brake drum from my rv before and had a question on how it is removed. Also, I have Nev R Lube bearings but noticed a lot of grease around the bearing, is this normal or not? I love working on my RV and once I figure how to do one I'll be set for the other three and I'll feel confident the job will be done correctly. Thanks

 

[HBarlow]

Pop the dust cover off the end of the spindle (center of the wheel) with a screw driver between the inner edge and the drum, remove the cotter pin, back off the castle nut (ccw), reach around and grab the brake drum and gently pull it out away from the trailer 1/2" to one inch and then, with one hand catch the castle nut washer and outer wheel bearing as they come off the end of the spindle.

Continue removing the brake drum and set it gently on clean piece of cardboard or newpaper. Using a 12" wood dowel or section of old broom handle, reach the dowel pin through the hub opening on the outer drum into the center chamber and set it against the inner wheel bearing which is larger than the outer. Using a mallet gently stike the dowel pin to tap the inner wheel bearing and seal out. Strike the wheel bearing two or three times moving the dowel pin in 90* increments around the circumference of the bearing.

That doesn't look like a Nevr-Lube bearing to me. A Nevr-Lube is a pair of sealed bearings. That looks like one with a zerk fitting you use to put your grease gun on. That type works great of greasing the brake shoes and brake drums.

 

[DanSullivan]

You can go to Dexter axles web site they have a break down with pictures, on how to take apart your axles

 

[dan.poitras]

Look real close at the picture and it looks like a threaded on cap.

I would guess the cap is threaded on and the bearings are retained in the hub with snap rings. If the shoes are worn into the drums the brakes might have to be retracted with the adjusters. Like Dan Sullivan says check the Dexter site (good information)

 

[B.G. Smith]

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the grease cap is removed. From the pics on Dexter site it looks like there is a small snap ring on the end of the axle shaft after the nut as a safety feature. To disassemble it would be, remove the snap ring, then the nut, if the brake linings are not worn into the drum, you should then be able to remove the hub/drum with the bearings inside. The bearings are held in the hub by a snap ring, inner and outer and there is a spacer between the bearings. bg http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/1080235/f/6-8K_cat_4-07/8000_lbs.pdf

 

[UPSER76]

Thanks all, Dexter web site is great. I'am in the process of trying to remove the large 1. 5" nut. I've got a 1/2" breaker bar with a pipe over the end and it still won't move. Will wait till 2morrow and get the impact out. The tag on the axle say to tighten to 450 in/lb ,it seem like it was over tighten.

 

[georgej]

To remove that nut use a 6 point impact socket and a good impact wrench. They are supposed to torqued to 150 lb ft but on my trailer it took around 15 seconds at full power with a 600 lb ft torque wrench to take off that bugger.

 

[HBarlow]

It sounds like my removal instructions were inaccurate. I was out of date, describing the old-fashioned hubs with bearings that require annual disassembly, cleaning, and packing.

The advice given was much better. My current HH has sealed Nevr-Lube bearings but is only two years old, has been towed about 20k miles, and I've never pulled a hub.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Servicing the brake system on Nevr-Lube axles would be easier if Dexter made the hub and brake drum separate similar to many automotive applications. Removing the hub and disturbing the sealed bearings wouldn't be necessary if the brake drum would slide off the lug bolts after the wheel was removed. I wonder why they don't do that?



Bill