trailer bearings

[AHarris]

How much play is acceptable on trailer wheels? I did the "wiggle test" on my utility trailer wheels and felt about 1/32 of play. Is that too much and should I re-pack and set the preload? Bearings were serviced about 9 months and 4,000 miles ago plus the trailer sat outside through a winter.

 

[jelag]

I go several years without repacking the bearings... . they should be sealed and sitting in the weather shouldn't hurt... . I was taught to bring the nut tight, to remove all the play from the bearings and than to back it off until the nut, and lock assembly will engage and lock the nut into place. . After many years in business and commercial trailers we never had bearing failures so I just assume the method I was taught works...

Just my thoughts, hope it helps. .

 

[richardcoxid]

I would add that when you pre-load the brgs DO NOT Rotate the wheel! Pre-load the brgs snuggly to seat them. take off the pre-load until when installing the cotter pin or bending the locking tab the nut has slop (loose) in it when you try to rotate the nut.

 

[ewcmr2]

Agree with above advise.
I'll add that if your trailer has "EZ Lube" axles don't add grease through the zerk fitting. Ive had multiple people bring me trailers after they lubed the bearings. "I serviced the bearings and now my brakes barely work!" Even with new axle seals I've seen grease go out the back and get all over the brakes.

 

[CROW]

Don't know if you have Dexter axles, but the procedure is probably the same regardless of the brand. This is for an axle that has drum brakes, a cap on the hub and no grease zert on the spindle end.

From the Dexter Axle manual.

1. Rotate the hub while tightening the spindle nut to app. 50 lbs ft (12" wrench or pliers with full hand force).

2. Loosen the spindle nut to remove the torque. Do not rotate the hub.

3. Finger tighten the spindle nut until just snug.

4. Back the spindle nutout slightly until the first castellation lines up with the cotter key hole.

There will be a small amount of free play.

 

[Matt42]

A few thoughts on trailer bearings, for what it's worth. Even the top-drawer axle manufacturers like Dexter are now using no-brand Chicom manufactured bearings and bearing cups in their products. That's true even when the main product may be made in Indiana, and the bearings just pressed in there. The situation seems to have been true for a number of years. Even the replacement bearings in a Dexter box seem to be Chinese. The bearings in bubble packs at RV stores are also Chinese, but they seem to make up for that by being expensive.



I don't trust Chinese-made bearings. Period.



So whenever I end up with a new hum with Chinese bearings, I always remove them (along with the bearing cup) with a brass drift. I take them to a good auto parts store and ask them for replacement bearings and cups made by Timken or SKF or another well-known brand. This is not difficult or even expensive, since trailer bearings are very common and standard sizes. Even the axle seals are easy to find, although the Chinese seals have worked out pretty well for me.



Your mileage and results may vary. On the other hand, I don't like to get stranded with seized bearings and ruined spindles.

 

[BIGNASTY]

a few thoughts on trailer bearings, for what it's worth. Even the top-drawer axle manufacturers like dexter are now using no-brand chicom manufactured bearings and bearing cups in their products. That's true even when the main product may be made in indiana, and the bearings just pressed in there. The situation seems to have been true for a number of years. Even the replacement bearings in a dexter box seem to be chinese. The bearings in bubble packs at rv stores are also chinese, but they seem to make up for that by being expensive.

I don't trust chinese-made bearings. Period.

So whenever i end up with a new hum with chinese bearings, i always remove them (along with the bearing cup) with a brass drift. I take them to a good auto parts store and ask them for replacement bearings and cups made by timken or skf or another well-known brand. This is not difficult or even expensive, since trailer bearings are very common and standard sizes. Even the axle seals are easy to find, although the chinese seals have worked out pretty well for me.

Your mileage and results may vary. On the other hand, i don't like to get stranded with seized bearings and ruined spindles.

THEN DONT TRUST TIMKEN :-laf Just put new wheel bearings in our stock trailer I USED TO THINK LIKE YOU I bought Timken bearings and thought that they were made in U. S. A. Proudly took them home went to the shop and started to grease the bearings to put them in and took a break. Reading the info in the bearing box THEY ARE ALSO MADE IN CHINA!!!!!! I installed them and during the work week I called Timken and they said that they ARE INDEED made in china but to Timken standards. Timken does make industrial bearings that are U. S. MADE but the automotive part of their show has gone To China

 

[jelag]

One of the things that I've learned in the past 20 years is that sometimes even when the company is an American company the product is still made overseas... I just purchased a set of steps for an RV that was stated on the web sight, and on the box made in the USA yet stamped into the steel was made in India...

 

[NIsaacs]

Trailer wheel bearings are not high tech components. Due to the design (adjustable tappered roller) and the speed they turn I am not opposed to the China made ones. The quality of the seal is important, greased well and adjusted right, they will run forever.



Nick

 

[EDankievitch]

Everything is made in China today. There is nothing wrong as long as the company has good quality controll. Chances are the wrench you've got in your hand came from there (China) Chraftsman, Snapon... They all have some manafacturing over seas. As for wheel bearings the number one reason for failure and this was from a survey on over the road trucks, is improper bearing perload. Too tight they over heat, but they must be really too tight. Too loose they will chatter and take out the races along with the seals. If you look in a marine stearn drive they use thge same cone type roller bearings as our wheel hubs do. In that Mercruiser gear case they perload the new bearings to about 11 In lbs rolling tourque with new bearings and 6 to 8 in lbs for used. There can not be any play or they would wipe out the greasets that are turning at up to 5,000 rpm and under much higher loads. Clean bearings with good clean lube grease or oil with good seals with the proper bearing perload can and do last many thousands of miles.

 

[EDankievitch]

As for made in China... . Take a look at the Locomotive pictured in my signature it was made in China. New Haven # 3025 runs up at the Essex Steam Train in Ct. I worked on it's sister back in the early 1990's it was the nicest locomotive to run, very well thought out and easy to fire. I have posted more pictures on here under the title Real Heavy Duty Engine.

 

[Matt42]

THEN DONT TRUST TIMKEN :-laf Just put new wheel bearings in our stock trailer I USED TO THINK LIKE YOU I bought Timken bearings and thought that they were made in U. S. A. Proudly took them home went to the shop and started to grease the bearings to put them in and took a break. Reading the info in the bearing box THEY ARE ALSO MADE IN CHINA!!!!!! I installed them and during the work week I called Timken and they said that they ARE INDEED made in china but to Timken standards. Timken does make industrial bearings that are U. S. MADE but the automotive part of their show has gone To China

Made in USA? Maybe. Timken and the other better known bearing manufacturers have factories all over the world. In the case I was referring to, the bearings were "no name" Chinese bearings, where the only identification on the bearings and cups was the word "CHINA" and the bearing and cup model numbers. Those I will never trust. I bought a full set of four inner and outer SKF bearings to replace them. If my memory serves me correctly, the inners may have been made in Poland (is that possible?) and the outers were U. S. cups and possibly Mexican bearings. In each case, though, the part was marked as being of SKF manufacture, with the part's model number and the country of origin. That's a different matter all together. The quality of the work and materials used, as said above, does indeed depend on the quality control measures taken by the manufacturer. I agree that trailer roller bearings are not high-tech items. But the steel needs to be consistent. Once a single roller or a soft spot on a cup starts to spall, all heck will break loose sooner or later. And I certainly can't hear a thrumming trailer bearing until it's too late.



I've seen Mexican-made LP gas fittings that were dangerous, where their Chinese equivalents were first-rate. But I don't have the problem where I need to use a jeweler's loupe to choose them before buying them if they are made in the USA. Some parts suppliers are beginning to understand this.



Here is the general way I decide if I will purchase an item, in order of choice. It is what I do, and I am by no means suggesting that anyone else should do it as well.

1. Is it U. S. made?

2. Is it made in Canada? (The United States is family, as their Prime Minister said in his address to the United States on September 11, 2001. )

3. Did the country send a military or support contingent to Afghanistan and/or Iraq?

4. Did the country send some sort of material support to the US and/or NATO efforts in Afghanistan or Iraq?

5. Is it a EU country or a NAFTA country?



I have found, and not to my surprise, that products from countries that fall into any of those five categories tend to be of pretty decent quality. (And yes, Poland falls into categories 3 and 4, by the way. )

 

[BIGNASTY]

I know where your coming from Matt I changed the wheel bearing in my TT and I pulled them out and on the bearing cage one Romania one German and 2 China ON Dexter axle I had the trailer from NEW so dexter just dumps the bearings in a pile and pics what they want. I Still use Timken they might be made in CHINK Land but HOPEFULLY Timken takes a close look at them. It didnt help Hasbro toys when the Chinks were given spec's and they STILL USED PAINT WITH LEAD and our dog food wasn't good enough the chinks put MELAMINE in it same with some baby formula. THE CHINKS SUCK AS HUMAN BEINGS.

 

[RollOver_Pete]

Trailer wheel bearings are not high tech components. Due to the design (adjustable tappered roller) and the speed they turn I am not opposed to the China made ones. The quality of the seal is important, greased well and adjusted right, they will run forever.

Nick

Has it ever dawned on anyone that the majority of problem we have are self inflicted?
What I mean by that is that we just cant leave stuff alone. We end up "over messing" with something and the end result is that part failing. As in bombing, and wheel bearings. Every time you remove a dust cover, you allow possible contamination to enter. These problems didn't happen in the pre-internet years. We were too busy working. Today, its all different. We feel we are more intelligent thanks to the internet and bearing failure is the result.