TT Bearings: how warm is normal?

[Blakers]

I just brought my 24 foot Sportsmen trailer home from my mom and dad's to my house - about 52 miles on the interstate at 67 mph. How warm should the wheel bearings be? I put my hand on all the bearing caps and they seemed pretty warm, but not hot enough that I couldn't hold my hand on them. If they were much warmer, I probably couldn't hold my hand on them. Is that ok? I had them all apart to check out the brakes and repacked the bearings and replaced seals. After I tightened the bearing nut the wheels spun freely when off the ground. They didn't seem too tight to me.



Just wondered if this warm is normal?



Thanks guys,



Blake

 

[Whitmore]

Blake

I have towed alot of loads vairiying in size/weight up to 26k and I can tell you that the heavyier the load the hotter they will be, but if you can hold on with your hand than you are OK... ... ... ..... cheers Kevin

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Don't be confused by braking action, and it's affect on wheel/hub temperature! When making a check such as you did, make sure you have traveled several miles with NO stop involving the TT brakes, then come to a stop WITHOUT allowing TT brakes to be applied, and check hub temps... The bearings/hub should actually be only slightly above ambient temperature - perhaps slightly warm to the touch - much more, and load is too high, or bearing adjustment too tight.



By the way, the above sort of check IS a good way to test proper brake application/adjustment as well, set the TT brake controller fairly heavy, come to a pretty powerful stop, then go around feeling each brake drum for even heat buildup - careful - HOT!

 

[Blakers]

Thanks guys! I drove about 50 miles without using the brakes on the interstate, but then got off the exit and drove 1. 5 miles. Yes I did use them lightly then. Perhaps enough to generate enough heat to feel in the bearing cap. The drum further out felt warm too. All four hubs and drums felt the same. '



Blake

 

[Royal]

Did you adj. bearings per these instructions? Rotate hub slowly while tightening nut to approx. 50ft. lbs. (or 12" wrench with full hand force). Then loosen nut to remove torque. DO NOT ROTATE THE HUB. Finger tighten nut until snug. Then back off until the first castellation lines up with the hole and install cotter pin. This proceedure is from the DEXTER axel service manual.

 

[illflem]

This is one of the situations where an infrared temp gun comes in very handy especially when checking for even temps all the way around. It's one of the main uses I have for mine, every tool box should have one now that the prices have come down.

 

[dodger22]

illflem - can you give more info about infra-red temp gun? Make? price? Where to get them?



T. I. A.

Richard

 

[illflem]

Richard, you can find them everywhere nowadays, auto parts stores, Sears, ebay, even Wal-Mart. Prices range from $50 to $150+ depending on options like laser sighting and memory. I have a Raytek which is the company that first started mass producing them, paid around $100. Not top of the line but common and reliable. Be careful, cheap ones may not have the range you need, mine does -40° to 900°, any more than that and they get real expendsive. Very handy, instant and accurate, will pick up the temp of a light bulb from 20 feet just sweeping by it. Use them for checking bearings/u-joints for wear/adjustment, exhaust manifolds for individual cylinder temps, tires for over loading and inflation, poor electrical connections, taking your kid's temperature and even finding drafts/poorly insulated areas in your house. The list goes as far as your imagination.

 

[Deezul1]

What Gary - KJ6Q said . Mine are just barely warm when coming off the highway using the exhaust brake for most of the slow down and very little braking at stopping, Thats after 150 miles at 70MPH. The brakes will heat it up way quick so try that first.

 

[Turbo Thom]

The correct way to adj. the bearing has already stated but one thing to keep an eye on is the grease. If ever yu see and "oil' comming from the cap you have a real problem. If the grease gets to hot it is the same as hot oil. Watch for that.



. . Preston. .

 

[Blakers]

Yea there's a little grease spinning out from a cap with a little leak, but I don't see it as a "real problem".



I didn't adjust the wheels as suggested by Dexter - I didn't know that. I was told to tighten them up til the wheel wouldn't keep spinning when spun by hand, then back the nut off until it spins freely several times.



Maybe I'll do it again the Dexter way with the torque wrench and see if it makes any difference.



Thanks,



Blake

 

[Turbo Thom]

Blakers:



What I was saying is the grease has gotten so hot it gets oily. It may be getten hotter than yu think. On the highway 1000 miles from the house ain't the place to try to fix a fried spindle.



Been there.



. . Preston. .

 

[Blakers]

Thanks Preston. I want to get things right BEFORE I leave home on any trip. I know what you mean. Not fun!



Blake

 

[WestTN]

hot hubs

The more grease you put in the hub, the hotter it will run. My boat trailer hubs run Bearing Buddies for obvious reasons. They run quite a bit hotter than my travel trailer hubs. The TT hubs were serviced according to Dexter spec's with a small amount of grease in each bearing, while the BT hubs are stuffed completely full.