Wheel bearings

[Duane Stuart]

I have had 2 wheel bearing on my RV fail in the past 2 years. Talking with other RV owners seem they are having the same trouble.

I have towed for 30 years and never had this problem until now.



The bearings that have failed were made in China, they probably don't have the guality control we have here in the USA. When I need new bearing I ask the parts house for only USA mfg. bearings.



A word to the wise Happy trails

 

[JCasper]

That's what scares me about my long trips with my new trailer.



I always feel my bearings whenever I stop. This year I will be using a heat gun to check at each stop.

 

[RRees]

How often should bearings be replaced? I repack them every year.



I have a tandem axle trailer than I put my Jeep on.



What tempature is safe for wheel bearings?



Thanks.





Bob

 

[steved]

IMO, I look at one of three bearing manufacturers... Koyo, BSK, or Timken. Don't be surprised if you get one "Made in Japan", and don't worry either.

IMO, for all the more milea a travel trailer sees, they should NEVER need replaced if properly greased and adjusted. . think of the miles on your truck's bearings, they typically go well over 200k.

steved

 

[steved]

What tempature is safe for wheel bearings?



Thanks.





Bob

I check them by hand, and as long as I can still lay my hand on them, they are OK. It gives you a good idea anyway. And don't be surprised if it varies... temperature depends on ambient air temps, load, and speed.



Grease is good to something like 250*F, way hotter than you can touch comfortably.

 

[JCasper]

How often should bearings be replaced? I repack them every year.



I have a tandem axle trailer than I put my Jeep on.



What tempature is safe for wheel bearings?



Thanks.





Bob

Here is how I see it.



If one is considerably hotter then the rest of them, you may have something going wrong and should probably look at it.

 

[RRees]

Thanks for the info. I now carry one of those non-contact (infrared) thermometers. I probably won't be towing for a few more months. I'll get a baseline then.

 

[HBarlow]

Around 80* to 105* is a reasonable range. It varies with conditions as stated above. The key indicator is one bearing that is significantly hotter than the others.



Harvey

 

[WestTN]

When you are are ready to repack the bearings, you need to clean them first. After cleaning, look at the roller surfaces and the race surface carefully. If they shine they are good. If dull,they are worn out.



If you use an air hose to dry the bearings, never spin the bearing with the air.

 

[steved]

Around 80* to 105* is a reasonable range. It varies with conditions as stated above. The key indicator is one bearing that is significantly hotter than the others.



Harvey

This can also be as simple as one has a little more preload on the bearings than the others...



Now if you know how warm they typically run, then one starts running hotter for no reason, then it is a good indicator.

 

[HBarlow]

This can also be as simple as one has a little more preload on the bearings than the others... .

Or even a brake on one wheel adjusted a little too tight or not releasing completely due to a broken or weak return spring which can heat the drum and give an indication of a hot bearing.



An inexpensive hand-held IFR thermometer can save a trailer puller from a catastrophic failure by providing an early indication of a developing problem if the driver is diligent and does a walk around "point and shoot" with his thermometer every time he stops. It's a good habit to develop.



Harvey

 

[JRS]

I replaced the bearings in my race car trailer with some Chinese bearings/races I had picked up at the trailer store. I used synthetic grease and even torque the axle nut while spinning the drum. One of them failed the next long trip I took. I ended up purchasing some Timkens and replacing everything again. No problems since.

 

[RMaynard]

Compressed air is a useful tool to clean old grease out of wheel bearings. I used it last spring and it worked great. Do not spin a bearing to dry with the air though.

 

[JRBurton]

I have been camping in trailers since 1990 first a pop-up then a 30 FT. TT. Never had a bearing isue, just purchased a 36 FT Travel Supreme 5th WLR , sure hope I don,t run have any issues with bearings.

 

[steved]

I have been camping in trailers since 1990 first a pop-up then a 30 FT. TT. Never had a bearing isue, just purchased a 36 FT Travel Supreme 5th WLR , sure hope I don,t run have any issues with bearings.

Same here... I've put a lot of miles on trailers (and their bearings) without issue... but I also typically overdo the greasing.

 

[Crash&Burn]

Last spring I replaced all the bearings, races, seals, on my boat trailer, as I was packing the bearings I noticed there were 5 different countrys where these parts came from

I hand check the temps. on hubs and tires at each stop.

 

[CRuth]

Be careful hand checking the bearings. I grabbed mine once and burned my hand. Good thing an ice chest full of beer was in the bed. Yeah, it needed to be towed after that. I check every stop now.

 

[RVTRKN]

The advise you are getting on this thread is all good advise, but to add my experience on a my boat trailer should be a routine you should always practice. I was pulling my 5ver and my wife was pulling the boat when she complained of brake smell and I discounted this to the fact we started out just below Cajon pass and I figured it was a semi with hot brakes. Well, I still have never heard the end of the fact that I ignored her, it turned out the wheel cylinder on the front passenger side of the boat trailer had locked up and the brake heated things up pretty good. Just as a precaution, the next rest stop we pulled into and I went around all of the wheels on both the 5ver and boat when I discovered the problem on the boat, and performed emergency surgery on that spindle, luckily it was OK and still made the trip. Even though the bearings weren't packed as well as could be it pulled fine until I got home and went through all bearings and brakes.



The boat trailer has always had issues with the brakes until I removed the quick disconnect at the tongue and converted it to a permanent connection (Trailrite trailers still deny that caused it). I was getting air in the lines every time I used the quick disconnect and it cost me lots of money over the years going through my brakes for one reason or another.



Too get back to the thread, you should always feel the hubs or rims when you stop anywhere and they should always feel to be the same in temperature. If you use a inferred gun, keep in mind it will not be a precise temperature but you will detect the difference in the others, same as feeling them, so if you want to save some money just by touching them will be the same. I have practiced this ever since I have worked on my own equipment.



When you torque the hub nut to 30 lb/ft turn the wheel to seat the bearings and then back the nut off 1/2 turn and check for play, there should be no play, and they spin freely, make sure your brakes are not touching during this procedure, if you need to tighten or loosen slightly to eliminate the play that is OK.