Trailer Hub Woes- Private Msg

[99yam40]

I usually use a strip of emery cloth and buff the spindle.
if there are tall points that need to be addressed I will use a file on the high spots and then buff

look at the seal surface.
it needs addressing also
if too bad I have used speedy sleeves on them before

[pstephens46]

I usually use a strip of emery cloth and buff the spindle.
if there are tall points that need to be addressed I will use a file on the high spots and then buff

look at the seal surface.
it needs addressing also
if too bad I have used speedy sleeves on them before

I would be concerned about the seals as well.

[Jason2tpa]

look at the seal surface.
it needs addressing also
if too bad I have used speedy sleeves on them before

Are you talking about the surface with red lines pictured below?

[Reel Kahuna]

You using bearing buddies on your trailer hubs?

Main problem with bearing buddies is when one pumps too much grease, which blows the seal.

Indicator is when the inner rim is covered with grease. Again, most don't notice the grease until its too late and they're on the Highway or down a single lane dirty road when the bearings blow.

On my new to me boat trailer; just today replaced both with new hubs, bearings and double lip seals on my skiff's trailer. Both existing hubs dripped water when I pulled them off. Now that trailer should be good until the start of next fishing season, when I'll pull the hubs off, inspect, remove old grease and pack with new.

BTW I also carry a spare hub that has new bearings, seal and packed with grease. I place the hub in a vacuum bag and seal it that keeps it clean and free of dirt so it'll be ready just to slip it on the spindle.

[Jason2tpa]

BTW I also carry a spare hub that has new bearings, seal and packed with grease. I place the hub in a vacuum bag and seal it that keeps it clean and free of dirt so it'll be ready just to slip it on the spindle.

That's an ideal backup plan, especially when towing a singe axle trailer.

[panasonic]

Main problem with bearing buddies is when one pumps too much grease, which blows the seal.

Indicator is when the inner rim is covered with grease. Again, most don't notice the grease until its too late and they're on the Highway or down a single lane dirty road when the bearings blow.

On my new to me boat trailer; just today replaced both with new hubs, bearings and double lip seals on my skiff's trailer. Both existing hubs dripped water when I pulled them off. Now that trailer should be good until the start of next fishing season, when I'll pull the hubs off, inspect, remove old grease and pack with new.

BTW I also carry a spare hub that has new bearings, seal and packed with grease. I place the hub in a vacuum bag and seal it that keeps it clean and free of dirt so it'll be ready just to slip it on the spindle.

Yes that is a problem with Bearing buddies, like everything else if you don't follow the instructions that come with them, and pump them up to much you can blow out the rear seal.

Not many like you REEL KAHUNA and look after their trailer hubs like you described.

[99yam40]

That's an ideal backup plan, especially when towing a singe axle trailer.

Good idea on multi axle trailers also,
they do not do good with locked up wheels or wheel falling off either

[99yam40]

Main problem with bearing buddies is when one pumps too much grease, which blows the seal.

Indicator is when the inner rim is covered with grease. Again, most don't notice the grease until its too late and they're on the Highway or down a single lane dirty road when the bearings blow.

On my new to me boat trailer; just today replaced both with new hubs, bearings and double lip seals on my skiff's trailer. Both existing hubs dripped water when I pulled them off. Now that trailer should be good until the start of next fishing season, when I'll pull the hubs off, inspect, remove old grease and pack with new.

BTW I also carry a spare hub that has new bearings, seal and packed with grease. I place the hub in a vacuum bag and seal it that keeps it clean and free of dirt so it'll be ready just to slip it on the spindle.

the Bearing buddies I used in the past had holes on the hubs themselves that released grease when too much grease was pumped in.
made a mess on the outside of wheel

[panasonic]

Are you talking about the surface with red lines pictured below?

On the bearing journals the goal is just to take the high spots off with a file and strips of emery cloth (as already noted). Never mine trying to get the damage that is below the seating surface. You just want to have the bearing to be able to just slip back on. If you make that diameter to small the inner race of the bearing may spin on the axle, no good.

The seal running surface is the problem here. Lots of nice pits and roughness there to destroy your new seals and let the water in. If you do the same process, take the high spots off polish up with emery cloth that will be good. BUT then you are left with those pits which will let the water by.

You can clean the pitted seal areas real good with a fine wire brush and brake cleaner. Get some "slow" curing JB weld and put a skim coat all around where the seal runs, let dry, then using your emery cloth strips again sand away the JB weld back down to bare metal and all the pitting and scarring should be filled in nicely. Now you got something smooth for your seals to ride on and do their job.

Trailer hubs should be removed at least once a year IMO and cleaned, bearing's repacked, new grease, no more break downs. Be like Reel Kohuna!!

[99yam40]

trailer parts houses should have SS speedy sleeves that can be slipped over the damaged sealing surface if you cannot smooth the surface up well enough other wise

Just to let you know the seal does not ride on the edge your red arrows are pointing at.
It is usually a little farther in.
should be able to see wear mark

[Jason2tpa]

Just to let you know the seal does not ride on the edge your red arrows are pointing at.
It is usually a little farther in.
should be able to see wear mark

Better image, red lines marking seal area?

There was a guy at my boat yard who is an experienced welder. He saw me working on hub and walked over. I have no experience welding. He said for sure the spindle had been welded. That's what the whitish coloring is.

[pstephens46]

Have you priced a new axle? May not be as expensive as you think. May save you hours attempting to "save" it. There should be dozens of places to buy one in your area. As I said earlier, look at the posi lube type spindles if you replace.
Allows you to force out the old grease with the new.

[Jason2tpa]

Update:

Installed new races, new bearings (1 3/8 & 1 1/16), and bearing seal into hub (5 lug x 4.5). The assembled hub would not slide down the spindle. Head scratcher. It wouldn't even slide half way down. The spindle's castle nut threads hadn't even cleared the outer hub lip.

So I removed the bearing seal from hub and took out the inner bearing. Took the bearing by itself and tried to slide it up the spindle (I should have done this before installing races and seal). The pictures you see below is as far as the bearing will slide before resistance. This is a 1 3/8" inner bearing.

*** Yes I realize in these pictures the inner bearing is backwards. I quickly put it on the spindle for the picture not realizing it was backwards. Be that as it may, when it was inside the hub it was installed correctly***






Below are pictures of the outer bearing and how far up spindle it will slide before meeting resistance. It's size is 1 1/16".





As far as the area on the spindle where the bearings meet resistance...there is no palpable chards of steel or grooves that would cause resistance. The surface is smooth. So I'm totally at a loss here as to what's going on. The inner bearing I removed from the hub (the old one) measured 1 3/8. The old outer bearing was destroyed so I couldn't measure, assumed since inner was 1 3/8 then the outer is 1 1/16 since the spindle is tapered.

A helpful reminder from my previous thread: After the road incident involving a hub issue, I discovered the outer bearing was destroyed and in the inner bearing was seized to the spindle. And now, after trying to install these new components, neither the inner bearing or outer bearing will slide fully up spindle to proper depth for bearing seal.

Thoughts, suggestions, etc. Changing bearings isn't suppose to be this much of a headache. Maybe all the easy ones I've done in the past have run out.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Either the shaft is buggered up more than normal or you have the wrong bearings..
(You did have to torch the old INNER bearing off which you should not have needed to do..)
With that, ^^^, I'd suspect that spindle had prior damage...

The INSIDE bearing, should sit flush, ALL the way in(with the hub when all done).

The OUTSIDE bearing should slide on and adjust accordingly (snug, back off a hair)

You can get an entire spindle fairly cheap and grind off the weld on the end of the OLD spindle. Check for any plug welds and drill out.

Knock the old spindle out / off.

Your boat welder guy can weld a new one (you have it all prepped) literally in 2-3 minutes with an arc welder.. Maybe $30.oo

IMO, sucking water and the issues with that torn up spindle is not worth it..

I've replaced many spindles on trailer axles, prep takes all the time...

(And measure EXACTLY where that old spindle sits BEFORE knocking it out
(should you decide to go that route).

[pstephens46]

Bluntly.....two good choices. Replace spindles as Scott suggests or buy a new axle. You dunk this trailer, correct?