Trailer Hub Woes- Private Msg

[panasonic]

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.

Bearings will fit when the axle is back to the proper size, meaning there still high spots on the axle...

Here is how to find them:

- Clean all grease off the axle with rags.

- with clean paper towels, spray axle with brake-clean and wipe down. Do that twice.

- Get a big fat sharpie (I like red), and color the whole axle with marker and let dry.

- now try and fit your clean bearing on and it will rub the sharpie off when it hits a high spot. File or sand the high spot until the bearing will past the spot.

Rinse and repeat until bearing slides on.

A high spot of 0.001" or less will keep a bearing from sliding on.

Its either that or do like FJR1300 said get some new stub axles welded on.

Good luck Sir

[Jason2tpa]

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...

I did torch the inner bearing, but not to red hot. I briefly held the torch flame over each area of the outer surface of inner bearing-spindle to melt off any leading edge corrosion. I did this hoping to lessen the amount of force it would take to hammer the bearing off.

My curiosity led me to measure the circumference of the area where the inner bearing slides. It measured 4.5". I figured my measurement could likely be off, but not more than +/- 1/8". Using 4.5" as circumference, the diameter is 1.43". The decimal diameter of a 1 3/8" bearing is 1.375". How would a bearing with a inner diameter of 1.375" slide over a spindle 1.43" in diameter? In order for a inner diameter of 1.375" (1 3/8 bearing) to slide over a spindle its circumference would need to be less than 1.375".

What am I missing here? Is there a next size larger bearing than the 1 3/8"? And if so, is it possible the previous owner of this trailer used the wrong size bearings and just hammered the hub down the spindle?

[Jason2tpa]

Bearings will fit when the axle is back to the proper size, meaning there still high spots on the axle...

Here is how to find them:

- Clean all grease off the axle with rags.

- with clean paper towels, spray axle with brake-clean and wipe down. Do that twice.

- Get a big fat sharpie (I like red), and color the whole axle with marker and let dry.

- now try and fit your clean bearing on and it will rub the sharpie off when it hits a high spot. File or sand the high spot until the bearing will past the spot.

Rinse and repeat until bearing slides on.

A high spot of 0.001" or less will keep a bearing from sliding on.

Its either that or do like FJR1300 said get some new stub axles welded on.

Good luck Sir

Fantastic idea. To be honest, filing metal isn't something I have much experience with. Shaping wood, no problem. So is there a particular metal file grit/course (?) I should use, or particular grit sandpaper?

99yam mentioned earlier to use emory cloth to buff surface. Do I go with the file/sandpaper first, then emory cloth?

[panasonic]

Get yourself an axe file at Home depot, its double cut on one side and single on the other, with safe sides, meaning its edge's are smooth so you can file up to a shoulder without damaging said shoulder. ...build in handle. Bout $10.00

Emery cloth is sandpaper, but on a cloth backing and you can rip strips off the sheet whatever width you need. Emery cloth is meant for metal. Should have that at home depot as well. Probably 180 grit would be good.

After file work, wrap a thin strip emery cloth around the axle and then back and forth action... like drying your back with a towel. Keep the nice round shape.

All you are trying to do is remove the high spots, never mine the low spots, bearing will pass over them....

https://www.amazon.ca/Nicholson-0670.../dp/B006DWT7HG

[Jason2tpa]

Get yourself an axe file at Home depot, its double cut on one side and single on the other, with safe sides, meaning its edge's are smooth so you can file up to a shoulder without damaging said shoulder. ...build in handle. Bout $10.00

Emery cloth is sandpaper, but on a cloth backing and you can rip strips off the sheet whatever width you need. Emery cloth is meant for metal. Should have that at home depot as well. Probably 180 grit would be good.

After file work, wrap a thin strip emery cloth around the axle and then back and forth action... like drying your back with a towel. Keep the nice round shape.

All you are trying to do is remove the high spots, never mine the low spots, bearing will pass over them....

https://www.amazon.ca/Nicholson-0670.../dp/B006DWT7HG

Will do, thanks bud. The filing process sounds like it's a hands-on kind of job, right? No power tool should be used to shave down/smooth spindle?

[panasonic]

Go get yourself a set of digital vernier calibers at home Depot(I keep saying HD because if figure there be one close by) and measure the axle journals properly. You can get a set of calipers for $20.00 that will work just fine for this.

You need to know what size the axle is exactly so you know if you got the right bearings or not first.

If after you determine they are the correct size, then proceed with hand file and emery cloth. Don't take the grinder to it unless you want to bugger it altogether.

The vernier calipers will come in handy again for sure. After you have a set you will wonder how you ever got by without them. They are cheap as dirt now.

Last set I bought cost me $300.00 but they are a professional set and used daily will last for years.

[Jason2tpa]

You need to know what size the axle is exactly so you know if you got the right bearings or not first.

My first thought after discovering the 1 3/8" inner bearing wouldn't slide up spindle is that it must be the wrong size (too small). But after further investigation, I learned the next larger size tapered trailer spindle is 1 3/4" (5.5" circumference). I'm absolutely certain this spindle does not have a 5.5" circumference.

Therefore this issue at hand is resurfacing the spindle to remove the high spots, as you suggested. I'll get at it tomorrow and will post result. Thanks.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Actually, with the minor bearing failure you encountered, (torching wasn't / isn't an issue), look at the main spindle.

Your description of the failure did NOT cause any of those imperfections on the spindle..

**That spindle has been badly damaged before in the past, welded and ground down.**

It's very obvious in the middle of the spindle and which is why your having the issues with the bearing sliding on, nothing on that spindle is round / smooth anymore. They beat those bearings on (as you discovered trying to remove them).

They literally spent more welding (crappy as well) and grinding vs doing a simple spindle replacement.

[Jason2tpa]

Actually, with the minor bearing failure you encountered, (torching wasn't / isn't an issue), look at the main spindle.

Your description of the failure did NOT cause any of those imperfections on the spindle..

**That spindle has been badly damaged before in the past, welded and ground down.**

It's very obvious in the middle of the spindle and which is why your having the issues with the bearing sliding on, nothing on that spindle is round / smooth anymore. They beat those bearings on (as you discovered trying to remove them).

They literally spent more welding (crappy as well) and grinding vs doing a simple spindle replacement.

Agreed with all ^^^

[Jason2tpa]

Take another look above at the 2 pics of the outer bearing. Im guessing this area of the spindle also needs resurfacing, correct? Since it will not slide up the spindle further wout resistance.

[Jason2tpa]

Update and finale:

Took the file and emery cloth to the spindle, both the small and large taper, as well as smoothing out seal surface. Took about 20min. Hub slid on as if it were a new spindle. Appreciate all of the help guys.

No doubt my next chore is to check the other hub for its integrity.

[panasonic]

Nothing to it when you find out how!!

Hope you packed that hub FULL of grease as well.

Just like your lower Unit needs new lube on regular basis so do trailer bearings.

Glad you got it fixed.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Also, it's a good idea to wait at the ramp for a couple for the bearings to cool down before splashing into cold water.

That tends to suck water into the bearings/hubs...

[Jason2tpa]

Nothing to it when you find out how!!

Hope you packed that hub FULL of grease as well.

Just like your lower Unit needs new lube on regular basis so do trailer bearings.

Glad you got it fixed.

Indeed. I now know how to resurface a spindle. Oh yeah, packed it good. The bearing buddies installed have a small hole to allow grease to squeeze out to prevent pressurizing the hub. Grease was squeezing out when I tapped the buddies in. Appreciate all your insight bud.

[Jason2tpa]

Also, it's a good idea to wait at the ramp for a couple for the bearings to cool down before splashing into cold water.

That tends to suck water into the bearings/hubs...

News to me. Do they heat up that much for a few mile drive?