Repacking Bearings

[IdahoSnake]

I am looking at getting the bearings repacked on my single axel trailer and the tire store wants to charge me $105 to do it. I have looked around at it appears that new seals only cost about $5. I have never done this before on any trailer but might give it a go. Any tips, special tools needed, or should I just pony up the cash and save the hassel?

Sorry if this has already been covered but I did not find another thread on this.

Any help is appreciated.

[psychobilly]

When repacking them be sure NOT to mix them up. Make sure you keep the bearing with the race that it has been riding in, don't mix them up. Usually if you do one wheel at a time there's not much chance as they are usually 2 different sizes. If you get gung ho and pull everything apart, clean everything, pack them and then go back together you can get them mixed up and that ain't good.

You may want to get you a seal puller, but a screw driver will work. There is a thread in here on this as we all have discussed this before as I remember posting a pic of a seal puller. You just have to read through a bunch of threads. That's the best part about researching a project on here. The amount of reading you have to actually do to find what you're looking for, you actually end up learning about other things.

[Miss Rita]

Here's a link that should help:

http://www.championtrailers.com/techsup.html

[mayo93prostar]

if you are just repacking, it is pretty easy and you need to replace the bearing seals on the inside of the hub. I have a seal puller tool that makes it easy but a pair of pliers may work also. You could also replace the bearings and the races but this is more work and may require a press for the races.

[mayo93prostar]

Originally Posted by Miss Rita

Here's a link that should help:

http://www.championtrailers.com/techsup.html

the link did not work for me

[charrison327]

try........

championtrailers.com/techsup.html#packhubs

had to take out all the http stuff to get it to work.

[Philscbx]

Originally Posted by IdahoSnake

I have never done this before on any trailer but might give it a go.
Any tips, special tools needed, or should I just pony up the cash and save the hassel?

It's pretty straight forward after everything is clean - but it's cleaning that can be a challenge getting all parts down to a clean surface as if out of the box.

Print out the assembly from the links provided & this to have handy.

If the grease is fairly clean looking inside the hubs - it's a good sign.
If it's rusty colored - water present - close inspection is needed.

The best results solvent in the shop here is Napatha -
HomeDepot and others have this in quarts and gallons - very cheap / clean / evaporates nice / blows dry.
Unlike paint thinner which is too oily.

Contact Cleaner can be used after scrubbed clean -
but it's not that effective on thick grease - and the fumes would not be good.

Go into the painting supply cabinet - select a 2"-3" paint brush -
With wire cutting dikes - trim the brush hair to a pointed shape - the shorter the stiffer.
Modified cut is trimming the outer hairs shorter than the center.

A coffee can is about right to place the bearings in - the brush stabbing at them in solvent will work well.
Extra long needle nose pliers work well to hold them while scrubbing them.
Blow them dry - touch them up with final scrub if needed.
With air hose - try not to spin them up. A rag in hand with bearing in it works well on final blow dry.

A cardboard box works well holding them inside to blow them dry so solvent & grease doesn't fly about the shop or driveway.

The hubs can lay in a clean oil drain pan - scoop out the bulk of grease - then brush them clean.
Blow clean with them standing in box.

The rear seal can be removed - before or after - usually before.
The seal can be removed either with large screw driver placed in the hole under edge of seal -
then pried out against side of hub.

Or knocked out from the inside - entering in from the other end with dowel or the screw driver. I try not to wreck them just incase the wrong seals were received & possible delay getting the right ones when the application is odd mfg.
You will be fine here for standard trailer.

Now that bearings are clean -
this is where a close look at each individual rollers on each bearing need to be free of any scoring / pits /
any marking of dis-colored dark zones like it was over heated or rust.
Simply roll the bearing cage around letting the rollers expose 360 as they roll.

Now the axle - clean it as well.
Can place cardboard under area 3x3 with drain pan under axle to clean it.

If it still looks like new - it's good to go.
Any damage noticed on bearings - then that bearing and the race it sits in needs to be replaced.

Inspect the axle where the seal rides - to see if any deep wear ridges from sand wore into it. Place the new seal from the box it came in over this spot to make sure it has a decent snug fit. This is where water will enter when launching the boat.

We'll leave it at that for now when your ready for next process.

This is also a good time to inspect the brakes - if it has them.
Check the brake fluid - roll up paper towel so it can enter the master cylinder -
place one end of towel down into the fluid to the bottom and remove.
If it comes out clean - you win.
We'll see what you found.

If working on concrete - should be just fine with trailer on jack stands.
If on asphalt - place plywood under stands - or they will sink in.
A short stool is real handy to sit at working on the axle.

Take images - of details - it's your new personal manual.
So have fun & Good Luck.

I'll add - simply put the used solvent in with the drain oil jugs.

[Stx221]

What a great write up, thanks for posting that! I am planning to pull the wheels and hubs on my 1995 trailer this afternoon and some of the tips and tricks in there will be handy, such as the paint brush cut down for cleaning the bearings. Otherwise I was planning on a very similar process!

[rjracin240]

Couple things to add to PHILSCB post. Dont use compressed air to spin the bearings, sounds cool but dont do it!!!! Can cause the bearings to fail, if you use compressed air to blow the solvent out insure you hold the bearing cage to prevent it from spinning.


The other point is technique, to remove inner seal thread retaining nut back on then put hub back in and catch edge of seal/bearing on inner side of nut, seal will pop off with usually no damage

[Miss Rita]

Re cleaning bearings: I recently bought a set of new Timken bearings under duress for almost $30. Once they were installed I bought another set at Autozone, $11. It begs the question of whether it's just better to buy another set of $11 bearings each time, or clean the $30 bearing set. Considering the time and mess involved with cleaning bearings, I'd be inclined to get a fresh set each time.

Any mechanic-types here have an opinion on buying bearings made in China v the Timkens?