Posts: 512
| VMS - 2/22/2019 10:05 PM
Hiya,
I'd play safe on this one... A tear down, seal replacement, and new grease is a good thing to do if for no other reason than peace of mind.
If there is 1/16" of play, I'd say that is too much, and if that play wasn't there beforehand when you installed the hubs originally, it could be an indicator of an issue just starting to form. The last thing I think anyone would want is to run into a bearing issue on the road. I've been on trips where another person's trailer had issues like that, and it's not fun, it's time consuming, and it can be quite expensive...
I wish you were closer Dave... We'd get that thing torn down and repacked quickly.
I feel you should take the hour to tear down, inspect, clean up, replace the seals and repack the bearings....both sides.. Turn the hub the counter-clockwise while you tighten the castle nut until the hub cannot spin, then back it off, and slowly tighten while checking free-play. Get as close as possible to no free play...it'll be between two notches on the castle nut...one will have a tiny amount of free-play, the next will be no play. THAT is the position to set your hub to. It'll run nice and cool...
The biggest thing is peace of mind.. If you don't do it, it will be on your mind all trip...
I think the bearing buddies create a nice tight fit on the outside of the hubs...much tighter than a simple dust cap. With greased bearings, the seal is not a perfect and water can get in....but...in the many many years I have run them, the only time I ever had water intrusion was when I left the trailer in the water while I fished for a couple of hours in the late late season. For a quick few minute dunk for load/unload, things stay pretty clear of water...maybe a droplet or two that gets in over a season.
One thing I have noticed, though, is that bearing buddies do get to a point they don't fit as snug, and when that happens, it is time to replace them. A lost dust cap or bearing buddy is a sure sign to dirty a hub and cause issues on the road...
Steve
Hey Steve, thanks for the reply. and yes, i was preparing to do just that today, i actually have another set of the prepackaged ones that i replaced a few years back, so im going to do that today.. only thing is, like i said earlier, is the seal on the inside is a little snug, and i thought i had some extra, larger seals, but i do not. hopefully i can find one locally, or possibly reuse the one on the hub i take off. will auto part stores have those on hand possibly? was kind of a pain last time because my trailer has spindle sleeves, but i couldnt get those to go on/stay on, so i went without them.. a little frustrating for sure..
but, need to get cracking and hopefully i can find the inner seals i need
thanks again
Dave |
