Bearing Failure On The Freeway

[Geoff]

Coming home from PT Stevens last Sunday , about 1/2 K North of Ourimbah , a car pulled along side with the passenger pointing at the trailer wheel. I pulled over to find smoke coming from the wheel & on closer inspection the inner & outer bearings had all but disappeared leaving only the cones & the race housing & basically , the hub running on the stub axle.

I had a spare set of bearings with me but replacing bearings on the side of a freeway was not an appealing thought. Other than having the trailer trucked back to Sydney there was really no other option.

Moved a few hundred meters to a safer spot & an hour or so later , with new bearings fitted , was on my way.

On Monday , I removed the bearing buddies from the other side to find water dripping from the hub & the bearings with perhaps only 50 - 100 k or so before they to collapsed.

In both cases , the water had entered through the rear seal.

For interest , the original set of bearings on a new trailer were replaced after 4 years & were still in good condition when replaced.

This set only lasted 2 years even though they were good quality purchased from a bearing company.

I noticed a small amount of rust with some minor pitting on the stub axle where the seal sits , perhaps this is the source of the problem.

I would be interested to hear from raiders who have had a similar problem & found a solution , other than not getting the seals wet when launching / retrieving , to prevent or minimise water entering into the hub.

Thanks ,

Geoff

[chrisg]

Geoff

A clean surface on the stub where the seal sits is a must. Its not the best seal as it is and any pitting or corrosion with help water to get in. Another cause is putting the trailer in after a bit of a run. The contraction caused by the water on the warm hub has the effect of sucking the water in. Above all quality seals and bearing are the go..something like Timken. Generally the the seal material is better and better fit.

End of the day though you will get water in there on a boat trailer and hence the need for regular maintenance. What grease are you using when you pack the bearing?

C.

[Holmesie]

Where possible I always put a few pumps of grease into the bearing buddies prior to dunking the trailer - I figure having positive pressure inside will help prevent water sucking in if the bearings & hub are hot, or if the seal face is a little dodgy.

Also, I make it an annual thing to completely strip, inspect and repack the bearings no matter how many k's they have done - good piece of mind for me, especially when I travel 400km to the coast for a decent fishing session!

Cheers

[Bill S]

I consider myself pretty anal when it comes to looking after my gear. As an ex mechanic running a 2 axle trailer, stripping 4 hubs down to regrease becomes an enjoyable mornings task. Nice to get my hands dirty again .

However, I now run 4 oil hubs and haven't suffered a spot of trouble. The hubs have a clear inspection window which allows a visual inspection of the hub oil level and condition to be made. The hubs run cooler on long runs as the oil allows better heat transfer than grease and water ingress would be evident as the oil would turn cloudy. The rubber plug centered in the window has a thin membrane area to allow for cooling/heating of the hub and won't force oil out or suck water in.

So,no more greasing the hubs before launching the boat and no more stripping the hubs to see if they're OK, Just a quick walk around the trailer and you're done. I check bearing end play every 20,000K or yearly, so far I haven't needed to make any adjustment in 4 years.

I'm very happy to recommend these units to anyone, I purchased mine at Supercheap and the brand name is Dura Hub. Given I purchased them some years back I don't remember the price.

DuraHub Website

Cheers Bill

Edited April 26, 2010 by Bill S

[jewgaffer]

Thanks for the thumbs up on these particular trailer bearings Bill S ... Geoff was only telling me recently when he was fitting a pair of bearing buddies for me that it's still possible to get some seepage thru the seals at the back regardless and, as has already been mentioned, especially when launching the boat while the hubs are still hot.. It's good to have a particular brand of trailer bearings recommended by a mechanic such as yourself, thank you for that. It's high time that all trailer bearing manufacturers took more care in regard to the design and the quality of the trailer bearings they produce...towing a boat and having a poorly made trailer bearing collapse may be not necessarily be regarded as being an insured event but the fault of the bearing manufacturer, and losing a trailer wheel due to a faulty bearing could also lead to loss of life...

Cheers

jewgaffer

Edited April 26, 2010 by jewgaffer

[pjbink]

By pressurising the hub the way bearing buddies do you may be forcing the seal out and letting water in. In fact I don't think bearing buddies actually work - maybe they should be called bearing enemies! Either try one of the oil systems are regularly re-pack your bearings. Another tip is if possible don't dunk your bearings in the water. If you have reasonable sized trailer wheels and don't drive your boat on this is often possible.

Edited April 26, 2010 by billfisher

[fisherdad]

If you want to stay with the gease type be sure you purchase the hub seals that sit stationary on the axle and spin within the stainless sleve supplied. Timken make these and are available at supercheap as well. Forget the type that rub against your rusty axle simply no good for a boat. I would also suggest grease them up at the start of each season and check mid season.

A rainy day is a better time to find out you have an issue than the way you found out . Good idea to carry a spare set like you did

if your boat does not have brakes it's an easy job

[Mr Dalucius]

We also run durahub bearings on our trailer and are very happy with this set up. Three years on, everything still looks good. I check for bearing play every year. Geoff.

[Geoff]

Tks to all for your replys & informative information.

Chrisg The grease is a well known brand. I dought it was a grease problem. I think the water ingress would have caused any grease to fail.

A clean surface on the stub where the seal sits is a must.

Yes , I agree. Whilst the piting is only minor it is still a weak spot , so to speak. I guess what I was looking for was a product like silicon that could be applied to the axle than slide the seal on thereby sealing the area between the two surfaces.

If this worked it would it would avoid replacing the axle.

Another cause is putting the trailer in after a bit of a run.

Good point , will keep this in mind

Holmesis I always put a few pumps of grease into the bearing buddies prior to dunking the trailer

I did this but suspect the bearings may have already been on their last legs & the extra grease was too little , too late.

The annual inspection is now on the "to do list"

Bill S Durahubs are certinally an option. Unlike Bearing Buddies , am I correct in saying , there is no positive pressure with the oil filled system. Not that this is of major concern but I still need to stop the water from entering.

Jewgaffer. It's high time that all trailer bearing manufacturers took more care in regard to the design

One would like to think , with todays technology , someone could design a water proff sealing system.

billfisher In fact I don't think bearing buddies actually work.

After this experience the same thought crossed my mind.

David purchase the hub seals that sit stationary on the axle.

This is the type that were installed. But as mentioned above , I think the challenge is to ensure a good seal between the rubber seal & the stub axle.

I think the bottom line is ,

Provide as best as possible , a good seal around the stub axle.

Avoid dunking the wheels where ever possible

Remove & check & repack at least every 12 months or prior to long highway trips

Geoff

[Bill S]

Tks to all for your replys & informative information.

Bill S Durahubs are certinally an option. Unlike Bearing Buddies , am I correct in saying , there is no positive pressure with the oil filled system. Not that this is of major concern but I still need to stop the water from entering.

Geoff

Geoff, you can't avoid fluctuations in pressure within the hubs. Well, unless you never take the trailer out of your yard

Generally pressure will go from neutral to positive then a rapid decrease as the trailer hubs are dunked in the Briney, back to neutral in the car park then positive on the trip home. Back to negative as you wash down after a day out. Then back to neutral as the hub cools when not in use.

The DuraHubs design handles these changes with no input from you using the membrane to decrease sharp fluctuations in pressure within the hub. A very simple design that works .

The oil filled hub is not some new idea either, most prime mover/tractor trucks have employed oil hubs for years.

Don't just take my opinion as gospel though. Search the web for DuraHub or oil filled hubs. You'll find many positive comments about the system and some big names in boat and trailer manufacturers have seen the light and fit oil hubs as standard.

My glass boat weighs in at 1700KG wet and all four wheels are sunk on every launch/retreive.

Cheers Bill

Edited April 27, 2010 by Bill S

[chrisg]

Geoff

I ask about the grease because a lot of people use wheel bearing grease. After trying several types I now use plain old blue boating grease for two reasons -

a/ This grease is much better suited for interaction with saltwater and doesn't clag up like normal wheel bearing grease and maintains its lubricating properties even when mixed with water. Seeing as you will always get some moisture in there this seems a good quality.

b/ Its much lower melting point means on a run it becomes much more fluid and both sticks and sloshes around the hub. When I take the buddy cap off after a run there is nice warm liquidy grease.

That said if I had the $$$ I'd go Dura Hubs...they do seem to be get the best wrap.

As for silicon I 'spose it could help..not something I've tried. I'd look to use a neutral cure compound though to avoid any corrosion issues with acid cure silicon.

C.

[jewieslayer]

Geoff

I ask about the grease because a lot of people use wheel bearing grease. After trying several types I now use plain old blue boating grease for two reasons -

a/ This grease is much better suited for interaction with saltwater and doesn't clag up like normal wheel bearing grease and maintains its lubricating properties even when mixed with water. Seeing as you will always get some moisture in there this seems a good quality.

b/ Its much lower melting point means on a run it becomes much more fluid and both sticks and sloshes around the hub. When I take the buddy cap off after a run there is nice warm liquidy grease.

That said if I had the $$$ I'd go Dura Hubs...they do seem to be get the best wrap.

As for silicon I 'spose it could help..not something I've tried. I'd look to use a neutral cure compound though to avoid any corrosion issues with acid cure silicon.

C.

Did u fit the seal the right way

[Dorado 2]

HI guys

Definitely the dura hub product is a great product but I would also like to say that I have been using the (Original) bearing buddies for 20 years on two separate boats and haven't changed a bearing yet!!! Every couple of trips I just give it a pump or two of grease and every year I give the wheels a spin to check for smoothness and all is well. As the others said grease selection is of importance as I bought grease in the past and saw the oils seperating from the grease and I quickly got rid of it. I have done great with a grease with a molybdinum content as it does not seperate and as I said never purchased another bearing. There are many cheap imitation bearing buddies out there and as the saying goes you get what you pay for!! use this url and have a read these are the genuine buddies http://www.bearingbuddy.com/best.html

Cheers

Edited April 27, 2010 by Dorado 2

[Geoff]

HI guys

As the others said grease selection is of importance as I bought grease in the past and saw the oils seperating from the grease and I quickly got rid of it. I have done great with a grease with a molybdinum content as it does not seperate

Cheers

Dorado. Could you expand on comment , " molybdenum content ". I had a look around the web , below are 3 extracts which appear to sumerise the options.

Am I correct is saying your useing the first one , Lithium / Moly Grease

Lithium / Moly Grease

Lithium is the base material in the grease, moly is an additive in the grease, and synthetic tells about the type of oil held in the base.

The base is the thickener. Lithium or lithium complex is probably the most popular grease base material. The base is something like a sponge. It holds oil in its pores, and the oil does the lubricating. The oil can be conventional or synthetic.

Lithium Grease

Lithium based, high melting point grease, specifically designed as a wheel bearing grease for use over a wide range of temperatures. Also suitable for general purpose applications

Moly Grease

High melting point, lithium based grease containing molybdenum, providing dry lubrication under extreme operating conditions.

Ideally suited for the following applications; King pins and bushes, shackles and suspension trunnions, bevel worm and peg steering boxes

Tks

Geoff

[Dorado 2]

Geoff the last time I bought grease was from supacheap and I always pick one where I see molybdenum. Not going to get technical about it mate, I'm no mechanic, I'm a retired Fabricator but I found it to be a good product, actually great. I'm due to buy a new batch and I'll go and check it out and let you know

Cheers

[Dorado 2]

Geoff the product that I use is Valplex M I suppose if you look it up you might find the info that you are after

Cheers

[Geoff]

Geoff the product that I use is Valplex M I suppose if you look it up you might find the info that you are after

Cheers

Thanks for the feed back. Will check it out

Geoff

[wrxhoon1]

I use a normal double lip seal but I have a Stainless steel sleeve on my stubbs. I use marine grease and and bearing buddies ( B/B brand S/S made in USA not copies).

I pump the grease in them until the spring loads up then inspect every now and then when the sping pushes all the way back in I give it a couple squirts .

Never had a brearing problem in all my boating years using this set up . My boat trailer combo weighs around the 2500kg, all four wheels/hubs are submerged.

Once per year or before a long trip I take the B/Bs off and check the grease colour , if it looks perfect blue I don't even worry taking the hub off, I just inspect the outer bearing .

I have good breaks that work ( all S/S, calipers and rotors) and the wheels/hubs get hot, I use alloy wheels so the heat from the hubs and rotors tranfers to the wheels quicker . When I get to the ramp I check the heat on the hubs if they feel very hot I put the trailer in the water up to the bottom of the hubs and wait for a minute so they cool down then reverse all the way in .

The oil bath hubs work and they are very good too as long as the seals are in good nick and the stub is clean, the best thing about the oil bath hubs , you know if the seals are in good nick if you don't have oil leaks ..

[Geoff]

I use a normal double lip seal but I have a Stainless steel sleeve on my stubbs. I use marine grease and and bearing buddies ( B/B brand S/S made in USA not copies).

wrxhoon1 Could you advise further information on the stainless sleve. Was it supplied with the axle or fitted at a later date.?

If with the axle , who is the trailer manufacture.

Did the geniune B/B's come with the trailer or purchased later. If later , from whom? Just about every marine & trailer dealer sells "bearing buddies" but normally called "bearing protectors".

I had a look on the web & can only find one supplier on the Centeral Coast.

Tks,

Geoff

[kingpig]

Just another precausion is when travelling have a hub set up with the bearing already installed greased and ready. It is now worth a great deal and although preventitive maintenance is the best option this gives you a great fall back position. Is quick and not messy.

Cheers

Kingpig

[Dorado 2]

Geoff you should be able to get the genuine Bearing buddies from CBC Bearings

Cheers