Wheel Bearings

[cameldownunder]

So I decided to replace the hubs and the brakes. Took the bearings out of the old hubs, and they look good. KOYO HI-CAP bearings. There was plenty on grease on one side, and just about a spec on the other hub. They probably made less then 2000km, and about 2 1/2 years old.The kit I ordered also has bearings, but I think lesser quality, as the whole kit was not more then $300 from fleebay. The third option is to buy new KOYOs Hi Quality from a trailer place from another $80. I expect the trailer itself to have another 3 years of life, after this work.

What would be the most sensible thing to do? Clean old one, and pack them back in, use the one from the kit, or spend the 80$ on new Quality bearings?

[Fab1]

So I decided to replace the hubs and the brakes. Took the bearings out of the old hubs, and they look good. KOYO HI-CAP bearings. There was plenty on grease on one side, and just about a spec on the other hub. They probably made less then 2000km, and about 2 1/2 years old.The kit I ordered also has bearings, but I think lesser quality, as the whole kit was not more then $300 from fleebay. The third option is to buy new KOYOs Hi Quality from a trailer place from another $80. I expect the trailer itself to have another 3 years of life, after this work.

What would be the most sensible thing to do? Clean old one, and pack them back in, use the one from the kit, or spend the 80$ on new Quality bearings?

What was wrong with your hubs? Too much Rust?

Those hubs on fleabay usually come with inferior bearings.

If your Hubs were salvageable, I'd clean them up and put some good quality bearings such as Timken, skf etc with good quality marine grease containing lithium and a new double lip seal.

Or use your new hub with the above.

Sent from my GT-I8730T using Tapatalk

[Geoff]

As Fab1 mentioned , the hubs & disc's are normally salvagable even if there is server rust on the disc.

Take them to a brake place & for a few $$$ they can skim them bringing them back to a smooth surface.

In respect to the bearings install what ever brand your happy with but even using the best available they will fail if the rear seal is not doing it's job , especially around the stub axle.

Ensure this area is clean & free of any rust & no pitting.

Geoff

[Paikea]

Fit quality bearings and bearing buddies and grease them after every immersion of the trailer. Worth every penny.

Cheers

Paikea

[Nolongeramember]

If the original bearings look ok and they were not noisy then I would put them back in. Why not there is nothing wrong with them.

I have been running the same bearings for 10 years now and they are still going well. The trick is to keep them greased. If there is grease on them I can't see how they would get rusted or fail for a very long time.

[Fab1]

If the original bearings look ok and they were not noisy then I would put them back in. Why not there is nothing wrong with them.

I have been running the same bearings for 10 years now and they are still going well. The trick is to keep them greased. If there is grease on them I can't see how they would get rusted or fail for a very long time.

Hi Roylo, please don't take this the wrong way.

Replace those bearings.

Bearings on boat trailers are notorious for getting water in them as we all know, usually from water getting in due to a bad seal/incorrect installation or dunking them into the drink while still hot.

Most of us fish the salt and as we all know is very corrosive.

Once that saltwater gets in it emulsyfies with the grease thinning it out.

This grease containing moisture (saltwater) is now all the way through your hub, bearings, races.

Alot of that water will evaporate with the heat generated in your hub/bearings while traveling leaving a much higher concentration of salt mixed with the grease.

Once you park up your rig your bearings that are coated in that saltwater slurry will start to rust, the more it sits the worse the problem becomes.

They will eventually become pitted, start to rumble and eventually fail.

these bearings are gone.

so is this.

blue tinge on bearing on right sure sign of lack of lubrication or improper adjustment causing overheating and loss if temper.

Always check the undersides of your stub axles for cracking, this is where they will go first.

This is just pure neglect and looks like captain cook was the last one to give them a service.

Cheers.

Sent from my GT-I8730T using Tapatalk

[Nolongeramember]

Nah no offence at all mate u probably know more about trailer bearings than me I would say.

In my case I know for a fact that my bearings get salt water on them every time I dunk it. The thing is they are in good nick and not noisy after 10 years of use. I do pump some grease in them every few trips and they always stay lubed.

IMO most failures come from letting the bearings get dry.

[spaners]

My 2 bobs worth.Replace bearings for piece of mind...a tow truck costs a lot more than a set of bearings.

Also bearing buddies are not the magic cure that people think.Yes they help ,a lot,but most bearings that fail are the rear bearings as the spring does not push the grease into the rear bearing.Make sure you use a high temp wheel bearing grease not just marine grease.

Edited June 24, 2014 by wher'd all the fish go

[Fab1]

Nah no offence at all mate u probably know more about trailer bearings than me I would say.

In my case I know for a fact that my bearings get salt water on them every time I dunk it. The thing is they are in good nick and not noisy after 10 years of use. I do pump some grease in them every few trips and they always stay lubed.

IMO most failures come from letting the bearings get dry.

Fair enough mate.

Sent from my GT-I8730T using Tapatalk