Hi all, newbie RV owner here. I've been around Toy Haulers for a while and owned a small one about 12 years ago. But recently I've got back in the game and purchased a 2005 30' Sandpiper toy hauler. The TH is in really good condition for being 11 years old but I want to service the wheel bearings and brakes before making many more trips. At the same time I'm going to install a Dexter heavy duty shackle and plate kit. After a close look at my axles, they appear to be Hayes T-60 axles. The work looks pretty straight forward and I plan on tackling both items in one weekend. My question is....where is the best place to purchase the bearing/seal kits? How do I know I'm getting the right kit? There seems to be a lot of different ones out there. Thanks for any input!

For an 11 year old trailer, the safest thing to do is to disassemble one wheel, and get the numbers off them. A good auto parts guy should be able to cross reference them to a good, quality, name brand parts .... Timken, or whatever ....I would take the old ones with me to make sure they match up .....

Bill & Kate wrote:For an 11 year old trailer, the safest thing to do is to disassemble one wheel, and get the numbers off them. A good auto parts guy should be able to cross reference them to a good, quality, name brand parts .... Timken, or whatever ....I would take the old ones with me to make sure they match up ..... Good idea, I was hoping to be able to get all parts gathered and knock out the job in one shot, but how often does that happen!:B What complicates things too, is I have to store the trailer at an RV yard and I will have to do the work on the street in front of my house. I'll make some calls tomorrow and try and find a local parts shop that carries these parts. Would Napa or Auto Zone carry the kits? Or do I need to find a RV specific parts house?

We live at the Jersey Cape Shore, and there are probably hundreds of thousands of boat trailers, and RV trailers all over the place ....My point is that yes, at least most the independent guys (like NAPA) have a good assortment, and can get anything they don't have in a day or so. Your conditions may vary, but you could make a few calls to feel them out.Would the storage place let you do just one at their place?

Bill & Kate wrote:Would the storage place let you do just one at their place? I'll check with them. That would make my weekend work go a little quicker. Thx!

You are kinda strapped for working space there.I just did mine and as suggested, took one apart, got the numbers off the bearings and ordered the kits from etrailer on line.I experienced a huge disparity in pricing when initially shopping. BTW all the bearings that the local ORilley's had were China made regardless of the box they were in.I understand Timken still does some manufacturing in the US. I think you have to look inside the box to see where a bearing is made now a days.Good Luck.

My first RV wheel bearing replacement | Good Sam Community

CharlesinGA
Explorer
May 12, 2016
NAPA sells trailer bearing kits for smaller trailers (and possibly larger ones, not sure) that are SKF bearings mostly sourced in Mexico or Japan, with the SKF name on them. They are good quality. As an alternative, remove the bearings and go to a BEARINGS AND DRIVE store and they will have good quality bearings, races and seals.

Personally, I blow the old grease out with compressed air, wash in the parts washer, examine closely and if they look good, I repack and reinstall.

I helped a friend replace all of the bearings in a new to him '86 30ft Avion but we found bearings made in every former Soviet communist block nation imaginable, so we changed them all.

Charles
Bear_Ghost
Explorer
May 09, 2016
Thanks for the input everyone! Yes I agree, the working area is not ideal. Makes doing major work on my trailer really tough. But if I plan it out and have a full weekend free, I've been able to get a lot of work done in the past couple weekends. I'm planning on pulling one hub today at the storage yard. That will be a good start and I'll be able to get some numbers at least. I ordered the Dexter EZ flex kit last night, so hopefully this project can be wrapped up this weekend!
Lynnmor
Explorer
May 09, 2016
Take out your old bearings and clean them completely. If they look good, they will be much better than new cheap junk Chinese bearings made today. If you need to replace, get Timken bearings. I got mine from Summit Racing.
Dave_H_M
Explorer II
May 09, 2016
You are kinda strapped for working space there.

I just did mine and as suggested, took one apart, got the numbers off the bearings and ordered the kits from etrailer on line.

I experienced a huge disparity in pricing when initially shopping. BTW all the bearings that the local ORilley's had were China made regardless of the box they were in.

I understand Timken still does some manufacturing in the US. I think you have to look inside the box to see where a bearing is made now a days.

Good Luck.
Bear_Ghost
Explorer
May 09, 2016
Bill & Kate wrote:

Would the storage place let you do just one at their place?

I'll check with them. That would make my weekend work go a little quicker. Thx!
Bill___Kate
Explorer
May 09, 2016
We live at the Jersey Cape Shore, and there are probably hundreds of thousands of boat trailers, and RV trailers all over the place ....

My point is that yes, at least most the independent guys (like NAPA) have a good assortment, and can get anything they don't have in a day or so. Your conditions may vary, but you could make a few calls to feel them out.

Would the storage place let you do just one at their place?
Bear_Ghost
Explorer
May 09, 2016
Bill & Kate wrote:
For an 11 year old trailer, the safest thing to do is to disassemble one wheel, and get the numbers off them. A good auto parts guy should be able to cross reference them to a good, quality, name brand parts .... Timken, or whatever ....

I would take the old ones with me to make sure they match up .....

Good idea, I was hoping to be able to get all parts gathered and knock out the job in one shot, but how often does that happen!:B What complicates things too, is I have to store the trailer at an RV yard and I will have to do the work on the street in front of my house. I'll make some calls tomorrow and try and find a local parts shop that carries these parts. Would Napa or Auto Zone carry the kits? Or do I need to find a RV specific parts house?
Bill___Kate
Explorer
May 09, 2016
For an 11 year old trailer, the safest thing to do is to disassemble one wheel, and get the numbers off them. A good auto parts guy should be able to cross reference them to a good, quality, name brand parts .... Timken, or whatever ....

I would take the old ones with me to make sure they match up .....

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