Trailer: 2011 Keystone 25RSGVWR: 7500#Axles, bearings, brakes, etc. have never been serviced. (the way I purchased from original owner)Mileage: Approx. 10,000Considering servicing my own bearings, seals, and potentially brakes. I'm pretty handy and have plenty of tools. I have never serviced travel trailer bearings before. Boat trailer bearings, seals, races, hubs, YES......but not travel trailer axles, bearings, seals, brakes, magnets.A few questions I have been pondering:Are there any good step by step procedures or videos you can refer me to?Are brake drums turned?When are brake shoes replaced?Are magnets replaced? How do you inspect and what to look for in terms of wear, required thickness, etc?Where can I source Timken bearings and quality USA seals?Many thanks!

Baja Man wrote:Are there any good step by step procedures or videos you can refer me to?Yep: Here's my videoThis is helpful too, where I dismantled everything to look at the brakesBaja Man wrote:Where can I source Timken bearings and quality USA seals?Look locally for bearing supply houses. I buy from two local stores, either Brown Bearing or McGuire Bearing

Don't assume you "need" new bearings, although I will often just replace rather than clean them to re-pack, myself, it's cheap. Napa will have, or just order online. Consider SKF as equal to Timken. If ordering online, lots of "fake" good bearings. I got some (for a 4 wheeler that NO dealers apparently carry because well, who knows) in a name brand box and the box was actually a poor forgery of the real name brand. Sort of comical and they were like 1mm wider so snap ring wouldn't go back in.I'm sure there's 100 threads on here and 1000 YooToob videos, but the process is quite simple and should be pretty easy with even a nominal amount of mechanical aptitude. Couple key things.1. Don't fill the whole hub cavity with grease. Some will say pack the bearings and that's all the grease needed. I prefer to fill the hub at least 25%? full of grease in addition to packing the bearings. 2. If you replace bearings you should replace the races. you can drive them in out and back in with hand tools and wood blocks generally. 3. Magnets, I don't know the actual criteria. Have replaced some, but generally if brakes just aren't grabbing hard and they should be.4. Shoes and drums. If it aint broke or wore out, don't fix it. I wouldn't turn the drums unless you feel they're warped or you have a brake shoe that grooved the drum. If the drums are off, I'll scuff them real well with (wire wheel, emory cloth, sandpaper). Restoring friction and getting rid of any glaze helps. And is necessary if you replace brake shoes.Finally, if you need more new components than not, buying complete new hub/brake assemblies "can" be more economical and quicker than replacing individual components.

If you've done bearings on a boat trailer, they work the same way on a TT. Bearings come out, replace the seals, grease, install and adjust. If you look under the trailer there should be a sticker on the axle tube that identifies the make and model of the axle, chances are it's either Lippert or Dexter. The load rating of the axle generally determines brake and bearing size.If the bearings aren't scored, pitted, or otherwise damaged, I wouldn't replace them. Use a hi quality grease and you'll be fine.Brakes operate like typical drum brake assemblies. If the ones on the TT now aren't self-adjusting, I highly recommend replacing them with the Dexter self-adjusting assemblies. You'll be able to eyeball both the shoes and magnets and see if they worn to the point of replacing. If you decide to replace the shoes, generally you buy whole assemblies that come pre-assembled with shoes, springs and magnets. Just clip the brake wires behind the backing plate and remove the 5 bolts holding in the brake assembly and remove the whole works. Regarding the drums, there are very few places that resurface drums anymore. With electric brakes, the magnet rides on the inside face of the drum, and the magnets will score the face just like the shoes do to the inside circumference. Turning the drums meaning turning both the show surface and the magnet surface. The few old-school shops that still turn drums wouldn't do a trailer drum because they can't turn the magnet surface. If there surface is not badly scored or grooved, just re-use the drums. If they need replacing, then just get new ones.A good source for trailer parts is e-Trailer. last time I did brakes and bearings I got the brake assemblies, new drums, bearings and seals for under $500, and this was on a 10k GVWR TT with two 6k axles.

Not much different from any other trailer bearings. Inspect the brakes and magnets, especially the wires. Best practice is to replace the seals.Buy a Lisle 34550 Bearing Packer. Under $30 and it worth the money!Shoes will likely fall apart from age before wearing out.In the "Be Prepared" area, buying a couple of spare magnets and an extra set of seals is not a bad idea.

Baja Man wrote:Where can I source Timken bearings and quality USA seals?Don't bet on all Timken bearings being made in the USA !

Axle Bearing Service - Dos and Dont's??? | Good Sam Community

deltabravo
Nomad
Oct 13, 2022
Here's my video on repacking bearings

I stopped using cheap Wal-Mart grease after watching this video
Vintage465
Nomad
Oct 09, 2022
Baja Man wrote:
Thank you all for the tips and advice! It helped tremendously.

Cleaned bearings with kerosene. Inspected and they looked to be in great shape. No gouged or discolored rollers and no dark spots on bearing housings. Races were all smooth, no gouges and no dark spots...ALL looked like new!

Completed the brake service and bearing repack. All went well except for the last wheel (it figures!).
One brake wire had rubbed some of the vinyl coating off (about 3/4"). I cut the bad section of wire, stripped and used a marine heat shrink butt connector. I also used some liquid tape and on an other wheel where some vinyl had scrapped off. I also filed down one of the EZ Lube entry holes on one side of axle....hole edge was a little sharp.

Lucas Red N Tacky grease and National Seals.

Adjusted brakes by opening shoes until wheel locked and the backed off 5-7 clicks until only a slight rub could be felt/heard.

Lining was between 1/8" (on one shoe) and the rest were closer to 3/16".

Used my new ICON race and seal driver.....worked perfect!

Glad this all worked out. It is a good skill to have and there is much comfort to be had rolling down the road know what you're rolling on!
Baja_Man
Explorer
Oct 09, 2022
Thank you all for the tips and advice! It helped tremendously.

Cleaned bearings with kerosene. Inspected and they looked to be in great shape. No gouged or discolored rollers and no dark spots on bearing housings. Races were all smooth, no gouges and no dark spots...ALL looked like new!

Completed the brake service and bearing repack. All went well except for the last wheel (it figures!).
One brake wire had rubbed some of the vinyl coating off (about 3/4"). I cut the bad section of wire, stripped and used a marine heat shrink butt connector. I also used some liquid tape and on an other wheel where some vinyl had scrapped off. I also filed down one of the EZ Lube entry holes on one side of axle....hole edge was a little sharp.

Lucas Red N Tacky grease and National Seals.

Adjusted brakes by opening shoes until wheel locked and the backed off 5-7 clicks until only a slight rub could be felt/heard.

Lining was between 1/8" (on one shoe) and the rest were closer to 3/16".

Used my new ICON race and seal driver.....worked perfect!
Baja_Man
Explorer
Oct 02, 2022
I wanted to thank EVERYONE for the suggestions, advice, charts, pics, etc. It is ALL very helpful.
I put the advice/suggestions into action!

BTW...I used a Trailer Aid Plus and it did a great job of lifting adjacent wheel of the ground 1"-2". Great and easy to use product. If I ever get a flay and need to change tire/wheel, this will come in very handy! NO jacking involved!

I did purchase a race and seal driver (HF ICON brand) and already had the Lisle bearing packer. I may not have needed the race and seal driver, but I wanted it!!

I was able to pull wheels and inspect everything. Bearings and races appear good (no pits, gouges, or signs of blueing/overheating). Bearings are made in China and sizes are L68149 and L67048.
I have AL-KO 4400# axles.

I've attached a few pics of brakes, hubs, etc.

Upon inspection, I have a few questions. My brake references are based on the attached pic of backing plate of drivers/left side of trailer - front/forward drum:

1. I noticed that the magnet arm appears loose, and when I push/move it to the left, only the right side brake shoe moves outwards towards drum. Is this correct? If so, when does the left shoe move?

2. Right brake show mentioned above, is down to approx. 1/16" of lining. Left shoe has approx double the lining. This is probably due to right shoe moving and not sure if left show is moving at all.

3. Wear holes in magnet appear to still have some depth. I believe they are good.

4. There are no gouges and deep scratches in the drums wear surfaces. Also, no blueing or signs of overheating. I believe they are good.

5. I do see the brake wires plastic/rubber cover has split. Is there something better than electrical tape for covering these wires? I am unable to get heat shrink tubing over wires.

6. Checked spindle and small hole where grease exits (from EZ lube zirc fitting) and all appears in good shape and no gouges and sharp edges.

What else am I missing?
Is there more to be inspected?

Was considering changing bearings/races over to Made in USA Timkens. Thoughts?

Thanks!
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Sep 15, 2022
Baja Man wrote:
Is the Lucas Red n Tacky considered a very good grease or average run of the mill? I was wanting Timken, but it is not readily available.

Its great stuff along with Redline synthetic grease. I use both in caulking tube size for all my trucks/rv and non rv trailers/cars/tractors/FEL and its implements.
All my trailers bearing had one or the other.
Baja_Man
Explorer
Sep 15, 2022
Is the Lucas Red n Tacky considered a very good grease or average run of the mill? I was wanting Timken, but it is not readily available.
Baja_Man
Explorer
Sep 15, 2022
Mike134 wrote:
Don't think it was mentioned but those holes on the face of the brake magnet are wear indicators. When they get worn off time for a new magnet. Remember the strength of an electromagnet depends on the mass of metal. Less metal less braking.

Thanks for tip; I'll be checking the magnets.
Mike134
Explorer
Sep 15, 2022
Don't think it was mentioned but those holes on the face of the brake magnet are wear indicators. When they get worn off time for a new magnet. Remember the strength of an electromagnet depends on the mass of metal. Less metal less braking.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Sep 14, 2022
Yup. Same stuff.
Baja_Man
Explorer
Sep 14, 2022
It's cooled off down to mid 80sF in my area. So I'll now be performing the bearing service over this week and next. Great info was shared on this thread and I'll be using it to guide my work.

As far as wheel bearing grease, what is the preferred grease for the RV Trailer application?
Is it the same grease as for autos/trucks wheel bearings?

Thanks