Brought my trailer home from storage. All kinds of clanking noises.Grabbed all four tires and shook 'em. Two of them clunked back and forth. Is that really the way to tell if you need new bearings?It's a 2003 without much mileage on it. Just thought I should have the brakes and bearings checked. Shop wants 350 to check brakes, repack/replace bearings/hub, and clean up.I'll see what's around for tires then throw out a thread (there aren't enough tire threads lol). Not going to replace wheels. Money is tight! Just going to replace original tires.Then the awning. Ouch!

Loose play CAN be an indicator but to be sure you need to pull them and inspect, which I would do

ten years old and not much mileage would call for pulling the drums and check that the shoes are still attached as they were bonded on. I found one of my shoes yesterday just laying in the drum when i pulled it. I replaced the entire backing plate with preinstalled shoes,springs and adjusters.

i guess i have no idea what labor is these days but that seems expensive

The clunking noise may have been from your magnet hitting the drum dependin on how hard you shook the tires/wheels. Did you feel the wheel wobble on the axle ? If so that would indicate the need for some sort of bearing work. For awhile a lot of new TT were coming from the factory with loose drums. For some reason the axles were being delivered without the drums being properly tightened onto the axle. I remember reading many posts where several rv'ers had discovered the drums weren't tight and bearing were ruined.

Looseness isn't necessarily a sign you need new bearings. They may just need adjusting but first they need to be cleaned and inspected.

Wheel Bearings, Brakes, Tires | Good Sam Community

LaunchnRetrieve
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
thanks everyone
LaunchnRetrieve
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
SJones37 wrote:
For the 10 minutes it would take, ide put a jack under the axle and get the tire off the ground.Then you could put a bar under the tire and rock it and see if its a bearing .Check lug nuts,might have a couple loose ones.For the little time it will take to check all wheels its worth the piece of mind.Before i spent 350 on a shop ide do some looking first.its pretty easy to pull bearings,clean and repack.Its a little messy but not to hard.

I've got the weekend to play with this and will try the few things you've suggested. My appointment for work is two weeks away so I have time to play with this to the limits of my mechanical abilities and resources.
LaunchnRetrieve
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
subcamper wrote:
Were there any noises when drove it to put it into storage? The bearings certainly wouldn't have worn while parked in storage.

I agree with the other posters that suspect something with the brakes/magnets. Maybe a piece of hardware broke or fell off into the drum.

Steve

Was not aware of any noises when I last towed it.
LaunchnRetrieve
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
jamesu wrote:
I just spent $275 to have wheels packed and brakes checked. Beats the $350 another guy quoted here. DIY will save you $, but I don't do DIY anymore.

James, we have the same truck! :)
I wonder if the price difference has to do with me being in California and in the Bay Area on top of that.
jamesu
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
I just spent $275 to have wheels packed and brakes checked. Beats the $350 another guy quoted here. DIY will save you $, but I don't do DIY anymore.
SJones37
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
For the 10 minutes it would take, ide put a jack under the axle and get the tire off the ground.Then you could put a bar under the tire and rock it and see if its a bearing .Check lug nuts,might have a couple loose ones.For the little time it will take to check all wheels its worth the piece of mind.Before i spent 350 on a shop ide do some looking first.its pretty easy to pull bearings,clean and repack.Its a little messy but not to hard.
subcamper
Explorer II
Jun 28, 2013
Were there any noises when drove it to put it into storage? The bearings certainly wouldn't have worn while parked in storage.

I agree with the other posters that suspect something with the brakes/magnets. Maybe a piece of hardware broke or fell off into the drum.

Steve
LaunchnRetrieve
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
Always learn something from each post. To be honest, the clanking noise fits more with something else. I've had bearings go before and that was more of a screeching sound. It'll be good to have bearings and brakes inspected and repaired/replaced as needed. I'll feel safer on the road. Once I get new tires I'll feel indestructable.
skipnchar
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
It's NEVER a bad idea to "inspect" anything that is in question. That would be the defining moment for evaluating all of those items.
ScottG
Nomad
Jun 28, 2013
Looseness isn't necessarily a sign you need new bearings. They may just need adjusting but first they need to be cleaned and inspected.