Wheel Bearing Repack

[phillyg]

I have always repacked my own bearings but I just called a local RV facility for a quote. Was just told wheel bearing service is three hours labor for two axles, which is $375 in my area. Seems to me three hours is too long. What does the brain trust say?

[Cummins12V98]

phillyg wrote:
Already got the FW back after they told me $2,300 to replace all four backing plates, etc.

That price could have bought you a Disk conversion kit.

FYI posts DO change direction.

[Cummins12V98]

"I replaced all bearings with MADE IN USA Timkens, I'm done with bearings from a country with no moral compass."

GOOD Man!!! YES they ARE US Made. Some simply keep trying to justify buying "Com$%^&*T CHINESE" products when US Made are readily available.

Notice I didn't completely spell out THAT "OFFENSIVE" to some word! I didn't want my post deleted!!!

[phillyg]

Already got the FW back after they told me $2,300 to replace all four backing plates, etc.

[Lynnmor]

phillyg wrote:
Now boys (and maybe girls), my original post was only to determine if the price quoted for repacking was fair. It doesn't need to devolve into disagreements about the quality of bearings, lack of quality control, or technical expertise, etc.

If the mechanic thoroughly cleans and looks for all those things that I presented and does a professional job, the price may be fair. If he works like many on YouTube videos and others that deny that quality may be a problem, then free is too much. Good Luck.

[phillyg]

Now boys (and maybe girls), my original post was only to determine if the price quoted for repacking was fair. It doesn't need to devolve into disagreements about the quality of bearings, lack of quality control, or technical expertise, etc.

[Mike134]

Lynnmor wrote:
The remaining ridge is still quite visible and I am showing the remaining height. I have been in the tool & die business for more than half a century and understand how things are made. If you cannot or will not accept what I have presented, fine. I still have a customer that his entire business is bearing failure, preventive maintenance and lubrication analysis, he is in total agreement with my conclusion. Perhaps you have more expertise than the both of us.

When I saw the Brown and Sharpe Dial gauge I knew you were no weekend Harbor fright tool warrior. Still have my Dad's B&S micrometers and calipers must be 50/60 years old.

[Lynnmor]

This bearing is from the same batch with the same small amount of usage:

[fj12ryder]

Lynnmor wrote:
The remaining ridge is still quite visible and I am showing the remaining height. I have been in the tool & die business for more than half a century and understand how things are made. If you cannot or will not accept what I have presented, fine. I still have a customer that his entire business is bearing failure, preventive maintenance and lubrication analysis, he is in total agreement with my conclusion. Perhaps you have more expertise than the both of us.

As I said, you could be correct, based on the available evidence. But I've worked around bearings and machined surfaces also for 40 years, and I've seen bearings fail and look just like that. Since I had put the bearings together, I knew they were good from the box. I don't know that I have more expertise, but I know that after the fact analysis doesn't always result in the correct answer. Just the way things go.

We'll just have to agree to disagree.

[cummins2014]

fj12ryder wrote:
Ah, so you pulled the bearing apart before you ever traveled and found that the inner race was bad. That would be the only way you could determine that the race was bad from the factory. Yes, it could have been caused by what you described, or it could have been caused by something else. Unless you saw it new and unused, it's just speculation.

I agree , and always blaming it on quality is getting a bit redundant IMO, it’s like always blaming the tire blowout on quality , I’ve seen how people take care of them

[Lynnmor]

The remaining ridge is still quite visible and I am showing the remaining height. I have been in the tool & die business for more than half a century and understand how things are made. If you cannot or will not accept what I have presented, fine. I still have a customer that his entire business is bearing failure, preventive maintenance and lubrication analysis, he is in total agreement with my conclusion. Perhaps you have more expertise than the both of us.

[fj12ryder]

Ah, so you pulled the bearing apart before you ever traveled and found that the inner race was bad. That would be the only way you could determine that the race was bad from the factory. Yes, it could have been caused by what you described, or it could have been caused by something else. Unless you saw it new and unused, it's just speculation.

[Lynnmor]

Just so you know, I posted the above photo to show the uncaring work done by folks in a certain country. That line on the rollers was caused by the inner race having a ridge caused by a broken down grinding wheel. The operator of that machine did not care about quality, and possibly has no clue what quality is. That bearing turned the grease into a silver gray sludge after just one long trip. I replaced all bearings with MADE IN USA Timkens, I'm done with bearings from a country with no moral compass.

[cummins2014]

Lynnmor wrote:
Here is one of my faulty Chinese bearings in one season, and I don't drive like a jerk:

Second look at yours looks like a typical grease problem, probably never packed right to start .

[cummins2014]

Lynnmor wrote:
Here is one of my faulty Chinese bearings in one season, and I don't drive like a jerk:

Its been 18 months since I packed my cheap Chinese bearings, the originals on my 2008 Montana, since been sold about three months ago. Those bearing being over 11 years when I last packed them, and many thousands of miles, looked great . IMO its not the bearings or they ALL would look like yours., its no miracle how they lasted its how they are taken care of, set up right etc etc. You can ruin any bearing if things are not right ,it seems these fifth wheels come out of alignment, not packed right to start etc etc. I have had many original China bearings with no issues. Boat trailers ,travel trailers ,fifth wheels , and utility, and RV trailers .

I disagree everything out of China is junk, its what it is in this world we live in. Timken farms out their bearings to China, we seemed to be getting fooled thinking we are getting US bearings.