I packed the wheel bearings last year. Started the job this year and found a bent cage. I cant believe I would have missed this last time, but I also can't see how I could have bent it without noticing. Any ideas on what happened?[EDIT] The only other strange thing is that there was no brake magnet retainer clip. I can't say for sure if it was there when the drums where last off or not. Is it possible the clip came out and managed to do that much damage to the bearing?I can't imagine that it could or that it would even get that far through the grease...[/EDIT]

Is that the inside or outside? TT wheel bearings should be good for 30,000 at the least, be for the need to repack. Why would you do it two years in a row, do you use it that much?

Looks like a tool of some sort damaged it.

This is the outer (small) bearing. The inner seemed ok.According to my axle manual:Bearing grease should be replaced every 12,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first.I'm going to need to inspect more often. Two of the seals failed, leaking enough to ruin one set of brake pads and probably messing up a second set. I **don't** pump grease through the EZ-Lube hubs, so that wasn't the issue. The seal lips appeared fine. I wonder if seal material itself might be of poor quality. I'm going to try Timken seals this time...The bearings were OK with respect to grease and probably could have gone longer. I'll be doing a long trip next year and want to have general maintenance items dialed in before leaving for that trip.I really don't get how this bearing cage got bent and I cannot explain the marks on the cage around the bend....

Merkim,I check and repack my bearings annually as well. No matter what the "experts" on this site say (I remember someone stating that servicing the bearings will CAUSE bearing failure), I will defer to the manufacturers recommendation. Anyway, that is one messed up looking bearing. Something certainly got wedged near that cage. What does the bearing race look like?

The race and rollers looked fine. I didn't dive in and clean/inspect thoroughly. I pulled the other drums for a quick inspection and then ordered parts and will wait for them to arrive before tearing back into things.

How did this bearing get bent? | Good Sam Community

BenK
Explorer
Dec 02, 2016
Ops...thank you for that PM...

Messed up...the maintenance schedules provided by the OEM in their
manuals...are the MAXIMUM recommended time and/or miles between
taking care of whatever it is you are looking at

You can go shorter time/miles or even longer...that choice is up to
the individual and the OEM can or not provide warranty if the owner
did not follow their recommendations and went past them...

Out of warranty, then do whatever, but I follow those guidelines anyway
as I keep my vehicles a long time
BenK
Explorer
Dec 02, 2016
On OEM warranty/maintenance/etc specifications...

They are the BARE MINIMUM's and are RECOMMENDATION's...meaning that
you don't have to, but then they don't have to warranty either...

As with all things, nothing is an absolute...other than death is...that
things like this has ranges for maintenance schedule and materials

I use the best can afford/find...not the bare minimum that seemingly
most do...but it is a free world...
jfkmk
Explorer
Dec 02, 2016
Turtle n Peeps wrote:

Not at all. It keeps the economy rolling. :B

There is nothing better to roll the economy than recommending a bearing pack at one year intervals when autos with the very same bearings can go decades. It's all good. :)

Since I do all my own maintenance, the only cost I have is for bearing seals. Not too many economies are rolling on that, my friend!:)

Besides, I inspect and adjust the brakes at the same time, so inspecting and repacking the bearings is just another half step.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Dec 02, 2016
jfkmk wrote:

Just like my trailer, I did them per manufacturers guidelines. Is there a particular reason it bothers you that others maintain their vehicles per mfg guidelines?

Not at all. It keeps the economy rolling. :B

There is nothing better to roll the economy than recommending a bearing pack at one year intervals when autos with the very same bearings can go decades. It's all good. :)
jfkmk
Explorer
Dec 01, 2016
Turtle n Peeps wrote:
jfkmk wrote:
Turtle n Peeps wrote:

Do you people that inspect your bearings every years also do that with your TV? If not, why not?

Because the bearings on my TV are sealed.

And when they weren't?

Just like my trailer, I did them per manufacturers guidelines. Is there a particular reason it bothers you that others maintain their vehicles per mfg guidelines?
steve-n-vicki
Explorer
Dec 01, 2016
the end of the side cutters that you used to remove the cotter pin ?
Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Nov 29, 2016
i think we got off topic here. Whatever bent that cage would have also bent the cage on no matter what you paid for a bearing.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Nov 28, 2016
Lynnmor wrote:
Turtle n Peeps wrote:

As far as inspecting bearing every year; to each their own. I inspect mine about every 7 years or so and that's for brakes, not bearings. I have the same Timkin bearings in it that came from the factory 30 years ago. I think I have put on 2 or 3 sets for brakes on my trailer since new.

Do you people that inspect your bearings every years also do that with your TV? If not, why not?

The bearing pictured in my post was 8 months old. Chinese junk! Glad I checked it, 5 of the 8 bearings were failing. You need to update your 30 year old Timkens and face the new reality. If I would have had the hands off attitude, things would have gotten real ugly very soon.

That's a good lesson to use good quality parts. And if you don't know the quality of parts (or if you do and they are "Chinese junk")on your equipment, to change them too good quality parts ASAP.

They make good quality bearings now days. You just have to search for them and pay up for them.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Nov 27, 2016
Turtle n Peeps wrote:

As far as inspecting bearing every year; to each their own. I inspect mine about every 7 years or so and that's for brakes, not bearings. I have the same Timkin bearings in it that came from the factory 30 years ago. I think I have put on 2 or 3 sets for brakes on my trailer since new.

Do you people that inspect your bearings every years also do that with your TV? If not, why not?

The bearing pictured in my post was 8 months old. Chinese junk! Glad I checked it, 5 of the 8 bearings were failing. You need to update your 30 year old Timkens and face the new reality. If I would have had the hands off attitude, things would have gotten real ugly very soon.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Nov 27, 2016
jfkmk wrote:
Turtle n Peeps wrote:

Do you people that inspect your bearings every years also do that with your TV? If not, why not?

Because the bearings on my TV are sealed.

And when they weren't?

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