What's the fascination with trailer bearings?
So I've seen many, many posts over the years about checking hubs with IR guns for excessive heat. I've even seen posts where people check their hubs every stop. :E My question is why? I have never ...
Forum Discussion
Mr_MrsSchlepprock250 wrote:
OK I wanted to come and add to this bearing thread. We bought our travel trailer new back last July 3rd (2014), we have done two trips to Myrtle beach from central NC, and four trips to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge from central NC. A total of about 2100 miles. We got back from our last trip on Sunday July 19th. We stopped so could pick up my tractor on the way in so my wife towed the camper home and I followed. From the rear the two tires on the rear axle were clearly leaning in/cambered in at the top. So I got a chance to check it out today and discovered three of the four wheel bearings were so far out of adjustment that the seals had failed and the entire hub/brake area was covered in grease. Three of the outer bearings were dark showing that they had been hot. The only inner bearing failure was the one wheel that was dry. That bearing definitely had some visible wear. I'll post some pics as soon as I can but the grease was a dark grey and was very very thin. All this was on a brand new camper with only 2100 miles on it. I was planning on re packing the bearings this fall but I replaced all the bearings and races today as well as using a good "wheel bearing" grease knowing they are properly adjusted. As thin as the old grease was( not too old though) it could've been from over heating but I always check the wheels/hubs with an IR gun at each fuel stop so heat hasn't been an issue. I'm thinking they were using like a general purpose grease and the bearings were definitely not adjusted correctly. Feel free to discuss this and lets hear some thoughts.
Could be lots of things Phil. Or even a combination of thing. Like the wrong grease was used and that caused contamination and that caused bearing spalling and that caused the seals to fail.
If the correct parts are used with the correct grease and the correct spindle nut torque the bearing will last a VERY, VERY long time. I have proof of that on my trailer.
BTW, SKF and Timken both say a slightly too tight of a spindle nut is way, way, way worst than a slightly too loose of a spindle nut. The difference is striking if you look at the chart.
