by nevadatear » Tue May 14, 2013 7:30 am
Here is the step by step Randy put together for "bearing school" at the Dam Gathering
Randy Pontius
Desert Metal Product
775 273 3090
Lovelock, NV
Bearing School
What Is On Your Axle
• Each wheel hub has the following:
o Two cups (races) inserted one on each side of the hub
o Two cones (roller bearing) inserted into each cup
o One seal on the inside of the hub
o A washer, a nut, a cotter pin and a grease cap on the outside
• Some older axles (i.e. Chevy) have ball bearings. Do not attempt to remove or replace this yourself. They are expensive and difficult to replace.
Preventive Maintenance
Each Trip:
• Before trip departure: Shake tire, look at lug nuts
• Stop 15 miles or so down the road. Touch the axle grease cap, looking for any heat.
• If warm, something is wrong pull/replace the bearing NOW-don’t chance it!
• If someone is pointing at your trailer, pull over and take a look!
Periodically:
• Strongly consider replacing inferior bearings (china made) with high quality bearings.
• Approximately every two years or 5,000 miles pull the hubs and check bearings:
o Check both inner and outer bearings
o Is the bearing tight on the hub? (before pulling the bearings)
o Is there enough grease in the bearing?
o Is the bearing worn?
o Is there orange peeling, lines, grooves or other signs of wear?
o Is there any sign of cracking, dryness or leakage on the seal?
o Look at lugs, lug should not rattle in hub.
o Check threads
Step-By-Step Bearing Inspection
• Using good/safe jack, remove tire
• Remove grease cap
• Pull cotter pin
• Unwind nut-lefty loosy. Same on both sides. Pull washer
• Pull hub straight out
• Catch the outer bearing as you pull
• Pull the seal
• Inspect the cone in your hand and the two cups on the hub- cone (roller bearing part) and cup (race) as above
• Clean the grease off the axle and inspect axle for wear
• No signs of problems:
o Repack bearing with axle grease
o Set the inside cone back on
o Tap the seal back in
o Push hub back on, taking care not to damage the seal
o Place the outside cone back on the axle, push it on
o Replace washer and nut, righty tighty
o Tighten nut as you spin hub until you feel tighness
o Unwind nut two castleations
o Reinsert cotter pin, be sure and bend the cotter pin to secure.
o Spin axle, should turn freely and not shake
o Apply grease cap.
o Reinstall tire
o You are done!
Step-by-Step Bearing Replacement
• If wear or other signs of failure are noticed, replace your bearings
• Using a metal bar (round bar, not your screwdriver), reach THROUGH the hub and knock out the smaller outer cup.
• Using a clockwise rotation, or back and forth, pound out evenly
• Flip it over, and pound out the larger, inner cup.
• Inspect the cup and cone of both inner and outer bearings for identification numbers. Depending on the bearing, they may be sold in a set of both cup and cone, or you may have four different numbers for each wheel hub.
• Purchase new seal and high quality bearings: Timken, Bower, Fag. Avoid China made bearings
• Pack bearings with axle grease
• Pack hub with as much grease as you can
• Put back together as described above
• You are done!
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