hubs and bearings

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hubs and bearings

Postby hmikey » Sat Nov 14, 2015 1:56 pm

Is it possible or practical to pre pack a hub with seal, bearings and grease etc. to carry for an emergency? I used to own a U Haul CT13 and I recall that hubs etc. were impossible to find. Now in my old age I try to take every precaution. thanks
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby GuitarPhotog » Sat Nov 14, 2015 2:26 pm

It's possible, but I don't know how practical. Remember you will have to have tools to remove the inner and outer bearings from the hub and replace them. If you have overheated a bearing, it's likely to be well nigh impossible to remove from the hub without a press.

That said, I carry a set of bearings packed in grease because I know that replacement bearings for my 1948 teardrop are almost impossible to find. I also have a set of custom-made drift punches for removing and replacing the bearings in the hub. I also pray fervently that I never have to change a bearing along side the road because it's going to be difficult to keep the new grease from becoming contaminated with dirt etc. during the process.

I hope this helps.

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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby hmikey » Sat Nov 14, 2015 2:45 pm

Thanks, your info makes good sense. Think I'll just carry spare parts and hope for the best.
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby bobhenry » Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:34 pm

I TRASHED A HUB BY NOT GETTING THE LUGS TIGHT AND BEAT OUT THE STUDS. I would have been real happy to have a hub in a sack. One dust cover one cotter pin and one nut and I would have been back on the road after reinstalling the spare wheel I always carry. I was dumb lucky in that my breakdown was within walking distance of a farm store and they had both 4 and 5 lug hubs in stock.
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby coyote » Sun Nov 15, 2015 3:35 am

I have an entire hub in a plastic bag, right down to castle nut and cotter pin, ready to swap out. Maybe a bit over board, but like a fire extinguisher that you hope you never use, I' m ready.
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby GuitarPhotog » Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:12 pm

There is probably not another hub for my trailer anywhere in existence! The trailer was built in 1948 and the hubs that were used are not identifiable, not to mention that they have brake drums (never used) attached ;-(

So carrying a spare hub is out of the question for my trailer.

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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby Jdw2717 » Wed Nov 18, 2015 6:36 pm

Northern Tool sells an Ultra Tow complete hub with bearings, cotter pin, dust cap and grease in a plastic case ready to go. I take it with me on all of my long trips. You just need channel locks, a screw driver and a jack to replace it.
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby backstrap bandit » Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:46 am

I have a spare hub nut bearings and pin and tire hf give me for my troubles when I bought my trailer
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby coyote » Sun Nov 22, 2015 3:40 pm

Oh yeah. I also keep a couple pairs of "Nitrile disposable gloves" and shop towels in a Ziplock in case of such emergency. It won't help, but it'll help keep the nerves in order.
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hubs and bearings

Postby nevadatear » Wed Dec 02, 2015 12:41 am

Your welcome, charlie!

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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby dales133 » Wed Dec 02, 2015 12:48 am

GuitarPhotog wrote:There is probably not another hub for my trailer anywhere in existence! The trailer was built in 1948 and the hubs that were used are not identifiable, not to mention that they have brake drums (never used) attached ;-(

So carrying a spare hub is out of the question for my trailer.

<Chas>

I recon if you removed the hub and took the bearings into a decent bearing distributor youd match them up ok.
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby dales133 » Wed Dec 02, 2015 12:51 am

Also... its not essential to replace the bearing race when you replace the bearings so no real specialist tools are required for an emergency change over
A large blade screw driver to remove the rear seal and a hammer would be a minimum tool requirement to replace the seal.
You could always do the races back in civilisation
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby bobhenry » Wed Dec 02, 2015 8:47 am

It is much safer to remove the rear seal by removing the outside bearing assembly and then reinstall the nut. Now drag the hub towards you and bump the rear bearing and seal out with 3 or four tugs while rotating the hub in order to not cock the seal too much.
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby les45 » Wed Dec 02, 2015 9:37 am

I had a NT trailer on my Super Bee. NT had the entire hub assembly (hub, bearings, seals, cotter pin, etc.) on sale for about $30 so I bought one to use as a spare while on the road. I figured it would be much easier to swap the entire hub assembly alongside a busy highway than to deal with swapping out bearings, dealing with re-packing grease, etc. I also kept a pair of nitrile gloves in my trailer kit for doing the greasy work.
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Re: hubs and bearings

Postby GuitarPhotog » Wed Dec 02, 2015 1:29 pm

dales133 wrote:
GuitarPhotog wrote:There is probably not another hub for my trailer anywhere in existence! The trailer was built in 1948 and the hubs that were used are not identifiable, not to mention that they have brake drums (never used) attached ;-(

So carrying a spare hub is out of the question for my trailer.

<Chas>

I recon if you removed the hub and took the bearings into a decent bearing distributor youd match them up ok.


That's what Randy Pontius did for me, in addition to making proper tools for their insertion and removal.

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