Lost a wheel bearing

[mikeschn]

So how does that happen?

We were driving down the highway at a safe speed, 65 mph, just outside of St. Louis. We heard a couple strange clunks when we went over a bump. We didn't think much of it though.

But we had to stop for gas anyways, so after gassing up, we walked around the trailer to see if there were any problems. That's when we noticed grease splattered all over the rim. Closer inspection revealed that the wheel bearing and cover were missing.

So here we are, stuck in a small town called Pocahantas, IL. It's not a big town. It has 1 gas station, 1 restaurant, and 1 garage. Good thing it has a garage!!!

They pulled everything apart, and the axle has a huge groove underneath, where the wheel was riding metal on metal. And the lip where the seal sits is worn away as well.

So we need a new axle.

But they are going to try to get something on there to get us home.

Wish us luck!!!

Mike...

P.S. Posted via iPhone!

[reo-ron]

Mike ,
In the past I have been faced with the same situation. I cleaned the axle area with the groove with some spray brake cleaner, then JB welded the area so the seal had a surface to ride on that would keep most of the grease in. If you are careful and keep your JB weld very smooth it will get you home just fine. If you could get a "speedy" sleeve to put over the JB Weld it would be permanent. Most spindels are replaceable without replacing the whole axle.
Ron in Tulsa

[Dale M.]

Did you actually loose the dust cap, bearing and nut????

If you did not loose nut its possible the bearing self destructed and shed it "rolling parts"...

Its lucky you did not loose wheel completely.....

Any damage to stub axle need to be REPLACED.... I would not attempt any "patch' other then to get home....

I personally would not use any patches like JB WELD ( although its pretty good in a lot of applications) I would opt for new axle or at least new stub....

Dale

[mikeschn]

The bearing self destructed.

We are on the road again. I'll have pics for you when we get to camp.

Mike...

[Wolffarmer]

Naw you don't need a new axle, you need a farm mechanic.

If the damage is on the axle where the lip of the seal rides there are things called a "Speedy Sleeve" That can restore the lip area on the axle. I have used these things on tractor crankshafts. They are a bit softer than the shaft but hey, so what if it only lasts about 1000, hours. Hell of a lot better than pulling the motor out to replace the crankshaft.


Randy

[mikeschn]

okay, here are the pics I promised...

Here is the sight that we saw walking around the trailer...



Here is that big groove on the underside of the spindle...


the replacement parts came from a donor trailer that the garage had in the backyard


all fixed up


Total down time: 1 1/2 hours!!!

Total cost: $50

Mike...

[Shadow Catcher]

I am looking at these as you post them.
A what is the brand of axle?
Looks to be one with a greese fitting. Dexter?
B what appears to be the failure mechanism?
seal failure
bearing race failure
not enough or too much play
C when was the last time they were cleaned and surviced?
what kind of greese was used?
D any unususal possible probelms
water wash out.
E I am not seeing a cotter pin in the first picture?

[mikeschn]

I am looking at these as you post them.
A what is the brand of axle?
Looks to be one with a greese fitting. Dexter?
B what appears to be the failure mechanism?
seal failure
bearing race failure
not enough or too much play
C when was the last time they were cleaned and surviced?
what kind of greese was used?
D any unususal possible probelms
water wash out.
E I am not seeing a cotter pin in the first picture?

The axle came with the red trailer 5x10 that I bought in 2008. I don't know what the brand is.

The axle doesn't have much mileage on it. 2 trips to Myrtle Beach and 2 trips to Missouri and a few trips to Oscoda, MI. I don't think I've looked at the bearings for a couple years.

The garage said there was plenty of grease. They didn't burn up. So I suspect a bearing failure or a bearing race failure. But we may never know.

Yea, what the heck, I don't see the cotter pin either...

Mike...

[Shadow Catcher]

This is kind of reminiscent of that happened to the PTSnoozer. That however was fairly clearly a design flaw that caused a weakness in the axel where the greese galley exited into the bearing race. the axel manufacturer however was not Dexter.

Looking at the Red Trailer web site they look like they make their own. good news not particularly expensive. If you want theirs?
http://www.redtrailers.com/ListItems.asp?cat=21

[Wolffarmer]

I would take a look at the bearings in the other side. ( I am sure you have already decided to do that ) But I would look for the number of rollers in the bearings. Bearings can come in several number of rollers. The more they fill up the cage, the better. Something I have thought about doing is a trick I have read about. To make a real high strength bearing take two and cut the cages up and then assemble the bearing using only rollers, as many as you can get in there. The cages only lot in life is to hold the rollers in to make assembly easier.

Of course there is also metal hardness, ductility, and who knows what all.

No cotter key, bad, bad.

Randy

[mikeschn]

I would take a look at the bearings in the other side.

Randy

Absolutely, as soon as I get home!!!

Mike...

[Wolffarmer]

If there was no cotter key, it would more likely cause a problem on the left side. Right side would tend to keep the nut on, might tighten it up to much of course and burn up the bearing but I doubt that. Left side would unscrew it right away.

On the big trucks I work with on the left side almost all of them have left hand lug nuts as well as axle nuts.

Randy

[kirkman]

WOW Now that's a mystery!

[Shadow Catcher]

When I rebuild bicycle wheels I use loose balls and you can get a couple more in. BUT, I have never had to rebuild or repack wheel berings on any of our Subarus all of which lived past 100,000 miles and the last one now has 300,000+ miles on it.
In doing nondestructive testing on car parts I came to th conclusion many years ago that the Japanese made the cars as good as they could be and Americans made them only as good as they had to be. We have been forced to get better but I know for a fact that the steel that went into the Japanese cars was superior (I worked for one of the steel companies).
There are standards for inspecting berings and no big surprise. And there are great to poor to rotten quality berings. For any one wanting an education on standards http://www.bearingsdistributors.com/blo ... sting.html
BUT the other key factor is lubrication and the quality of greese is important, I use synthetic always, it is slipperier, it is more resistant to heat and washout.

[Wolffarmer]

Just remember, Left side has left hand threads, Right side has right hand threads. At least on most of the big trucks. And you never know where a left hand thread fastener will show up.

One time a neighbor was working on the rear hitch of his big tractor and he couldn't get it one large bolt out. He and another neighbor tried every trick in the book. Long cheater bars, about 6 foot of them, heat, hammering. They had spent many many hours on it. Maybe a day or more. I showed and watched for a bit and then said "You sure it is not left hand thread?". It screw right out slick as a whistle. We never could figure out why it was left hand thread, was not on the wheels or anything like that. It was a wonder they didn't break something as much pressure they put on it.

Randy