HF trailers now have 5 lug wheels and spindles

[Werdahekrwe]

Picked up the new HARBOR FRIEGHT chassis for the "Foam Duck" yesterday since I had a 20% off coupon. Got it, including taxes, title info sent to DMV, and all for less than $370. They wanted $369 BEFORE the add on. Think it was a good deak. Especially after I got it home and found out the new ones have a 5 (YES F I V E) lug pattern AND a grease fitting in the spindles. But that lsst part begs the question: after cleaning the bearing, can I put everything back together and then 'over fill' the hub to pack the bearings? Also what about using whie lithium grease in the hub? Not trying to be lazy, but I am 70, and busier that a one armed Vegas bandit on a hot Sadturday night with the DW being sick nowadays.

The part number on my new HF TRAILER is 94564. If anyone wants to check them out.
OOPS. I got the first digit wrong. It is 9 NOT 6, Sorry.

[MtnDon]

etrailer grease guide

That includes a label markings explanation. The grease has to have the proper grade marks to be used for wheel bearings.



Personally I would load the bearings with grease before assembly rather than trust enough grease got into the actual bearing by force feeding through the grease fitting. But that is just me and because I've always done it that way. Well, and because I have one ofthese... HF sells one a little cheaper



And a FYI / heads up.... when adding grease to something previously lubed, not all greases are compatible. Bottom of that link has a compatibility chart

[Werdahekrwe]

Thanks DON. This ia why I like this board. Every one is willing to help, even on the 'silly' question from a 70 yr old 'youngun'.

[daveesl77]

The semi-clear stuff that is on the HF hubs is not "grease", but is a packing compound. In multiple areas of the instructions you will find that you must repack the bearings. I'm old school and hand repack all bearings on every vehicle I have. I also do it every 3-6000 miles. I prefer the red grease, but any good axle grease will work. Fully filling the interior of the hub is actually a bad idea as it tends to retain heat at a much greater level. I know a bit about doing stuff like this, as Jr. Johnson taught me as a teenager on how to build race cars.

dave

[bobhenry]

The semi-clear stuff that is on the HF hubs is not "grease", but is a packing compound. In multiple areas of the instructions you will find that you must repack the bearings. I'm old school and hand repack all bearings on every vehicle I have. I also do it every 3-6000 miles. I prefer the red grease, but any good axle grease will work. Fully filling the interior of the hub is actually a bad idea as it tends to retain heat at a much greater level. I know a bit about doing stuff like this, as Jr. Johnson taught me as a teenager on how to build race cars.

dave

REREAD THE ABOVE POST !

I worked two years in a lubricants lab and all the above is absolutely correct. Look for " E.P." on the can (extreme pressure) for wheel bearing applications. I personally like the graphite and molybdenum disulfide fortified greases. White lithium is not normally E.P. rated. It is used on light loads like door hinges and locking mechanisms. A can of good E.P. rated wheel bearing grease is $4.00 +/-. Is it really worth the risk !

[Dale M.]

I agree with all the above but the mileage interval of the repack.... You probably can go 20,000 miles on a well done hand pack with good grade of grease....

Dale

[daveesl77]

I agree with Dale that repacking at 5,000 or so miles is not normally needed and 20k would normally be fine. I do it because I got into the habit so many years ago and just stuck with it. Once you learn how to do the old grease in the palm, squish through the bearings, it is kind of a zenlike experience. Plus I can drive my wife crazy by acting like I'm going to sit on some furniture with axle grease all over my hands.

dave

[bobhenry]

Lets see I built the trailer in 08 and it's now 7 years almost 8 later. I go to 4 in state gatherings a year at about 200 - 250 round trip.
8x4x250 = 8000
Heck I might be good for another 14 - 15 years !

Seriously I think of all the old beast rear wheel drive cars I had and I can count the number of them I actuals serviced the front wheel bearings on
and tally them on one hand.

[Werdahekrwe]

Thanks for all the help. Love this board. Tons of help when you need it.

[Werdahekrwe]

Hey GPW here is the pic the best way I can figure out to get it to you:

Duck drawing bt g daughter

20150613_193941.jpg (247.68 KiB) Viewed 1354 times

Hope this works. Tr to keep her name on it somewhere,please.
Thanks,
Werdahekrwe aka Paul

[CCrew]

I got it home and found out the new ones have a 5 (YES F I V E) lug pattern AND a grease fitting in the spindles.

That's interesting, because the one I brought home yesterday had no grease fittings. It took me about 1/2 hour to buy though as they couldn't find it in the back, and what's funny is that there's about 6 different SKU's for these trailers.

[Nobody]

My HF 1800# (now 1720/40 I believe) bought in 2006 came with 5 lug wheels?? No zerk fitting in the spindle, tho it did come with 'bearing buddies' which I use strictly as spindle cups, have never pumped a speck of grease into them.

[CCrew]

I will say - and I know from experience from trying today..

Buy spare wheel bearings and seals.

I live in a decent size town with places like Tractor Supply and even a Camping World, in addition to AutoZone, Advance Auto, and a CarQuest distribution center with a store attached among others. Heck, even have a HF 2 miles from the house.

There's no buying spares locally, so if you break down on the road you are going to be waiting. I actually was hunting for seals because of the dimwit HF assembling the hubs and supplying the instructions to repack the bearings after the fact (srsly?) but let me tell you they are not to be had. I can go into Tractor Supply and buy a complete axle for $100 bucks but a grease seal? Not for the HF trailer. Buy spares folks. Yeah, I know I can pop the seals to regrease, but Murphy and all that..

And don't get me started on the $144 to tag and title the $312 trailer in VA.

[Werdahekrwe]

WOW. In WEST Virginia, the cost is a total of $30. $10 for certificate of origin, $ 10 for title and $10 for 1yr tag. Sorry it cost you so much. I think I would have called Maine's DMV for the papers to register it as out of state rig and then transferred it.

[Werdahekrwe]

Just came across some green "ground cover" material in the utility room. About 10' by (I think) either 12' or 20'. Any ideas about using that on the walls and roof? This is the woven cloth type, but I have some of the non-woven kind, too. I know, there I go thinking again.