HF Bearings Again

[Geron]

Found this site but it's too late to contact them today
http://www.epm.com/pg23.htm

Thanks Geron - even though I've already placed an order with Maryland Metric, I'm going to give these folks a call as well. If they can deliver in a couple of days, I may pay the extra bucks so I can be sure my teardrop will be road-ready by June. If I have a half-dozen extra seals, that just means I can re-pack my bearings at regular intervals for several years!

Joseph

Clarification on my two utility trailers:

Both are NUWAY trailers similar to those at Northern Tool & Equipment that are now on sale for $189. Evidently made in the good old USA with standard 1" axles and bearings with standard grease seals. MY BAD!!! So, these two are not HF Trailers after all. They do look exactly alike down the the folding aspect. I'm probably going to switch the axle under the HF trailer. I already have a set of 1" 5x4 1/4" hubs. The 2000 lb axle is available at Tractor Supply for around 50 bucks. Can get the axle for about what I'd pay for a set of extra bearings and seals (if I can find them)

So, I pulled the hubs and found standard L44643 1" bearings. That's why I could go to any Auto Store and find them and the seals.

Anyone want to by a NEW HF axle and hub set???

Geron

[Joseph]

Anyone want to by a NEW HF axle and hub set???

I coulda probably saved a bunch of money by buying a new set! The two sets of spare bearings & races cost me $40 and I FINALLY found a source of metric seals that both had them on the shelf and sold retail - http://www.rocketseals.com/. Unfortunately they have a $15 minimum and only two in stock at $5.99 each so I told them to charge me the extra three bucks and send 'em.

Joseph

[Geron]

Anyone want to by a NEW HF axle and hub set???

I coulda probably saved a bunch of money by buying a new set! The two sets of spare bearings & races cost me $40 and I FINALLY found a source of metric seals that both had them on the shelf and sold retail - http://www.rocketseals.com/. Unfortunately they have a $15 minimum and only two in stock at $5.99 each so I told them to charge me the extra three bucks and send 'em.

Joseph

Bummer The Tractor supply axle wont fit. I'm going back to the HF Axle and I just ordered a dozen seals from AnySeal.com. Mine uses the 30x52x10. It's stamped on the seal and I measured it to be sure. If anyone needs one I have a dozen on the way. Just hope they fit. Hate to order something like this over the net.

The 30205 bearings are expensive. I paid 12.44 each. The seals were $1.68 each at AnySeal.com. I can get a complete set of 1" bearings including the seal for $15.00 at Tractor Supply and just bought a spare set.

I have one other local supplier I'm going to check on for the seals. Just a possibility.

Well, Live and Learn - ain't no other way.

[Joseph]

Well, one good thing to come out of this - since I have seals on the way I pulled the remaining inside bearing last night and when I cleaned it out, the race had that very slightly mottled appearance that indicated it had gotten too hot at one point. It's still quite smooth (no pitting or scoring) and the bearing is fine, so I don't think it needs replacing. I suspect that happened on the first trip, before I got a grease gun and really packed the whole hub with gease.

So all in all, a worthwhile venture.

Joseph

[MikeR]

Did anyone happen to think that Harbor Freight might sell axle seals as replacement parts? I emailed them last night after reading this thread. They said:

"Yes we do they are $2.58 and are a special ordered seal that will take 6/8 weeks to receive."


I have the 40957 (1800 lb) trailer.
When somebody gets a seal that does fit the 1800 lb trailer, will you post a name and part number for me? I'd appreciate it in case I decide not to wait 2 months for HF.

[Geron]

I have the 40957 (1800 lb) trailer.
When somebody gets a seal that does fit the 1800 lb trailer, will you post a name and part number for me? I'd appreciate it in case I decide not to wait 2 months for HF.

I have the 40957 also. Just ordered a dozen seals from Anyseals.com for 1.68 per seal. They called me twice - long distance- about the order. Very nice folks to work with -- so far. If they fit, the NO. is 24640 OSA. 10 or more seals 1.49 per seal. Mine was a 30x52x10 marked on the seal. I measured with micrometer to make sure.

This is a new axle but I'm glad I pulled the hub and checked. Very little and poor quality grease. The Castle nut was so tight on one I had to get it off with a wrench .

Geron

[packerz4]

I have the 40957 (1800 lb) trailer.
When somebody gets a seal that does fit the 1800 lb trailer, will you post a name and part number for me? I'd appreciate it in case I decide not to wait 2 months for HF.

I have the 40957 also. Just ordered a dozen seals from Anyseals.com for 1.68 per seal. They called me twice - long distance- about the order. Very nice folks to work with -- so far. If they fit, the NO. is 24640 OSA. 10 or more seals 1.49 per seal. Mine was a 30x52x10 marked on the seal. I measured with micrometer to make sure.

This is a new axle but I'm glad I pulled the hub and checked. Very little and poor quality grease. The Castle nut was so tight on one I had to get it off with a wrench .

Geron

hi everyone,

my HF trailer is a few years old, and i can't find the title that would tell me the weight limit of it. is there a way to determine this by looking at the trailer?

my rear seals must be blown cuz there is grease on the inside hubs like everyone talks about (compliments of bearing buddies that were over-filled). so now, how do i find the right inner seals???

thanks in advance. i've "searched" several times, but haven't found a definate answer on this. i hate to tear apart the hub, and not be able to find the right replacement parts for it.

i'll keep looking for the title.

looking forward to any help you can provide.

tk

[Arne]

I think there should be a vin tag on the tongue with the weight limit...

When I had a home made trailer inspected and registered, they came up with the gross weight by the tire size (tires are usually the limiting factor in what a trailer can hold up).

[Geron]

Wow, you did do some searching.

my post was May 7, 2005.

Check out this thread

http://tinyurl.com/2qav54

Click down about 12 clicks and you'll find info on bearings.

[Nobody]

Wow, you did do some searching.

my post was May 7, 2005.

Check out this thread

http://tinyurl.com/2qav54

Click down about 12 clicks and you'll find info on bearings.

That information (in your referenced thread) may not be entirely accurate Geron . I have the HF 1800# trailer & the seat/journal that the seal rides on is definitely larger than 30mm. My younger son has a NAPA store & with the NAPA warehouse right there in Little Rock, he's able to get anything the warehouse stocks the same day. If it isn't in the warehouse, the Distribution Center in Memphis, TN can deliver within a couple of days. He was able to get the correct metric seals for me within a day or so. I'd think any NAPA store could order/receive the seals much quicker than 2 weeks .

The big thing with a lot of these foreign made trailers is the metric seals. The journal/seal seat size may vary as much as a couple of mm's depending on whether they're mfg'd in the Far East or the old combloc in eastern Europe. One reference here on the forum stated that my 1800# HF would use 30x52x7 (metric) seals however, the 30mm inner diameter seals wouldn't even begin to go on the seal seat of my trailer, we had to go to 32mm. Getting the seal size may be as simple as pulling the hub & checking for a # on the seal but mine had no #'s or any kind of ID at all. In that case you need to clean the inside of the hub where the seal goes as well as the axle seat/journal where the seal rides (this is the larger portion at the inner end of spindle & is usually 1/4" or so larger than the spindle) & measure diameter of each with a good digital caliper. The seal thickness is usually 7 or 8mm & as far as I can tell that is pretty standard & probably don't make a lot of difference. The seals that I took off my hubs were 7mm & the replacements were 8mm but they fit OK as there's plenty of room in that area. With the inner/outer diameters & thickness dimensions, most any parts store can locate a correct seal.

Just for info here's the # on my bearings (NAPA) PBR30205. The 30205 is the important # as it will cross reference with NAPA, Timken, or other mfg'rs.

I'd seriously recommend taking the time to get correct #'s off your bearings & also a correct seal size. If you do your homework & keep the bearings packed regularly, chances are you'll never need the spares. If on the other hand, you should have a problem & then discover that the spares you have won't fit, I'd expect you'd feel lots worse than just havin' the problem

[Geron]

Thanks for the Clarification - You're absolutely right. Pull'em and Mic'em. That's what i did to mine and we discovered some time ago, They do vary from trailer to trailer. Good point Harvey.

I tried NAPA stores in my area and they Could not or Would not (think it was the latter) match them. Had to Internet'em.

Oh, Well, that trailer is history now.


G

[davefullmer]

You know, I have found out that if you want to get something at a parts store that is slightly unusual, you have to talk to the oldest clerk there.

Not to discriminate against the young people, but it seems in this day and age, they haven't the training or the inclination to go the extra mile to find something that is out of the normal.

Sometimes customer service is very lacking in today's business world.

Just my 2 cents.

Dave

[Alphacarina]

You know, I have found out that if you want to get something at a parts store that is slightly unusual, you have to talk to the oldest clerk there.

Not to discriminate against the young people, but it seems in this day and age, they haven't the training or the inclination to go the extra mile to find something that is out of the normal

Yup - I needed some lug nuts and went to the NAPA store with one in my hand. The young clerk screwed in onto a 'checker' thay had behind the counter to see what the threads were and then went in the back and brought out a box and sold me 10 of them

I went home and couldn't get any of them to start on my trailer, so I took them back and he was really scratching his head trying to figure out what was wrong. An older cleck overheard our discussion, came over and looked at the part number on the box and informed us that the 'L' at the end of the number means they are left hand threads

The young guy went back and came out with a box that had an "R' at the end of the part number and everything was fine

Don

[doug hodder]

I knew I was in trouble when I went in and tried to get some points for the Rambler, a 59, not that unusual....the kid looked out and saw it and asked, what kind of car is that?....I knew it was an uphill battle then...Rambler, Nash, AMC...I gave up, he'd never seen or heard of them. I'd think someone selling parts might have an interest in older vehicles regardless of their age, or at least be able to identify one, but what do I know. I never owned a LaSalle, Hudson, Packard, or a Studebaker but I do know what they looked like at least, when I was 18. Everyone has to start somewhere, and just maybe that kid will go "hey a guy came in with a 59 Rambler the other day" and will have learned something. But like you said....go with the older guy if you can...lots less brain damage. Doug

[bdosborn]

Doug,

I can sympathize with having an older car and trying to get parts. If it isn't listed in the computer, then most clerks are clueless. I had to remember what year and vehicle all my parts came from on the frankenjeep..

Me: I need a distributer cap for a buick 225 v6
Clerk: What kind of car do you have?
Me: a 1960 CJ3B.
Clerk: Nope, a 225 never came in that, it says so right here on the computer.
Me: I know, I swapped the engine in it myself.
Clerk: But they never came in the CJ3B.
Me: Um, did I say 1960 CJ3B? I really meant a 1970 Jeepster.
Clerk: Oh, well okay then.


Bruce