trailer hub seal number

I have noticed the last time or two going to the lake that I had a noise from the hub. Well, I decided today to jack it up and see if the bearings were loose. Well, I am still cleaning up the mess in my drawers because the drum could move almost a full inch!!! The other side wasn't as bad, but it was able to move 1/2 inch or so. Man, why I didn't get stranded on the road or really screw something up is beyond me. There was a lot of water in the hub too.

About the only thing I can tie the problem to is the seal. I had new races and new bearings put in this spring. I packed the bearings and torqued them down while spinning the tire to 35 ft/lbs per the manuals instructions. Again, the only thing I can see wrong or worn badly is the seals.

Does anybody have a manual with part numbers? I measured the diameter of the spindle with a micrometer and we supposedly matched them up correctly, but who knows. So right now I am looking for part numbers. Any numbers for the axle would be appreciated too. My brakes have never worked and I am considering fixing the whole system.

Long post, but if anybody knows the part number I would GREATLY appreciate any info!

Todd

Man, that would be great! I always repack my bearings every spring or at least before a vacatation. I did it early and the guy at teh local trailer shop told me never to use the easy lube spindles. It is known to blow the seals out. Well, I took his advise and didn't service them at all. Just packed the heck out of the new bearings and packed the area between the bearings with grease. Thought it would work great, but failed.

Here is one situation I can think of....2 years ago I had somebody tell me to use some emery cloth on the face where the seal sits. I did this because I was always getting water in the one side. So I sanded it down and never got any better. Like I said, this was 2 years ago. I have never had a issue like this.

The one side of the trailer that really got bad has a bunch of hard stuff stuck to the spindle. The area between the two bearings. So I did take emery cloth and sand that off. It is pitted right now, but I don't think that will have much effect because that isn't where the bearings rest.

Does anybody know how to polish that area of the spindle where the seal "seals"? I figure I need to get some real fine emery cloth and clean it up in steps.

What are the chances of getting junk seals????

Not to ramble on, but I am so stumped on why this happened. I have done this for 7 years with no issues!

Todd

Yeah, I know they are expensive, that is why I am so ticked about losing those new bearings! I think I paid the guy about 100 bucks for the parts and installation of the races.

I am going to have to get the micrometer back out and get the diameters again. I used to have them written down. I do have another seal from the guy I bought the others from, but I am darn afraid to install it! Heck, seals are cheap....bearings expensive!

I have been using Lucas red and tacky grease for the past years with excellent luck. It is even recommended for boat trailers and marine use. I have a tub of amsoil synthetic grease too. Any input or what is everyone else using.

weitekampt wrote: the guy at teh local trailer shop told me never to use the easy lube spindles. It is known to blow the seals out.     What are the chances of getting junk seals???? Todd

Todd, I don't feel it's the easy lube spindles that blow the seals. It's the person on the grease gun over greasing and blowing them out. In a past job, we did a lot of machinery work for Kraft Foods. They changed their engineering specs to remove all grease fittings from pillow blocks and flange bearings because they found it was cheaper to replace the bearing when it failed. The guy on the grease gun was usually the low man in the maintenance dept. and of a mind set that if one pump of the gun was good then 5 would be better! The seal would get blown and then the clean up crew with the steam hoses and pressure washers would get water in the bearing!

You may have gotten some lesser quality seals but I would say that the loose bearings were the cause. With the slop, it chewed up the seals. With all that bearing slop, it sounds like the bearings were never seated properly when they were installed.

Keeping water out is the key. I would actually rather see the inside of the wheel with grease on it because then I know it is getting purged.

I don't have easy lube spindles but I did put on a pair of easy lube hubs this spring. Same principal but you lube from the hub behind the wheel instead of the end of the spindle. I like them and have purged the old grease twice this summer since I trailer a lot. I do have one seal that leaks a little but that's due to that bearing collapsing and damaging the seal surface.

I'm under the impression that you will get water in there no matter what you do so it's important to pump it out rather than let it sit and start to rust the bearing cages.

As for cleaning/polishing the seal surface I have used wet/dry sand paper folded over like a shoe shine would do and just buff it.

Todd, You did it according to the book and I really don't know what went wrong. I'm not saying anything against you, just trying to figure out how you ended up with the inch of movement on one side and a half inch on the other. The spindle nuts didn't back off did they??

Aw heck Pete, I know things sound harsh on the computer, but I was just informing you of the procedure I have done in the past that has USUALLY worked...all but now. No harm pete, but glad for the input!

No, I don't think the spindle nuts backed off because the tooth of the lock washer was still flipped up preventing the castle nut from backing off. I don't know what style locking system you have on your trailer, probably a hairpin or something. That is what most trailers use anyway. Well, this trailer has something that looks like buckteeth! No kidding. It is a good system, but always concerned about that "tooth" breaing off and allowing the castle nut to back off. But to answer your question, not the castle nut didn't back off.

I took the hubs off and didn't disassemble them because I want the trailer guy to take a guess at what happened. My gut feeling is faulty seals allowing water in and slowly eating up the bearings. Honestly it doesn't make a lot of sense that water will do that, but it is all I can think of.

I am going to leave for the day. Work....UGH...but I am going to drop the hubs off and will check back online tonight.

Thanks for all the help guys!!!!

Todd, Take a look at these: bearing buddy
I've never used them but remember someone here on CCfan has and liked them.

The grove in the spindle isn't from the rubber but from dirt that gets in under the seal.

I use molly grease for the wheel bearings on all my trailers. All my trailers are also equipted with bearing buddies. The other big thing to make sure you don't do is, travel a long distance then back the boat right in the water. When the hubs are warm from long trips, they tend to suck water in trying to cool down. If I travel more then an hour I wait atleast ten minutes before putting the boat in the water. it's not an exact science but I have not had any bearing problems or water issues.

Well, I finally got the trailer put back together. I got new bearings, but not Timken. He gave me some others and he said he puts them in his boat trailer. I will keep my fingers crossed, but shouldn't be any problems. Packed the snot out of the bearings with Lucas "red n tacky" grease and then smeared some Amsoil synthetic grease between the bearings. When spring time rolls around, I am going to take some RTV gasket sealer around the dust caps and seal them up tight.

We are still scratching our heads why the seals were eaten up. I polished the heck out of the mating surface and it is very smooth now. Hopefully this will solve the problem. The guy at the shop said that too much grease between the inner bearing and seal can cause immediate damage. If there is too much grease in that location, when you install the hub, the grease can push the seal out while cranking down the castle nut. Heck, maybe that is what happened.

He learned one thing quick when doing bearings. Too much grease isn't always a good thing. Pack the bearings thoroughly and smear the remaining grease along the rollers and gaps. Put a light coat on the seal just so it will slip onto the seating surface easily. Then apply a couple "wads" of grease between bearings. Use the outer bearing race as a scraper. That will be plenty of grease for years of use as long as water doesn't get in!!!! Still have to check for moisture during the season, but I have faith in the guy!

Just letting everyone know what I learned this weekend. Take it for what it's worth. We all have our ways of doing things, but my system failed so I had to change.

Have a good one!

Todd