Maintenance Advice Request: Wheel Bearings

[PEIslander]

A while back I learned I was supposed to maintain my trailer's breakaway system's battery. That was news to me! I imagine there's lots of things I supposed to maintain but in blissful ignorance I save myself the work. One thing I do know is supposed to be maintained is the wheel bearings -- I just don't know how...

Any advice on how to maintain the wheel bearings would be appreciated.

[J_Westy]

A while back I learned I was supposed to maintain my trailer's breakaway system's battery. That was news to me! I imagine there's lots of things I supposed to maintain but in blissful ignorance I save myself the work. One thing I do know is supposed to be maintained is the wheel bearings -- I just don't know how...

Any advice on how to maintain the wheel bearings would be appreciated.

I recently ran across this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzW1kK8oWkc

As long as your seals aren't leaking, doing this annually is a good idea.

For reference, I just had my seals replaced and bearings repacked at the local trailer shop for $90. I had found grease splatter on the inside of one of my wheels, and didn't want to tackle the seals myself in the time I had.

[Merlin]

There's some limited (very) information about bearings on page 23 of my Camplite owner's manual, but here's some additional info. I assume the bearings on your mighty 11 are similar to those on my 16. If you jack it up and remove the wheel, you'll see a little grease nipple in the middle of the hub on the trailer. Push the business end of the grease gun (with a tube of wheel bearing grease in it) onto the nipple and pump the gun until you see grease come out of the hub. I have not done a Camplite hub so I don't know where the grease will come out, but once it does, the bearings are greased. Wipe everything off, replace the wheel, and you're good for another year.

If your hub does not have the external grease nipple, the wheel bearing job is a lot more complicated. I would recommend you find a youtube on that process if you really want to tackle it yourself. It involves a lot of mess, new grease seals, and care with setting bearing pre-load.

While you have the wheel off is a good time to check for looseness in the bearings (shake things around a bit) and to look for grease leaks out of a bad seal in the rear of the hub, next to the axle. It's also a great time to carefully look at the tires.

The photos are of a grease nipple in the hub of my utility trailer and of a standard grease gun.

[DavidM]

My Camplite isn't nearby, so I can't look, but I don't think it has the grease nipple shown in the picture above. That looks like a Bearing Buddy on a boat trailer. You pump grease in and the spring comes out until it is full of grease. The spring keeps moderate pressure on the grease pack.

So if it is a more conventional bearing (and I haven't touched one in a couple of dozen years, but I don't think they have changed), this is what you do:

Jackup up the side. Pop off the hub cover. Inside you should see a "castle nut" with a cotter pin locking it in place. Remove the cotter pin. Then unscrew the nut. Once the nut is off and the big washer behind it, you can grab the tire (you can remove the tire first if you want, but there is no need) wiggle it back and forth and pull and the whole thing will come off.

Then get a can of wheel bearing grease and grab a finger full of grease and pack it in from the inside and out. Leave the center open for the axle. Then put the wheel back on, and screw the nut and washer back on. Setting the nut tightness is a bit of an art. It should be just finger tight enough so the wheel will wiggle just a tiny bit. Tightening it another half turn or so will put load on the bearing which is what you don't want. Once you get it just right, then put a new cotter pin in and bend the tips over.

But this is not a service that I would do every year. Roughly every 10,000 miles should do it.

David

[PEIslander]

You guys are the best! This is why it is great to have this forum.

[J_Westy]

My Camplite isn't nearby, so I can't look, but I don't think it has the grease nipple shown in the picture above.

I'm pretty sure Livinlite uses the Dexter axles with the zerk fitting on all their products... just like my youtube video link above.

The Camplite owner's manual references a zerk fitting on p. 23 here -->
http://livinlite.com/pdf/service/CampLite2012web.pdf

[rideandfly]

J_Westy, David, & Merlin, Great info!!!!!

Here's the mighty 11 taken apart for inspection/ bearing repack. Jack on the TT frame as per LivinLite. You can see my safety stand.

It's possible to dent/bend the Dexter axle by jacking directly on the axle.

I use the axle grease fitting behind the rubber on the dustcover (as shown above) to add grease between inspections, cleaning, and greasing bearings.


Here's the hub:



Hub/drum removed showing electric magnetic drum brakes:



Hub dustcover & securing nut:



Pumping grease directly into cone bearing behind grease seal without removing seal, I repack the outer bearing
with grease on the palm of my hand pressing the cone into the grease:



I like to take the hubs apart every 10,000 miles to inspect, clean, and grease. Thinking about buying a spare hub assembly to keep in case needed on the road.

[Merlin]

Nice photos and extra info!

However, once the hub is off the axle, it's really simple to remove and replace the grease seal. That lets you completely clean out the rear bearing and grease it good, plus replacing the seam ensures no water/dirt will get in and no grease will get out. If they are standard Dexter 10-60 seals, they are only about $5.00 for a pair.

For routine greasing, it's still fine to just use the grease fitting in the center of the hub.

https://www.etrailer.com/p-RG06-020.html

[rideandfly]

Yep, seals are easy. Normally pop them out with a screwdriver, if I have correct seals replace them with. Will replace the CampLite hub seals later this month before the next long trip.

My motorcycle trailer was slinging grease last week. Found some seals locally, replaced them and repacked the bearings. Replaced those seals about 11 years ago. The axle had a groove worn by the seal. Was able to move the seal 3/32" deeper into the hub without contacting the bearing, allowing the seal to run on a an undamaged portion of the axle. We used to install sleeves, made for oversize ID seals, on the damaged shaft to get more use out of the shaft before replacement.

Really like e-trailer. Purchased a 190F radiator fan switch from e-trailer last week and installed on a 35 year old motorcycle. This bike did not originally have an electric fan, so installed a Ducati fan and operating it with the fan switch from e-trailer, working great!

[rideandfly]

Took a look at my 2010 CampLite 11 Trailer hub & Dexter website. It's a 7" hub and Dexter calls for this seal:

http://www.dexteraxle.com/inc/sdetail/786/1069

The link Merlin gave is the same size seal Dexter list, but for less than 1/2 the cost, will order shortly from E-Trailer to replace later this month!

Thanks!

Edit: Ordered two seal sets from E-Trailer and they have already confirmed the order with shipping info!

[rideandfly]

Will probably purchase a spare hub/drum assembly for the 2010 Mighty 11. Talked to Dexter, and they said the correct hub/drum # for the #1459807, #9 torque flex 2200lb capacity axle is: K08-257-91. The axle on my CampLite may be lower capacity than later model CampLite 11s. The empty weigh on our Mighty 11 is 1400lbs with maximum weight @ 2200lbs.  Found this distributor link for the hub/drum assembly for my Mighty 11:

http://www.easternmarine.com/dexter-7-x-1-1-4-brake-drum-hub-5-on-45-k08-257-91

Tag found on Mighty 11 Dexter Axle:



Back to work in the garage!