Bearing Question
 

My Back Two Bearings On My Tandem Need To Be Greased Every 40 To 50 Miles. I Have Replaced Them And They Still Do The Same Thing . The Front Two Wheels Are Normal. I Do Not Know Who The Trailer Manufacturer Is,i Had It Stamped Home Made So I Could Register It. The Boat Is A 21 Scarab 3800 Lbs. What Could Cause This? Thanks In Advance.

Re: Bearing Question
 

Why do you say they need greased so often?


"Still do the same thing" Still do what??

Re: Bearing Question
 

VV

Re: Bearing Question
 

I HAVE TO GREASE THE BEARINGS EVERY 40 OR 50 MILES SO I DON'T BURN THEM UP. I HAVE REPLACED THEM AND STILL HAVE TO GREASE THEM EVERY 40 OR 50 MILES. IT IS ONLY HAPPENING TO THE BACK TWO WHEELS. ON ALL MY OTHER TRAILERS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO HUNDREDS OF MILES WITH OUT PUMPING GREASE INTO THE BEARINGS. I HAVE CHECKED TO SEE IF THE BRAKES ARE DRAGGING AND CAUSING EXCESS HEAT. FROM WHAT I CAN SEE THIS IS NOT THE PROBLEM. WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO LOOK FOR. THANKS

Re: Bearing Question
 

Sounds like the trailer is carrying all the weight on the rear axle. You could try lowering your hitch to get trailer frame parralel to ground, if that's not it then switch out the axle for heavyier duty one.

Re: Bearing Question
 

I HAVE ADJUSTED THE BOAT ON TRAILER TO MOVE SOME WEIGHT UP AND ALSO HAVE LOWERED MY HITCH. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AFTER ABOUT A YEAR SO I DON'T THINK ITS A WEIGHT ISSUE.

Re: Bearing Question
 

Where is the grease going that you keep putting in???????

Re: Bearing Question
 

Did you replac the bearings? Did you do the races also? Where is the grease going? On the brakes or nowhere. Are the wheels getting hot? It sounds more like a bearing issue more than anything. If you remove the bearings there will be numbers on the inner part of the race. If you can't find the numbers, most trailer repair shops or parts house can match them up.

Good luck,

Re: Bearing Question
 

It has to go somewhere. Generally into the brakes. Bad seals? Brakes getting hot enough to melt the grease and have it flow past the seals?

Re: Bearing Question
 

I DID REPLACE THE BEARINGS NOT THE RACES. DON'T KNOW WHERE THE GREASE IS GOING ITS NOT ON OR AROUND THE BRAKES.I THINK I WILL JUST LET A SHOP DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. I HAVE THE NEXT WEEK OFF AND WOULD RATHER SPEND IT ON THE WATER THAN IN MY SHOP. THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP.

Re: Bearing Question
 

hows the preload?

Re: Bearing Question
 

PRELOAD?

Re: Bearing Question
 

Ding ding. The races or cups sometimes called are pitted and burning the grease out of the hub. You will need BOTH bearing and race replaced. If you are unable to do it let a good shop do it for you, it's not a hard job but if done wrong it is very expensive with a tow or worse.

Re: Bearing Question
 

THANKS I DID NOT KNOW THAT I WILL LET A SHOP DO THE WORK. LIKE I SAID I THINK I WILL GO BURN SOME FOSSIL FUEL INSTEAD.

Re: Bearing Question
 

If the grease is not in sight anywhere would lead me to believe you did not pack the trough full of grease on repack .also need some in the cap if bearing Buddy's are not used.

Re: Bearing Question
 

Your generally supposed to replace races with bearings. Even when you repack them and replace the seals you put the bearing back in the same place they originally were. If you are pumping grease into your bearings it has to be going somewhere. Maybe you have a bad seal??? You should see the grease on the inside of your wheel if you do. Clean it up real good with brake cleaner and see where it goes.

Re: Bearing Question
 

That will only pertain to a torsion trailer. A leaf spring trailer will have an equalizer bar so both axle carry the same weight regardless of tongue height.


The grease HAS to be going somewhere. No if ands or buts. If you don't see it, then either your grease gun is not pumping any grease (gotta get that air pocket out) , or you got a hub full of grease, and no brakes.

Re: Bearing Question
 

Preload is taking the slop out of the bearing so the rollers will have the proper contact and are loader against the outer race properly To much preload and bearing will fail do to heat to little and brearing will fail do to slop between roller and race.
Not hard to set once you have done it.

When you change the bearings you need to do both races and also pack them with grease making sure they are loaded with grease before install
When you install them preload is the amount of load you put on them during inital installation.

Re: Bearing Question
 

Great diagnosis SCOTTC :drink:

BYUBOY you obviously don't mind jumping in to a dirty project.

If you don't have the tools to press the races out, most trailer shops carry hubs with bearings and seals installed for around $25.00. That way all you have to do is pull the old ones inspect the axle for damage and install the new ones after packing the bearings if that is not already done.

Just pull a hub and take it with you.

Re: Bearing Question
 

I Took Everything Apart Again Last Night,cleaned It All Up Real Good And I Did Find That Both Had Bad Seals. I Am Going To Pull The Other Two And Replace Everything. Don't Think I Will Use Buddy Bearings Again.

Re: Bearing Question
 

When you grease the hubs with a grease gun, pump it slowly. To fast and you can push the grease right past the seals.

Re: Bearing Question
 

Bearing Buddies are not bad. They leave just a little bit of preasure on the grease so water won't enter the seal (seals generaly seal from one direction only) when you back a warm bearing into the water. If you replace everything , bearing, race and seal. And pack the bearings ,by hand, completly full of grease. Not just a coating on the rollers.
Then set the preload correctly. I was taught to tighten the spindle nut while spinning the wheel. Do not tighten so tight that the wheel is harder to spin. Tighten only untill the wheel comes to a slight abrupt stop. Then back off to the nest looser cotter pin hole.
Reinstall your Bearing Buddy or cap , then I give it about 6 pumps of grease, anymore and you will push it past the seal.

Good luck

Re: Bearing Question
 

Thanks For All The Replies. I Was Going To Tackle The Job This Weekend, But Decided To Upgrade Altenator To A High Amp. And In The Process Of Making Sure It Worked I Discovered A Chewed Up Impeller, So Had To Replace That Also. Guess It All Goes With Off Shore Boating.