Trailer bearings?

[Shawn]

I was going to pull the boat today but ran into a bearing issue. After about 5 miles on the highway I stopped to check hubs and one of them was getting warm so I headed back.

Off hand anyone happen to know the bearing sizes for the Performance trailer that would have been standard on a '92 23-3? Or a complete replacement hub/drum that would be a bolt on?

Thanks,

Shawn

[brackish]

My trailer is a Performance 2005 model and the bearing kit is number 8 on this page.

http://www.championtrailers.com/bearings_races_seals.html

Doubt they changed them, but I guess the only way to tell for sure is to pull a hub and measure the shaft.

[botelerr]

I just did my 19 this week. I got bearings from Eastern Marine ,Newark Delaware. I replaced the bearings using the existing hubs,, they also sell the complete hub with seal and both bearings installed.. Not so sure it's not a better way. Getting the outer races out and replaced was a job.

[Bob23]

I used Eastern when I rebuilt my old Load-rite trailer for my CP 23. Even though they are over and hour and a half from my house, it was still cheaper to buy everything there...and they do have everything!
bob23

[Shawn]

Just wanted to follow up that the bearing kit Brackish linked to was the proper kit for my '92ish Performance Trailer. Finally got it back together again and had Serenity pulled yesterday. It was such a beautiful day I nearly headed out into the bay instead of turned into the travel lift.

One thing I realized while doing this is the existing brakes are in bad shape. That will be a project for this summer.

Shawn

[Bob23]

Shawn:
   Aren't you in Mass? It must've been cold.
Bob23

[Shawn]

Bob,

Actually it was beautiful, around 55 degrees and a nice sunny day.

I took some pictures along the way but I was shooting in the infrared spectrum. These have different post processing applied to them (red/blue color channel swaps, conversions to B&W...etc..etc) which is what gives them the false colors and so on.

Down at my dock...

















It was very weird watching Serenity flying. First time I've used a travel lift.

Shawn

[brackish]

Great pics Shawn!!

Yep, I've still got it to do.  Pull the wheels and hubs,  clean and pack the bearings, soak the tires with protecterant, check and adjust the brakes.  I flushed the brakes with the flush system last summer when I came out of the salt, but I'm sure they need some work.  Need a reasonably warm day (with no wind so I won't be tempted to sail instead).

[Salty19]

The '98 Performance Brand trailer we're using has unusual hubs on it, they are called "SuperLube".
What makes them unusual is you do not need to disassemble them to grease, they use internal passages to distribute to each bearing with a handy zerk fitting.

Jack up the trailer, check the inner seals for leaks,  remove the dust cap, squeeze in some lube, turn the tire (to distribute grease) and clean up the old grease that comes out.  Repeat a few times and done.  10 minute job.

I never warmed up the bearing buddies..not they are bad but I didn't like 'em.

Definitely recommend them if you need new hubs.  http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=1061&title=SuperLube+Trailer+Wheel+Hub%2FSpindles+Owners+Manual

Luke of CLR fame raved about his Tiedown engineering hubs  on the Eclipse trailer (tows all over the country).  They use oil for lube and a sight glass to check the level.  Seems like a good hub as well.

[Shawn]

My trailer has the SuperLube spindles too. However, if you grease it with the hub centers out you will find most of the grease just comes out of the holes for the cotter pin. To get the grease to get all the way to the rear bearing I had to take the cotter pin out, take the nut off and then squeeze my fingers tightly over those two holes to get the grease to get to the inner wheel bearing.

Shawn

[Salty19]

Shawn--Interesting, I'll have to take a look next time to see if that's happening.  Thx for mentioning it.

P.S.  Incredible pictures!!

[brackish]

I have Superlube spindles too, and they seem to work well, however, I still do "trailer day" where I pull the wheels and hubs to inspect and repack.  Lets me inspect everything, and I know I have good bearings and clean, well adjusted, operating brakes before I start the towing season.  It lets me soak all sides of the tires with protectorant and paint those items on the trailer that are not well protected by galvanizing.  If I were only towing to the house for the winter I probably wouldn't put in all that effort, but I usually tow 1000-1200 miles a season going to the Gulf.  Peace of mind knowing I'm starting out with everything in perfect shape.  Thinking about leaving the wheels off and just stacking them with a cover to keep the UV off the rubber.  I believe most tires get replaced because of side wall cracking from UV exposure than for tread wear.

Salty, thanks for posting the link to the maintenance procedure, it is the best I've seen for that type of spindle.

[skip1930]

It's the inner bearing, closest to the hub that carries all the weight and needs the grease. The outer just goes along for the ride and has a little side thrust on turns.
Superlubes are great. Peel back that rubber and load 'em up through the zerk. Put the rubber back down. I also have painted with a brush, the springs and shackles with the load on the springs and with the load jacked off the springs. Where they slip, I want some lube.

Kind of when I opened up the spring paks on my 1930 Ford Roadster Model 'A'. Dissemble, wire brush, grind a bevel. cut copper screen 'tween the leaves, layer in a concoction of lube on the screens that I formulated, reassembled, wrap ed in leather and bolted back in. I have nice spring action and working leaver shocks. The screen hold the lube and as it wheres the copper, being soft also lubes the leaves. Old Hot Rodder Trick.

skip.

[Salty19]

Skip, these are tapered needle bearings, not roller ball.  Uneven pressure on one side would kill them in short order.  The pressure would force the bearings into the outer portion of the race and they would fail.

[skip1930]

"Skip, these are tapered needle bearings, not roller ball."

I'm not sure but I don't recall specifying what style these bearings are.

Side Bar: The race is hardened, the tapered needle or balls bearings are hardened. I'm thinking even if rusty after a few minutes in the acid to attack the rust, a couple of insertions of clean grease and a few miles between services even old rotten bearings and the cages holding the bearings start to polish themselves up.

If they roll, if the lube is clean, and the bearings stay warm and don't boil the grease out and if the bearings don't howl or thump at speed then the bearings are carring the weight and loads.

In the shop we dealt with bearings off of English Motor Cars of the 1950's vintage and some bearings don't exist anymore, especially in a Whitmore size. If really bad we'd have to build up the spindle and drum or turn down the spindle or drum to the nearest over the counter bearing size. That's a pain to do. It's amazing what can be saved.

skip.