Cieaning Trailer Bearings
Submitted by Seaquest on Thu, 2016-04-07 17:04
Would like to know what people use to clean boat trailer bearings when repacking them. I've been told various stuff like petrol, kerosene and brake cleaner. I normally just replace the bearings with new ones but this year I have hardly used the boat and I thought I would just repack the grease. Also can you use compressed air to dry/clean them out or is this dangerous and can it damage the bearing?
Cheers
Swompa
Posts: 3910
Date Joined: 14/10/12
De-greaser and a rag
De-greaser and a rag
Scotte
Posts: 1147
Date Joined: 07/12/06
Petrol and let them dry in
Petrol and let them dry in the sun for half hour
SpotHound
Posts: 439
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Petrol
Remove all the grease you can with a rag, chuck them in a jar with petrol and shake.
Change the petrol as needed until clean.
mullows
Posts: 738
Date Joined: 25/12/08
Petrol CheersMullows
Petrol
Cheers
Mullows
The Older I get the better I was :-)
Shimka
Posts: 465
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Degreaser, petrol or kerosene
Degreaser, petrol or kerosene will all work fine. The most important step though is to wash them out in soapy water after degreasing to get rid of the residue left behind by whatever degreasing fluid you use. After you wash them out with soapy water, rinse them well then blow dry them with compressed air, a hair dryer or leave them sitting out to air dry for a hour or so.
Don't forget to spin the bearings when degreasing, washing, drying & packing or you will be left with bits of grease or water in the bearing or not have enough grease in the bearing.
Use a marine bearing grease to repack the bearings.
Use an old (but clean) paint brush to clean the bearings out properly. Don't half ass the job by using rags or shaking in a jar.
If your going to do the job, do it properly.
Rob H
Posts: 5817
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Unless there is a specific
Unless there is a specific reason to clean them out, don't.
Just remove roller and repack with a bearing packer which will push out most of the old stuff.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Shimka
Posts: 465
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Only do this if you know for
Only do this if you know for certain what grease was previously in the bearing & use the same grease or a type of grease that you know for sure is compatible with the existing grease.
Even if there is only small amounts of the previous grease left in the bearing, you can end up with dry bearings very quickly through the use of non-compatible grease.
If your not sure about what grease they are packed with now, don't risk it, clean them out completely.
Rob H
Posts: 5817
Date Joined: 18/01/12
true, but there are very few
true, but there are very few common greases that are so incompatible that this can happen.
But it is a valid point.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
scano
Posts: 1247
Date Joined: 31/05/07
To be honest
I think we get led up the garden path a lot by oil and grease manufacturers.
as long as an oil or grease is changed at regular and early intervals, it really should not matter at all about mixing a micron of old grease with new, adding a top up half a litre to an existing sump of oil ect. To be honest I think it is just clever marketing over the years which has sold everyone into the idea of synthetic this, Teflon that.
what I do know nowadays is that engines and bearings can achieve greater mileage than ever before, prior to requiring rebuilding . I am fairly certain this is attributed to better fuel air mixtures (fuel injection) and better seals than previous times. An example would be the old Holden red motor. Solid as an ox and super forgiving as far as overheating one, and generally pretty bullet proof. But at the end of the day they were getting fed God knows what fuel air mixture for whatever backyard carby was thrown on them (350 holley's, su's, webbers ect) and would last about 150,000klms and it was time for rebuild. Nowadays provided the oil is changed regularly and descent fuel is used an engine of the same cubic capacity generates double the power and last's twice as long. Why? Washing of the bores with crappy flat blade screwdriver air fuel mixes. (Sorry getting a bit off topic here)
to summarise, wash the bearings you have at present with clean fuel, maybe even spray with some brake cleaner, let that dissolve and ensure the bearings are nice and clean / dry. Repack properly with new grease and reassemble. Simple as that. We have done the bearings on a mates heavy boat trailer ourselves for a number of years now and never had a problem yet (touch wood).
Scano
Shimka
Posts: 465
Date Joined: 06/02/14
I agree with what you say
I agree with what you say about the motors but in my line of work (brake technician) I have done literally 10's of thousands of wheel bearings & have seen the damage caused by using incompatible grease for myself. While it's true that a few microns probably won't do any harm if the cleaning is done half assed & there's a couple of grams of incompatible grease left it can indeed force all of the grease out of the bearing in a short time.
The same applies to our reels & a quick chat to anybody that services reels as part of their job will reveal plenty of stories of bearings that have had all the grease pushed out of them because of the owner servicing with an incompatible grease.
From your quick summary it sounds like you have been doing the bearings the right way anyway so I'd say that's why you haven't experienced any issues.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
You dont particularly need a
You dont particularly need a bearing packer. Palm full of grease and "scrap" a bit off and force down onto the fleshy part of your palm pushing the grease up into the bearing. Turn the bearing and repeat, turn and repeat.... just small bits of grease each time. Work around and around until the grease starts to be forced out the other end of the bearing.
Fish! HARD!
Swompa
Posts: 3910
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Quick question; when
Quick question; when installing the hub again and tightening up the crown nut, how tight does it need to be? I did it tight then came back half a turn before sliding in the split pin. Is that ok or should it be tighter?
Rob H
Posts: 5817
Date Joined: 18/01/12
It should be tightened until
It should be tightened until you can feel a slight change then backed to the next hole after spinning a few times, this ensures the races are set properly in position if they have just been fitted/refitted.
Tapered roller bearings rely on not being loose and hence all rollers should be in contact at all times (called preload)
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Paul, i fitted new bearings
Paul, i fitted new bearings a few weeks ago and had only done one trip to maylands ramp. I jacked up each wheel today to check if they had settled properly before we drive to monkey mia tomorrow. One was fine with no slack or movement in the rim at all. The other one i could rattle the rim so i nipped it up another quarter of a turn.
Fish! HARD!
Swompa
Posts: 3910
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Cheers Randall
My camper had done around 3000km, one wheel had around 3mm of play in it. I replaced the bearings as a caution before our trip to Shark Bay. The nut was quite loose, like a turn a a half. I know if the nut is too tight then it can lock it all up though I guess it was taking the piss. I purchased it new so assumed it was all good.
SKF bearings were all in good nick so I have lightly graeased them, vacuum bagged and threw them in the tool box just in case.
I will take the trailer for a quick drive on the weekend, pull the hubs off and add a bit more goob just to be sure.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
I checked at the fuel stop
I checked at the fuel stop first up this morning (5kms), after an hour (about 100kms) , and then again at 440. Each time i could easily hold the bearing and it was warm but not too hot.
I did have to put more air in the trailer tyres. 60psi cold to start with wasnt enough
Fish! HARD!
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Seems most people do them
Seems most people do them tighter than me. I do them up tight while spinning the wheel with a spanner, I then back them right off to finger tight and push to the next notch. And then i re do themafter the first two.
kirky79
Posts: 1356
Date Joined: 13/01/12
Yep
Me too. Has worked good so far.
scano
Posts: 1247
Date Joined: 31/05/07
Another point of conjecture
For me, if I have just finished packing the bearings with new grease, I do the castle nut up firm with a 9 inch crescent, back it off ever so slightly until the hole for the split pin lines up.
also ensure the hub, cap, seal and everything else is packed full of grease. If it is full of grease, that means less chance of water getting in.
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I just change the lot out,
I just change the lot out, reasonably cheap for a good set of Timkin bearings. Luckily Statewide are just around the corner for so a one stop shop.
Love the West!
Lastchance
Posts: 1273
Date Joined: 02/02/09
Haha, you obviously don't
Haha, you obviously don't live in Karratha! Statewides are by far the most useless bunch of pricks Ive ever had the misfortune of not being able to shoot.
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Ha ha Can't say I've had a
Ha ha Can't say I've had a drama with them. But what I'm buying is fairly standard and straight off the shelf. Don't worry I get incompetance from a few suppliers, some of who even in these hard times are just not interested in selling anything. And then they wonder why they are out of a job. I'm hearing ya mate.
Love the West!
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Yeah not worth the effort to
Yeah not worth the effort to clean verses the cost of new.
Seaquest
Posts: 1132
Date Joined: 22/10/09
Looks like petrol it is and
Looks like petrol it is and a good dry in the sun.
I always replace the bearings before my yearly Exy trip but last year I replaced them then didn't end up going away so they haven't had much use at all and thought I would just repack them before this year's trip.
Swompa
Posts: 3910
Date Joined: 14/10/12
For what it is worth, whilst
For what it is worth, whilst chasing the bearings, I was told that trusting the bearings are good quality, greased up and when the trailer is 'layed up' for a long period, it is jacked up and off the ground, the bearings should last for ever....
Still, for the sake of $70 to change them out is peace of mind.
Boydy
Posts: 623
Date Joined: 26/09/12
Just checked my bearings a
Just checked my bearings a couple of weeks ago as I do every year.
12 years now and haven't replaced them once still in good condition.
Clean, repack, reset and good to go.
Provided there hasn't been any contamination, water ingress, no reason they won't last a bloody long time....
Starbug
Posts: 563
Date Joined: 27/08/09
Incompatable grease types
Incompatable grease types will cause gelling and or bleed out of the grease!
As long as the grease is clean, then just repack. If the grease is dirty/contaminated, then your bearing surface is compramised as well. New bearing time.
And how tight to do your bearings???? I have tried an numbey of ways, and then read on the Timken website their recomended method.
Thighten with a spanner, rotating the wheel to seat the bearing. Then back it off and gently tighten it until any axial play is Just removed. You need somwhere between 0 to 10 thou axial play in ford/holden trailer bearings, so if a slot lines up on the nut, drop the pin in. Otherwise back the nut of to the next slot. BTW the difference between slots equates to 10 thou.
After switching to this method i have never had to adjust my bearings during their lifespan.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8156
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Yeah for $16 definitely
Yeah for $16 definitely better to just replace the bearings and seals.
Do you guys replace the bearing races?
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
Boydy
Posts: 623
Date Joined: 26/09/12
If you don't replace the
If you don't replace the races you're only really replacing half the bearing?
Rob H
Posts: 5817
Date Joined: 18/01/12
ALWAYS replace as a unit
ALWAYS replace as a unit
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8156
Date Joined: 07/05/12
I gouged the inside of my
I gouged the inside of my hub last time I tried to remove them. What's the best tool, a rounded cold chisel?
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
Rob H
Posts: 5817
Date Joined: 18/01/12
dont use anything steel to
dont use anything steel to refit them, especially if knocking them rather than pressing.
Piece of aluminium pipe small enough to go thru hub, or brass drift.
Can use anything to get it out, steel pipe if not reusing.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Cruise Control
Posts: 973
Date Joined: 03/11/10
I use an old race, ground
I use an old race, ground down to fit easily into and out of the hub, it rests snuggly on the new race and tap them in with hammer. Old race drops out when seated.
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I've made up tools at work
I've made up tools at work to do the lot takes about 5 mins to knock out and in. How's the countdown Bruce? :P can't bloody wait!!
Love the West!
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Knock me up a set when your
Knock me up a set when your bored will ya
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Love the West!
Cruise Control
Posts: 973
Date Joined: 03/11/10
Yeah mate, champing at the
Yeah mate, champing at the bit, especially when I saw Gillys post the other day. Methinks that there is going to be a steady stream of reports starting shortly.
I've lost all of this season so far due to some eye surgery and I'm hoping like hell that's it's all settled before we are ready to go, otherwise I'm going to be fishing by feel !
How about you ? Aren't you taking your boys this year ?
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Yes I am mate and they are
Yes I am mate and they are dead keen. The placcy's and jigs are all setand a good range of Octo's to go as well. Lot's of trolling to do, fark wanna try it all if we get the right weather. Just read the latest Western Angler they have a good article on the place.
Love the West!
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
If there's anything you need
If there's anything you need welding wise etc before you leave let me know. Always happy to help out.
Love the West!
tim-o
Posts: 4657
Date Joined: 24/05/11
Dont
Its a misconception that bearings need grease. If they are adjusted correctly, running them dry is fine, just a few drops of motor oil if ya really worried
I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8156
Date Joined: 07/05/12
I hear breathing is
I hear breathing is unneccessary too but have been unwilling to change a winning formula for me so far
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
Bryce Day
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 01/06/15
Hilarious
Hilarious
Rob H
Posts: 5817
Date Joined: 18/01/12
mmm
not sure what to make of that Tim-o
I wont be trying it...
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Ha ha you sitirring shite
Ha ha you sitirring shite
Love the West!
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
It's truebut it has to be
It's truebut it has to be fully synthetic motor oil!
groverwa
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 21/07/14
Lubrication
I was told many years ago that lubricants are used to keep surfaces apart to stop abrasion and keep those surfaces from getting hot and wearing out.
Have a look at http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/24100/lubrication-basics
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
To knock out the races just
To knock out the races just use a 16mm piece of round bar.
We press all our races in using a machined tool to suit the outer edge of the race made of mild steel.
If you buy your bearings from martins trailer parts and your hubs are clean of grease they will press in your races free of charge.
Bryce Day
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 01/06/15
Bust throw em out and put new
Just throw em out and put new ones in! you could always clean them and use them as sinkers!