Trailcraft Trailer Bearings

Hi Everyone

I'm thinking about re-doing my bearings. Is it easy to do? anyone here done it on a trailcraft trailer? any tips?

Cheers

 

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Posts: 1097

Date Joined: 19/06/14

Easy...

Tue, 2015-02-03 18:00

 If I can do it so can you .Chock your trailer, jack her up. all you need is a flathead screwdriver pair of pliers adjustable spanner and a little hammer. Pull your wheel off and place a mat/rag under your hub.Start by removing your hub end cap , remove split pin , undo castle nut ,take out washer.( lay em out in order of removal ) A gentle pull and your hub should come off.. Sometimes a little gentle persuasion is needed! Then it's a matter of removing bearing races ( inner and outer ) to get the actual cups out have a look on good old YouTube to see how this is done. Once everything is apart take our bearings to a bearing shop ( Martins trailer parts ) get new bearings. Install is pretty much the reverse of pull apart. Dont be shy with some marine bearing grease and your looking pretty sweet.... if you've got breaks it's just a matter of undoing the caliper before removing hub.... Go for it!

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Simo_'s picture

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Date Joined: 13/11/06

Thanks, I'll give a go on the

Tue, 2015-02-03 18:32

Thanks, I'll give a go on the weekend

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Bruzoandnicko's picture

Posts: 71

Date Joined: 02/07/12

Wheel Bearings

Wed, 2015-02-04 07:10

Make sure you get the preload on the bearings right when you put it back together, maybe You-tube that bit as well.

 

ranmar850's picture

Posts: 2702

Date Joined: 12/08/12

Unless you have parallel

Wed, 2015-02-04 07:13

Unless you have parallel bearings, which are usually on the much larger trailers (+6m), you will have either Holden or Ford bearings. Once you have them apart and can see the numbers, you will know. Bearing kits are available at all the boating/fishing/auto shops, make sure you get the marine type seal, or your inner bearings won't last long at all. If there is any witnessing on the cups-usually visible as something that looks like the imprint of the roller bearing it has been sitting against, they are stuffed. Usually from having water in there and not being used. TIP--I haven't seen the Youtube video mentioned above, as I have been doing bearings since long before youtube was invented :-), but to re-insert the new cups, first grind down the radius of the old ones you knocked out so they will slide easily back into the hub you pulled them out of. Then use the old ones to drive the new ones in once they are below the lip of the hub, much better than using a drift .Then keep those old ones in your toolbox. Messy job, but one which is good to know. And please don't try and short cut it by not replacing the cones--they will chop the new bearings out in no time. And you cannot use too much grease in boat trailer bearings, no matter what some say --you have to have grease in that labyrinth seal at the back to keep water out. My opinion only, but formed from running heavily loaded boats at speed, over distance, and on really bad roads, for a long time.

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yep

Wed, 2015-02-04 20:18

I tend to agree, cant have too much grease in there.

The "witnessing" can also come from not enough preload-as soon as there is movement when shaking the wheel outside, then also the rollers are not all contacting cone simultaneously as they should spreading the load across all rollers.

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A big tip is to "invest" in

Wed, 2015-02-04 10:40

A big tip is to "invest" in quality bearings. There are lots of cheap shitty bearing kits around being peddled by all sorts of businesses.

 

Go to someone who specialises (I have used BSC and CBC)  in bearings and spend a couple more bucks on decent bearings.

Anytime Brad's picture

Posts: 237

Date Joined: 20/07/09

+ 1 on using quality bearings

Wed, 2015-02-04 18:39

there are some crap chinese bearings out there, sold in the likes of BCF etc. As said above get Timkin, koyo or the likes (jap made). Sold bearing kits for years and the only ones that were a problem were the cheap ones, stopped selling them after a while and only sold timkin without a problem.

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sea-kem's picture

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Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Go to Statewide bearings in

Wed, 2015-02-04 18:53

 Go to Statewide bearings in Kewdale Simo, that's where I get mine. They will have everything you need plus good quality grease. Mine get done once a year before The northerly trip. 

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Date Joined: 20/01/14

Another tip

Wed, 2015-02-04 19:22

is when you use the old cone to knock the new one in, make sure that you have them both sitting the same way up, this will allow you to knock the old bearing cup out with a punch from the other side.

With the pre load you don't need any (others may disagree, but this is how I was taught to do it) Install cups, put some grease on the cups, put a lot of grease on the cones, with outside of wheel facing down (I do all of this with the hub attached to the wheel) install inner cone, install the hub part of the seal, slide it onto axle, slide small cone and washer onto axle and do up the nut. Do it up quite tight to make sure eveything is seated properly, undo the nut a few turns until there is play (you can feel this as clonking as you push an pull on the tyre this is why I do it with the wheel on the hub), keep tightening the nut until you remove all of the play, if the cotter pin lines up with a hole install it, usually it doesn't so then you have to make a decision, if its close you can tighten it a little bit to line up but remember a little bit loose is better than too tight. If your lucky and have axles that have two holes at right angles to each other these are a lot easier to adjust than ones with only one hole. (because less movement is needed to get a hole to line up) Too tight and they will run hot. Take the trailer for a short run then jack up and wobble the wheels to check the play, it shouldn't have changed. Then go fishing on all the money you have just saved.

After a long run put your hand on the hubs, warm is ok but if its that hot that you can't keep your hand on it you will need to investigate.

ranmar850's picture

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I've been using the bearings

Thu, 2015-02-05 07:39

I've been using the bearings from BCF, same kit available from a lot of outlets. I haven't replaced them for three years, and go north every year, heavily loaded, probably getting close to two tonnes gross on ford bearings. I am meticulous about them--if I can hear the faintest rumble, they are replaced.
As Ian S says above , you can use the seating onto the cones to finish packing the bearing--I normally force as much as I can in going around it with the digit, then put a thick coat on the cones so it is forced in as they seat.

Simo_'s picture

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Date Joined: 13/11/06

Run into a problem already...

Thu, 2015-02-05 20:12

Run into a problem already... the brake caliper nuts are rusted. I've put some Inox on it. looks like its going to be hard to get off.

Can I leave it off when I'm done? I don't think it works anyway.

 

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Simo_'s picture

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Date Joined: 13/11/06

Run into a problem already...

Thu, 2015-02-05 20:13

Run into a problem already... the brake caliper nuts are rusted. I've put some Inox on it. looks like its going to be hard to get off.

Can I leave it off when I'm done? I don't think it works anyway.

 

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leave what off-the nuts or

Thu, 2015-02-05 20:33

leave what off-the nuts or the caliper itself?

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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.

 

Simo_'s picture

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Date Joined: 13/11/06

the caliper

Thu, 2015-02-05 20:44

the caliper

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Posts: 5738

Date Joined: 18/01/12

Id suggest not, rather fixing

Thu, 2015-02-05 20:50

Id suggest not, rather fixing the brakes up.

But if you do, leave BOTH off.

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 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.

 

Posts: 812

Date Joined: 09/10/06

 Got the same trailcraft

Thu, 2015-02-05 20:50

 Got the same trailcraft trailer. There not nuts simo. There bolts that thread into the cleat welded on axle. Drown them both sides and leave them soaking with inox or wd40 they will free up. 

You will need a good ring spanner as you cant get a socket on them. Dont use a shifter as you will round them off and then your in trouble.

 

Posts: 812

Date Joined: 09/10/06

 You need your brakes on and

Thu, 2015-02-05 21:12

 You need your brakes on and working. Would be illegal otherwise.

Your tubs around the same age as mine. When l did mine after buying it l found the hubs were really rusted up and brake pads were gone. Best thing you can do is replace the lot. Calipers should still be ok but new hubs , pads bearings will give you piece of mind doing your long runs to exxy coralbay. Its not that expensive to do the lot on a single axke like yours. Martins trailer parts have all the gear and plenty of knowledge  to help you through. I think it cost me all up under $250 for the parts.

 

Simo_'s picture

Posts: 1843

Date Joined: 13/11/06

cheers

Fri, 2015-02-06 05:38

cheers

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