Replacing Inner seals on trailer???

[Polock]

Both of my inner seals on the rear axle of my trailer leak a good amount of grease out onto the rim every trip, and with a 10 hour tow in the near future I am thinking this is something I should address. My question is do I pull it apart from the outside in? I know that I will check the wheel bearings while I'm in there, but is there anything else I should check? And as for parts, is my trailer manufacturer the best to get the parts from, or is it possible to find them at an auto parts store? My trailer is a tandem axle Sport Boat Trailer. Oh ya, I assume that I can do this while the boat is on the trailer....

P.S. Pete, if you want to come up to Sacramento let me know!!!!

[Baddog]

Just did thid on my single axle trailer with drum brakes. Not too hard butd not too easy either. You are not likely to be able to find the parts an a basic auto parts store. Boetter to suck it up at your trailer store or a generic trailer store.

To get the inner seal out you need remove the drum and drive it out (from the outside of the drum toward the inside) with a brass bar and a fairly hefty hammer. Don't hit in any one spot more than once, keep moving the bar around. When the seal comes out the bearings are likely to follow so be ready for that. May be the right time to just replace the bearings and races too. They aren't that expensive and it is a lot easier to do this messy job in your driveway on your own schedule rather than on the side of the road at night in the rain.

[Polock]

Ok, so I don't have any brakes on that axle so I assume that I just skip that step and it will be even easier... What are races??

[Pistol Pete]

Polock,

If you're going to do one axle, I'd do them both. You might as well. If the trailer is going on 5 yrs. old, it's time to go through all the hubs.

What Badddog said is good advice. Hopefully, your trailer has disc brakes. (for if, and when you decide to do that axle) Taking apart a disc brake hub is way easier than a drum brake set up.

I'd get all the parts from the trailer company because spindle sizes vary and so do hub diameters. You don't want to have to walk into an auto parts store with a set of busted up seals and try to get them to match them up. I wouldn't sweat the bearings and races yet, just get in there, check them for sure, and re-grease everything really well when re-assembling. Then, you have to get the "feel" for setting the pre-load on the hub nut.

The "race" is a large wedding band looking thing that is angled. It's the actual surface that the outer portion of the bearings are riding against. The inner portion of the bearing is riding on the "spindle". This is the cone shaped piece of very shiny metal in the very center of the hub. Be very careful around this part of the axle. This is a highly machined and precision cut part of the trailer.

[Sunsetter95]

To add to the mix:

You can remove the seals by putting the nut back on the spindle after you pop the outer bearing out. You do not use the washer. Just thread the nut back on most of the way through the nut. Then holding the drum (or rotor) at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, slide the drum on the spindle, let it rub with it's weight on the spindle surface, until you feel the inner bearing stop at the nut. Then back off and slide it off with a bit more force. The bearing will have plenty of strength to pop out the seal. I usually bump it only once or twice to get it off, but then I have been doing this for 30 yrs.

Wipe off both bearings with a clean cloth or paper towel. Don't get any lint or paper in the bearings. DO NOT use any solvent to clean them. Inspect them for discoloration on the bearing roller. I have seen failing rollers that looked like chrome pealing on an old bumper in a smaller scale. If they are smooth and shiny with no discolorization, repack them with marine wheel bearing grease.

How to repack bearings by hand? Glad you asked! There are tools to assist you in packing bearings, but I usually do it the old fashion way. Put a glob of new grease in a clean palm of one hand (no jokes please), holding the bearing on the sides and with the larger diameter end toward you palm with the grease, kind of scrape off some of the new grease off your palm with the back of the bearing. Slowly you will see the old grease being pushed out. Keep going until you see almost all new grease coming out. Just work your way around the whole bearing and wipe off the old grease as necessary. It only takes <5 min per bearing once you get the hang of it. Set the newly packed bearings on a clean paper towel of some newspaper. I usually put a section under the hub as I work on it to catch any grease the drops and to set the bearing on.

For the hub. Just wipe as much old grease out of it as you can. Inspect the races (inner and outer) for any discolorization or pitting. If good, then put a layer in the center section of the hub leaving plenty of room for the spindle to pass through without pushing a bunch out. Make sure to coat the races with some clean grease also. Put the hub on its outer end so you can install the inner bearing followed by the race. Make sure the the angle of the bearing matches the angle of the hub and seat it down into the coating of grease. I rotate the bearing back and forth to achieve this. Then install the seal and put a bit of grease on the new seal (very thin coat). There is an inner and outer side of a seal also. Observe the position of the old when taking it off. You'll see what I mean. Seals for marine use are a bit different, they keep water out as well as the grease in. Yes, get the parts from a trailer or a marine store.

Now that the rear bearing and seal are installed, put a thin coating of grease on the spindle where the bearing races will ride, then slide the hub onto the spindle and seat it all of the way back. Holding it up, push the smaller outer bearing onto the spindle and push it into the seat, follow it with the washer and the nut. Put it finger tight, then rotate the hub while continuing to tighten the nut with your fingers (if you can) until it is as tight as you can get it with your fingers. Now the "Feel" part as mentioned above. Using a hand wrench (~1 or 1 1/4") and while rotating the hub, tighten the nut until you feel the hub getting friction (remember that feel before and after the friction). Stop tightening and turning both. Now loosen the nut until it is free. Do not move the hub. Now allow the weight of the wrench to snug the nut back up, then move it just a bit more. Check the cotter key alignment. If you need to turn it tighter to line it up, it's ok. Now rotate the hub. It should feel easier to rotate than when you snugged it with the wrench (the after feel). It should rotate smoothly with only the feel of the grease holding it back (the before feel). Bend and trim the cotter key and replace the cleaned our cap or buddy. Repeat on the other side. Piece of cake.

If you are not comfortable with doing this, contact a "professional".

I need a

Good luck!

Edited June 15, 2006 by Sunsetter95

[Polock]

Thanks fo the help guys!!!

Since the write up is all done I'll try to take some pictures for a how to.