Bearing races

[ThinBuLine]

Recently got a 2000 sportster lx on an extreme tandem axel trailer. 
 

The trailer has needed a lot of love. Been working on bearings and replaced one bearing and the matching bearing races due to play in the wheel. Previous owner looks like kept the bearings well greased however I plan on replacing all the bearings regardless. Do I need to replace the races as well?

 

Thanks

[justgary]

8 hours ago, InIt4theDough said:

Recently got a 2000 sportster lx on an extreme tandem axel trailer. 
 

The trailer has needed a lot of love. Been working on bearings and replaced one bearing and the matching bearing races due to play in the wheel. Previous owner looks like kept the bearings well greased however I plan on replacing all the bearings regardless. Do I need to replace the races as well?

 

Thanks

I don't see any reason to change the bearing without changing the race.  With that said, I don't see any reason to change a bearing if it is still good. 

I like to overtighten bearings to the point that they absolutely won't turn and then back them off until they turn freely but have no play.  I have found that if I don't overtighten first, the race will seat a bit after some use, and then I end up with free play.  Use plenty of force when you try to shake and rock the tire to check for play.  Try to rip the tire off of the rim.

If you tighten the bearing properly and can turn it without feeling any crunch, grit, or other odd motion, the bearing is probably good.

I'm also a fan of feeling each hub and tire whenever I stop (for fuel, or at my destination).  You can tell a lot about what's going on by comparing the heat of a tire tread to the sidewall, and the heat of each hub.  I'm always surprised how hot tire treads get.  If you have too much sidewall heat, you need more air.  Underinflation is a very common cause of sidewall failure because of heat buildup.  The same thing goes with hubs.  If you know you have them adjusted correctly, but one is hotter than the other, you may need to check for lubrication issues or rusted/worn bearings.

[Pra4sno]

The races are easy to replace as they are drum mounted.  The play is likely not getting the pretension right on the hub nut, or resetting the pretension after a few years.  

If there has been a lot of play, I'd just swap it all and call it a day.