New hub kit for trailer

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
My 1999 boat trailer has the Accu-Lube spindles with the grease zerk in the center of the spindle....never any problems so far, but today in preparation for hauling boat to Florida on Saturday I was checking/spinning the wheels to listen to the bearings and the left hand bearing was rough and bearings were pitted/corroded....so I bought a new hub kit at Northern Tool($50) and popped it right on with no problem. Now the right side bearings felt/sounded just fine when I spun the wheel....so my question to you experts is this: should I go get another hub kit and put it on the right side tomorrow just to be safe?....I hate to just replace a perfectly good hub/bearings?....not sure what to do?....any thoughts or ideas?
 

TruckDrivingFool

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
1,818
Have you pulled them apart and inspected them? Is it worth another $50 to not have to inspect and repack the bearings if they are ok on inspection?
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,581
Accu-Lube, EZ-lube and others all use the zerk fitting. It pumps lube in from the back as you know, but none of them will keep all water out from coming in around the seal. Found this out early on one of my trailers, so every few trips I use up a tube of grease pumping new grease into each one and watch for water to come out.

To your question: Sound is key to the bearings, if you don't hear anything I would say your good. Before you go pump some new grease into the axle and watch for water to come out, and don't be stingy. Grease doesn't cost that much when compared to fixing an axle on the highway. Have a safe trip
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Think about the procedure you went through to change the left hub. Now envision doing the same thing on the side of the highway with cars and semis whizzing by at 70 MPH.:eek:

Can you guess what I would do?
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
Even with EZ Lube hubs, it's easier to pull the hub and look for water intrusion than pumping a whole tube of grease through it.
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,581
Didn't see anything about pumping a whole tube, in most cases I have found it takes 4 to 6 pumps for water to show up if its their
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
Didn't see anything about pumping a whole tube, in most cases I have found it takes 4 to 6 pumps for water to show up if its their

Thought that is what you said here:
so every few trips I use up a tube of grease pumping new grease into each one and watch for water to come out.

In any case, it's way easier just pulling the hub and looking.

I am actually not a big fan of the EZ Lube system. Have a trailer with that and one with Bearing Buddys and the one with the Bearing Buddys is the one with no problems.
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,581
I am actually not a big fan of the EZ Lube system. Have a trailer with that and one with Bearing Buddys and the one with the Bearing Buddys is the one with no problems.

That's cute

Thanks for quoting
so every few trips
"few" meaning more then two. Go for it guy have a good time :hug: I still like you :horn:
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
With my EZ Lubes, I just pull the hub off at the end of the season.

When I first bought mine, I did the pump grease until the old grease comes out while spinning the hub trick. Then I decided I should just repack the bearings manually so I took of one of the hubs What I found were severely corroded bearings. I pulled them all, found 3 out of the 4 had severely corroded bearings and I then replaced all the bearings, races and seals.
 

boomer2

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 17, 2009
Messages
104
For going on a trip like you are doing I would put another new hub on and keep the one you pull for a spare in case something happens while on the road in the future. Put it in a garbage bag and stow it somewhere in the tow vehicle or the boat. $50 is small price compared to the hassle of trying to install one ( while chancing your life ) on the shoulder of some interstate or highway in the middle of BFE.
 

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
I'm sorta leaning towards just putting a new hub kit on that right side....after 15 years it's probably ready anyway.
 

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
O.K., I put 2 new hub kits on, tightened each crown nut with my fingertips, pumped full of grease.....trailered the boat 400 miles on I-95 to Florida....and I always do a touch check for temperature at each gasoline stop, wonder why the left hub is a good bit warmer than the right hub?....not hot/not bad, but warmer.....Do you experts think I should loosen that crown nut just a bit on the warmer hub?....otherwise what would make the difference?......so I'm paranoid but I see lots of boats/trailers on the side of the road with wheel/bearing issues....
 

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
Jacked up and checked each wheel and a good bit of slop in both, so tightened each crown nut by at least a full turn.....and good to go!....I guess/I hope!.....
 

Frank Acampora

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Messages
12,004
Uh-OH! here we go with the pre-load versus bearing clearance argument. Personally, I'm with Bruce: I believe in pre-loading tapered roller bearings. Let the arguments begin.
 

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
I was told by a real bearing expert yesterday that the correct way to set the crown nut is snug and then 30 degrees more tightened....well, I just went snug, but no more....just seems like too tight to me....My question now is do I grease the Accu-Lube zerk in the center of spindle or the zerk that's on the back/inside of the hub?....
 

AZ_Guy

Cadet
Joined
Aug 2, 2015
Messages
11
I've always done really tight a few times to set everything, then as hand tight as I can then I back off to the last spot the cotter pin will go through. I'm sure someone will know better than me. I've always heard to not really tighten it down cause when the bearing heats up and expands it will be too tight and burn up the bearing.
 
Top