Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

mike64 · Mar 28, 2009

Took the bearings out to repack for the first time. There was a lot of grease in there and no water got in. I'm wondering if they need replacing. I'm guessing the answer is yes, but I don't know what bad bearings/racers really look like, and I don't want to spend $40 or whatever if I don't have to.

The bearings seem pretty smooth and roll easily but there's black spots on them that no amount of scrubbing will remove. Doesn't seem to be any pitting.

And the racers have black areas, don't seem pitted exactly, but the black spots do feel rough.

capt sam · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

I would probably say yes, that's scoring from heat, it looks like someone didn't pack grease inside the bearing cage. If there's no slop in the bearings then you could probably pack them good with grease and be ok but if I was doing any real distance driving I'd replace them.

redone4x4 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

if you can feel anything at all on the races, they need to be replaced. if you can see anything on the races they probably need to be replaced. so in this case, i would say yes definitely and then you get the peace of mind knowing that you did it yourself. i just did my inners myself yesterday, took about 30 min for each side with new races and all.

Moody Blue · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

Without any doubt you need to replace those bearings.

Is it worth the risk of blowing a bearing along the roadside?

capt sam · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

worse then having one come apart is welding one to a spindle, ask me how I know.....

mike64 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

OK, thanks guys. Will buy new bearings & races. I was going to replace if there was any question, but money is tight and like I said I didn't know what bad bearings and races looked like. My drive to the usual lake is 10 minutes, but even on long trips last summer I would stop a couple times and feel the hubs and they barely felt warm.

mike64 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

capt sam said:
worse then having one come apart is welding one to a spindle, ask me how I know.....

How do you know, cap'n sam? Sounds like a story there.

capt sam · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

it's a long painful story, one which you don't want to experience. I tried to get by to and ended up replacing an axle, you're making the right decision.

cadunkle · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

New bearings and races. Unless you're just going acorss the street with it I wouldn't chance those. You can pack all you want into them but at speed they'll continue to eat away the rollers and races from those rough/worn spots.

Best thing you can do is replace them and check/repack periodically. When you replace the bearings I would recommend raplacing the seals as well to be sure you don't get any water intrusion damaging your new bearings.

redone4x4 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

get marine seals, they have 2 lips on them, like a double seal. always replace the seal and race when u have to replace an inner bearing. the outers you can do and still leave the seal in tact. but if the outer bearing is shot too, then get a race for it also.

boat1010 · Mar 28, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

If the money is tight then wait and see how much it will cost if you are 50 miles from home and the bearings fail. It could cost you your boat if they freeze up. I would think $40.00 is cheep. If not don't go out one week-end and use the money ya save on the trip.

Al Bee · Mar 29, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

Replacing bearings/races is small insurance. You can pack the bearings much easier, (and cleaner) with THIS TOOL

Fl_Richard · Mar 29, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

Plus there already disassembled. You've already done half the work!

redone4x4 · Mar 29, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

Al Bee said:
Replacing bearings/races is small insurance. You can pack the bearings much easier, (and cleaner) with THIS TOOL

that tool is almost a must, its only $8 at pepboys. i just bought one this week for doing mine. saves time and does a better job than doing it by hand.

mike64 · Mar 30, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

Al Bee said:
Replacing bearings/races is small insurance. You can pack the bearings much easier, (and cleaner) with THIS TOOL

redone4x4 said:
that tool is almost a must, its only $8 at pepboys. i just bought one this week for doing mine. saves time and does a better job than doing it by hand.

Thanks for the tip-- that does look like a good tool to have.

mike64 · Apr 17, 2009

Re: Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

Just a followup...finally got new bearings and races installed...place I ordered them from had to backorder them. Had a day off today, so i worked on the trailer and gave the boat a good once-over. What an awesome day...around 70 and nothing but sunshine.

Al Bee & Redone4x4, thanks for the tip on the bearing packer tool! I priced a couple online and they were $20, so I went to pep boys, and sure enough like you said Redone only $8. What a heck of a lot easier than doing it by hand. Anybody reading this looking for tips on regreasing their bearings, yeah, get a cheap bearing packer, it really does make the job easier.

Do my bearings and racers need replacing?

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