new bearings...now have shake

[joho5]

well, the bearings went bad on my trailer a little while back. (1 month) so I got replacements and cleaned out the old hub, hammered out the old races and everything and replaced it all.

well, it went good, but now when I get to 60mph, my trailer now shakes. It didnt do that before.

What could cause this...I was thinking possbly if the race isnt perfectly straight, then the wheel doenst slide on perfectly straight and would cause this wiggle.

I havent pulled it back off to inspect, but I thought I would check on here to see if you guys knew what it might be.

thanks, and if I cant find it, I will just get the whole hub and everything.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

Did you set the bearing pre-load properly and were you sure you had the races driven in fully. If not, the wheel will have excess play. Jack it up, grasp the wheel at 3 and 9 oclock and wiggle it (not rotating it). If you feel slop it isn't adjusted properly.

 

[joho5]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

what do you mean exactly pre load properly.

heres what I did:

I took the hub off and took the seal off, and both bearings. Mine is a tapered axle so the outer bearing is smaller.

I cleaned it all out and then hammered the races in, I possibly could have not properly hammered them in all the way, but I tried as best as I could to. What is the best thing to hammer them in with?

then I put the inner bearing in there and the followed it by tapping in the seal.

I then slid the hub on and then put the outer bearing on, followed by the nut, I tightened it down to where I didnt feel any play, and then backed it off 1 pin slot.

I then put the pin slot through the nut and bent it into place. At the time Im pretty positive I checked for play, but maybe I didnt.

Then put the lugs on and drove away.

PS: I did pack the bearings as I was doing this.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

Did the new races hammer in the hub or just 'push' in?

I wasted a hub, the old race stretched and enlarged the hub enough that the new race fit loose.

Are you SURE the new race SEATED, then hit it once again just to be sure that you heard the totally different sound of a fully seated race?

An unseated race finally seating will leave way too much 'freeplay' in the bearing, and the wheel will wobble.

Lastly, how did you set the bearing pre-load, firm, 60 - 70 lb-ft, then back off, then retighten 40 - 50 lb-ft, then back off again, retighten to 20 - 25 lb-ft, then back off 1/2 a flat and lock it. Barely any perceptible wheel shake, about .003 in/out measured at the rim. DO NOT turn the wheel while the bearings are tightened, you don't want to roll the bearing, only to push the grease out from between the rollers and races to get a solid contact from which you back off to set your running clearance.

 

[joho5]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

see i didnt do all that...I do have a ratched that measures the lbs, so I will redo the settings.

will that actually push the race in there by doing that if it isnt all the way in.

I had to hammer it in, it wasnt loose at all. I know what you are talking about having the race hammered all the way in and having the different sound, I am pretty sure they were all the way in there.

Now I didnt do the bearing load setting...I guess I will redo that and check it again.

Matt

 

[joho5]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

also, you said the wheel doesnt need to turn when I am doing this.

Do you leave it in contact with the ground a little to keep it from spinning?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

You turn the wheel as you are tightening the nut. Once you reach the preload torque is when you back it off 1/4 turn.

 

[joho5]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

ok, I snugged it down and there was a lot of play. Excessive. Now, my other side has very minimal play. When I shake the wheel I cant see it moving, but I can hear it. Its very very very small amount...is that ok?

When I tightened it down (the wobbly wheel), and there was no play, I took it for a test drive and it still shook a little bit at about 60 mph and above. It improved, but it shook still. Its about where I wouldnt want to take it more than about 50 miles or so at a time.

The hubs dont get hot, barely warm.

could the tire be out of balance?

Now if my washer got a little distorted when the bearings went out, could that cause any problems?

I just want to be able to trust this thing to take a little ways if I want to.

 

[Floatsum]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

ok, I snugged it down and there was a lot of play. Excessive. Now, my other side has very minimal play. When I shake the wheel I cant see it moving, but I can hear it. Its very very very small amount...is that ok?

When I tightened it down (the wobbly wheel), and there was no play, I took it for a test drive and it still shook a little bit at about 60 mph and above. It improved, but it shook still. Its about where I wouldnt want to take it more than about 50 miles or so at a time.

The hubs dont get hot, barely warm.

could the tire be out of balance?

Now if my washer got a little distorted when the bearings went out, could that cause any problems?

I just want to be able to trust this thing to take a little ways if I want to.

just do both sides and be done with it.
Then if you still have a prob you've at least eliminated one possibility. I'm guessing you'll not have a issue if you didn't before you "short changed" the bearing job.

 

[joho5]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

ok, I preloaded them now and they are snug without any play or slop. They roll freely though.

I still have the shake at 60mph, its a little better, but still there.

what is the possibilities now, that maybe the race isnt hammered on straight or the tire out of balance?

I assume it could have been doing this before, maybe I just didnt notice it?

I just want to get it rolling right so I can take it a distance if I need to.

 

[can-amsledder]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

Was the spindle or anything else damaged when the bearing went bad?

 

[joho5]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

no it al looked fine

 

[CharlieB]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

Jack it up , roll the wheel and carefully watch the tire, look to any irregularity in the shape, curve, tread area. A slipped belt or other not-obvious flaw in the tire may allow the tire to distort under load and speed.

Do you have a spare tire that you can try?

Take the wheel off and to a tire shop to have them spin it.

 

[Floatsum]

Re: new bearings...now have shake

I know, PIA, but,,,

Jack each wheel up again (sorry) and give it a good spin. See if the tire looks to be wobbling at all side to side. (bent rim)
Look at the outside diameter while spining, is it perfectly round? (broken cords / seperated tread)
Measure inside the rim from one side to the other, top vs bottom, front vs. rear. (bent axel)
If the above looks good, take them off and have them balanced.

There is one other consideration too.
The tow vehicle.
With the added tongue weight on the rear, if the tires on the truck are not balanced, equally inflated, one shock shot, etc. the shakes couldbe transferred to the trailer. May not be bad enough to feel without the tougue weight adding more confusion. (possible but not too likely though)