bearing lifespan????

jippie98

Seaman
Joined
Sep 26, 2004
Messages
68
I have only been getting about a year a nd a half out of a set a bearings.......Is this normal? It is in a saltwater enviroment but this seems excessive..... I do regular maintaince but still the same problem....Any thoughts or help?????
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
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Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,993
Re: bearing lifespan????

You're Doing Something Wrong.............<br /><br />Bearings Should last Years,+ Years..........
 

BillP

Captain
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Aug 10, 2002
Messages
3,290
Re: bearing lifespan????

Bearings life is mostly based on how well you keep water out. I do it by packing the hubs full of grease first and then installing Bearing Buddies. Use Bearing Buddies only to top off the grease, not to fill the hub. If you don't pack the hubs full expect shorter bearing life.
 

fondafj

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 3, 2004
Messages
132
Re: bearing lifespan????

Originally posted by Sir Catchalot:<br /> I have only been getting about a year a nd a half out of a set a bearings.......Is this normal? It is in a saltwater enviroment but this seems excessive..... I do regular maintaince but still the same problem....Any thoughts or help?????
I see you are in Maine which poses the ultimate bearing test...... warm hubs and ice cold water. What is the failure of your bearings? Pitting or heat discoloration? If it is pitting, then I would make sure the seals being used are for boat trailers (double lipped) as well as some form of a spring loaded dust cap like bearing buddy to reduce the affects of dunking warm wheel hubs into cold water. If it is heat damage, it may be improperly packed bearings, not enough grease in the hub, too tight bearings or a combination of water intrusion and the use of non waterproof grease. Some good reading: <br /> http://www.championtrailers.com/
 

CN Spots

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Messages
1,612
Re: bearing lifespan????

Do you replace the races when you replace the bearings?<br /><br />Is your axle in alignment? Do your tires wear more on one side than the other?<br /><br />Is your trailer overloaded?<br /><br /><br />spots
 

Terry Olson

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 20, 2005
Messages
415
Re: bearing lifespan????

A common mistake in reinstalling bearings is to overtighten the castle nut. It's difficult to explain how tight is tight enough. I don't know if this might be the cause, but it's worth considering. <br /><br />Good luck with it.
 

Dunaruna

Admiral
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
6,027
Re: bearing lifespan????

Incorrect preload (too tight or too loose) is the biggest cause of failure - IMO.<br /><br />Also, give them time to cool a little before dunking, a hot hub can suck water in past the seal.
 

jippie98

Seaman
Joined
Sep 26, 2004
Messages
68
Re: bearing lifespan????

The last time I had a failure i replaced the entire hub with a pre packed hub assembly. Followed directions and filled it with marine grease and was on my way...this was beginning of last summer. Was putting boat to sleep and noticed the the wheel was not stable and had a little play in it after I jacked the trailor up for the winter. Installed a tubo lube on the other axle this summer but I wont even go into the trouble I am having with it....constantly leaks. The boat is not all that heavy...18ft cc mirrocraft,85hp... Tires are worn but not really bad.....they are 8 years old. Any thoughts???
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: bearing lifespan????

i was told by my auto mech, when tightening the castle nut to tighten to where you get pretty good resistance when turning tire. then back nut off 1/4 turn. after every time i go into salt water i hit the buddy bearing with a couple of pumps of grease. we really don't have the freezing problem here
 

Boatist

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 22, 2002
Messages
4,552
Re: bearing lifespan????

My 1980 trailer has only had bearings on one axel replaced one time, when I changed to disc brakes and changed the entire hub. When you grease your hubs fill it at full as you can with a marine grease. Tighten axel nut tight with pliers and spin the wheel to make sure the bearing is seated. Then back the axel nut off until loose, tighten finger tight only if the key wont go in back off one notch. Put on a set of bearing buddys and fill the hub with marine grease until the bearing buddy spring is compressed. Check that the spring is compressed before and after every trip. Once you get the hub full then should have to add very little grease after that but it takes a lot of grease to fill the hub. Bearing buddy will keep positive presure in the hub with the spring pressure to keep the water out. <br />Do not over tighten the hub use good Double lipped seals and keep the bearing buddy spring compressed and bearing will be good for many years.
 

BillP

Captain
Joined
Aug 10, 2002
Messages
3,290
Re: bearing lifespan????

Ditto what Boatist said. Pack the hubs 100% full of grease and use Bearing Buddies. That will take water problems out of the equation as long as the seals are good. Hot, cold, salt, it won't matter. I continually get over 5 yrs and change bearings/races/seals just because I already have the hubs off. Also, my seal problems went away 20 yrs ago when I started using the Bearing Buddy spindle seal kit.
 

rwidman

Lieutenant
Joined
May 27, 2004
Messages
1,396
Re: bearing lifespan????

............ after every time i go into salt water i hit the buddy bearing with a couple of pumps of grease. ............
Where is your grease going? If you can add grease each time you launch you have a leak somewhere. Grease is not consumed during use.
 

imported_Curmudgeon

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 29, 2004
Messages
496
Re: bearing lifespan????

Where is your grease going?<br /><br />It's probably going out the seal onto the inside hub during the trip. Who cares as long as water is kept out!
 

Richard Petersen

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 17, 2004
Messages
778
Re: bearing lifespan????

1980 trailer and I have packed the bearings full 2X. I use nothing but grease. No BUddy anything. Still going between NJ and the ST. Lawrence River. I do seat the bearing tightly by hand, then back off till it spins freely. The bearings DO GET tighter as you race at 75 mph. I check them after 10 minutes at 70 mph. You should be able to keep your fingers on a HOT but bearable hub. If not pop the cover and cotter pin off and back the nut out to the next CLOSEST slot and put the cotter back in and bend the ends.
 

RetNav

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 14, 2003
Messages
758
Re: bearing lifespan????

On my double axel trailer with 256 WAC Dusky loaded I kept having troubles with bearings going out so I bought 4 new hubs and followed the instructions on the box to the letter. No more problems for at least a year. Following is a copy of what was written on the box:<br /><br />WHEEL HUB KIT • 5 STUD 1-1/16" x 1-3/8" HUB 1750#<br />Includes:<br />1750#Hub<br />1 ea. Grease Seal<br />1ea. 1-1/16", 1-3/8" Bearing 1 ea. Cotter Key •<br />5 ea. 1/2" Lug Nuts <br />1 ea. Dust Cap<br />.<br />Hub Installation:<br />1. Remove wheel from hub. <br />2. Remove hub dust cap, cotter key, spindle nut and washer. <br />3. Remove old hub from spindle. <br />4. Assemble new hub onto axle spindle. <br />5. Grease using high quality marine wheel bearing grease. <br />6. Mount wheel.<br />7. Tighten the spindle nut with a 1/2 inch wrench to approximately 40 ft. Ibs. Turn wheel in both directions to be sure wheel turns freely. <br />8. Turn back spindle nut 1/6 to 1/4 turn to the nearest locking hole. Wheel should turn smoothly with no end play or wobble.<br />9. Line up cotter key with nearest locking hole and spread key. <br />10. Install dust cap.
 
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