Slightly warm trailer hub

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Redrig

Redrig

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Hello all ,

Quick backstory - a couple years ago I lost a wheel bearing and it chewed up the axle enough that I needed a new axle (no brakes on this axle) I replaced the axle and hub with another brand than the other 3 hubs , I couldn't find any numbers or anything on the jacked up hub.

While towing back from my vacation this past weekend every stop I always feel the hubs..... well this new one was slightly warm the whole trip , the other 3 were cold , it was probably 60 degrees or so at night while driving home. It was not hot by any stretch but just a touch warm, probably close to body temp or somewhere right around there.

This was probably miles 100 to maybe 700 or so on this new hub , I have only taken a couple short trips previous to this one

So my questions are - do new hubs/bearings have a "break in period" or something like that while they settle in ? causing them to run warm for a while. Is it normal for brand new hubs to get a little warm OR do I have some problems brewing in there ?

I set all 4 bearings the exact same way which I am sure I read about right here on Iboats.

I just really really dont want to go through that disaster of losing a wheel bearing again , it was a complete nightmare on this dual axle trailer.

Thanks for any ideas.
 
harringtondav

harringtondav

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This more have more to do with the bearing 'preload' than the bearing itself.
Standard preloading involves jacking up the wheel, removing the dust cap or Bearing Buddy and cotter key and castle lock. Loosen the nut and finger tighten to contact. While rotating the wheel, tighten the nut to just snug and small amount more...maybe a 1/4" on the wrench handle until you sense about 3-4 ft/lb of load. Without moving the wheel loosen the nut and re-tighten to finger tight. Find a castle lock notch that will allow the cotter key to pass. If you have to rotate the nut to get the key to pass tighter is better than looser.
The goal is to get the cones to set fully with no preload. Once the axle load sits on the cones they will find their own clearance from the races.
Slightly warm isn't a problem. Hot is.
 
Redrig

Redrig

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What you laid out us pretty much exact to how I set the bearings. I will lift that wheel and just double check where that warm one is.
 
jhande

jhande

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Make sure all the specs are correct; i.e. - axle, hub, bearing.
Also make sure there is enough and proper quality grease.
I've never torqued wheel bearings in 47 years.
I finger tighten while rotating the hub. I then use channel locks to line up the holes for the castle nut. When done I spin the hub making sure there is hardly any resistance. Mount the wheel/tire and make sure I don't feel any wobble and it rotates freely.

No there is no breakin period.
 
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dingbat

dingbat

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Redrig said:
Hello all ,
So my questions are - do new hubs/bearings have a "break in period" or something like that while they settle in ? causing them to run warm for a while. Is it normal for brand new hubs to get a little warm OR do I have some problems brewing in there ?
Click to expand...
Pretty common for bearings to "loosen up" after installation especially when putting new bearings and hubs into service the first time.

I purposely leave the bearings tight during the initial installation knowing that they will loosen up over time. Put a round trip on them (120 miles) and adjust the preset again, this time measuring, and adjusting (shims) if required, to obtain the proper end play when the nut and cotter pin installed.
 
Sprig

Sprig

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What you need is an infrared instant laser thermometer . You can find them under $30 at a large national hardware store (initials HF). They are quite accurate and work great. When you’re on a trip and stop check both the hubs. They should be within a few degrees of each other.
Remember if one side of the trailer is on the side with the sun shining on it , that one may be several degrees hotter than the side not in sun.
way better that guessing temp by touch.
Every time I’m towing and stop for gas I check my hub temperature. Takes about 3 seconds a hub.
 
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tank1949

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Most here have great responses, but don't laugh at this. Was both sides of trailer exposed equally to sunlight. Metal rims get HOT!
 
Redrig

Redrig

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The return trip was actually at night and fairly cold outside , one hub a little warm .

I will grease and readjust the preload this spring and inspect the bearings . I'm sure everything is just fine with that hub for the reasons outlined above
 
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airshot

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Better to be safe than sorry or sitting on the side of the road with only one wheel!!
 
Lou C

Lou C

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I've been doing it that way for years....I bought an axle from them in 2004 then replaced that one with another from them in 2021.
Definitely add an IR temp gun to your towing equipment, it is very handy to check bearings, brake and tire temps.
 
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Horigan

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bruceb58

bruceb58

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Horigan said:
One thing these instructions don't tell you is which direction to turn the nut to align with the cotter pin hole. I've seen posts where people say to tighten to the next hole from finger tight, but the proper way is to loosen from finger tight to get to the closed cotter pin hole, according to Dexter.
Click to expand...
true...which is what I do.
 
Redrig

Redrig

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I'm glad that was brought up . I have always went to the "closest" spot where I could get the cotter pin in . Whether looser or tighter.... just the closest from the final finger tight spot.

Thanks for the tip !
 
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froggy1150

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There is an actual side play spec depending on bearing size and application. For wheel bearings I think its .002 . Big Aircraft landing gear is torqued to several hundred foot pounds. Timkin came and did some training at one of the places I worked
 
jhande

jhande

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dingbat said:
Pretty common for bearings to "loosen up" after installation especially when putting new bearings and hubs into service the first time.

I purposely leave the bearings tight during the initial installation knowing that they will loosen up over time. Put a round trip on them (120 miles) and adjust the preset again, this time measuring, and adjusting (shims) if required, to obtain the proper end play when the nut and cotter pin installed.
Click to expand...
Sorry for replying to such an old post, been MIA for awhile.

I've been an auto tech since days of carbs and front drum brakes.
As I explained above how I pack and load bearings, whether new or old, I have never had a come back or complaint regarding the bearings "loosening" up.
 
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