Wheel bearing woes

[Porkchunker]

Pulled the boat from Solomons to the home driveway today. I added some grease before the move, and checked the hubs along the way. They stayed cool, so I came on home.

Task today was to pull each hub, check the grease, replace the seal, grease and reassemble. I started with the two hubs without brakes (rear axle). I had replaced the drum brakes with disk brakes a little over a year ago, but the other hubs haven't been pulled for a couple of years.

First rear hub had good looking grease, so I installed a new bearing buddy and moved to the other side. Pulled the bearing buddy and Oh No...gray grease, meaning water intrusion! :shock: :shock: :shock:

The first pic shows how I blocked the trailer frame to support the boat while the wheel is removed.

The second pic shows the gray looking grease. It should be a nice blue-green.

I have a spare hub already greased and assembled with bearings and seals. So it will go onto the axle spindle tomorrow, and the hub I removed will be cleaned, new greased bearings and seal installed. It will go in my trailer bag that goes with me whenever I tow the boat.

Guess I have my work cut out for me tomorrow. Two down and two more to go (plus the spare hub).

 

[esfishdoc]

I have the same job on my list of things to do this winter.

Thanks

Richard

 

[Outta Here]

xx

 

[Porkchunker]

Pulled it down today and discovered that the surface on which the seal runs is corroded badly. That means the spindle must be replaced. It is on a torsion axle, so I don't know if I have to replace the entire axle, or the spindle can be removed from the axle and replaced.

I cleaned up the spindle and corroded surface and installed the spare hub. It needs to get me to Norfolk for my CBBT trip. Before launching, I'll pump up the hub. I'll pump it again after launch before parking for the week. When I recover I'll do the same to keep positive pressure in the hub and keep the water out. Then I'll tow her home and turn her into Tri-State for annual service and replacement of the axle.

Here are two pics of the spindle with the corroded running surface. They are before and after I scraped the rust and cleaned as well as I could.

 

[Fishinfireman]

They make a repair sleeve that is made of stainless steel and fits over the rusted spindle where the seal runs. The sleeve fits pretty tight and is glued in place with a loc-tite type substance. Check with your bearing supply or trailer parts place. I have used these in the past with good results.

 

[Porkchunker]

Does that mean I will need a different diameter seal?

WRT the stolen lug studs...the hub comes with six threaded bolts. They look like lug nuts on the top but have threads to go into the threaded holes. Works great.

 

[gw204]

I've cleaned corroded/rusted seal surfaces with 400 grit wet sand paper and gotten pretty good results.

 

[Fishinfireman]

I am not sure about a different size seal. It has been quite a while. It seems like they had a seal to match the repair sleeve.

 

[Porkchunker]

What are these sleeves called? Where would I get/order them?

 

[Porkchunker]

Hit the trailer parts super store and found what I think I need to fix these rough seal running surfaces.

http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm ... goryID=190

Now I need to determine the right size.

 

[Porkchunker]

Got a slide-hammer race and seal puller and a seal and race installation kit today from Harbor Freight. I hate to pay those Chinese workers for the tools, but no one else carried them.

Now I can pull the old bearing races and install the new races and seals. Those new tools will go into my trailer kit.

Tomorrow I'll pull the hub and put a micrometer on the seal running surface, then order the SS cups. Maybe, just maybe it will all be fixed before my CBBT trip. If not, I'll pump it full of grease before I back it down into the water an launch.

Dave

aka

 

[Porkchunker]

Ordered and received a pair of Bearing Buddy stainless steel spindle seal kits.

The SS cup goes over the rusty spindle where the seal runs. The O ring goes on the spindle followed by the hub containing the inner bearing and the new seal.

The new seal is larger than the standard seal to account for the larger diameter SS cup.

Here are pics of the kit. Saturday I should be able to install them and will try to take pics of the installation. That should complete this project.

 

[gw204]

Don't you just love servicing wheel bearings??? :?

 

[Outta Here]

xx

 

[Porkchunker]

These are too far gone for sandpaper or steel wool. Seals are fragile, and even a slightly rough surface will cause them to wear out prematurely.

Besides, I have an expensive boat on a trailer, and when in transit it is loaded with a lot of expensive gear. The last thing I need is a wheel bearing to go bad on the highway.

I'd rather put a few $$$ into the SS cups and seals than have to deal with changing hubs on the side of the highway, or worse, leaving the boat on the side of the highway while going for more tools/parts.

Dave

aka

 

[Porkchunker]

OK, finished the job today. I though I'd have to crank up a heater and sit it beside me, but the day turned out rather nice.

Have pulled and installed so many hubs and bearings in the last 2 years, I could almost do it in my sleep. The hub was off in less than 10 minutes (from the time I opened the truck to locate the jack, until the spindle was bare.

SS cup and 'O' ring went on very easily. Pulled the new seal out of the hub and installed the seal that is matched to the SS cup. Then reinstalled the hub. Start to finish was only about 30 minutes.

Some pics of the festivities.

 

[Porkchunker]

These are the inner bearings and race that came out of the hub running on the spindle with the rusted seal running-surface. If not replaced, they would have stranded me alongside I-95 S or I-64 E next Thursday.

 

[Porkchunker]

These tools are the cat's meow...an absolute must for removing the race from the hub and reinstalling the new one.

 

[cbigma]

Nuthin' like the right tools for the job to get it done right!

(Helps a lot when you know what you are doing too! :shock: )

Thanks for sharing the photos Dave.

This is where the Projects forum on ClassicParker really shines! 8)

 

[butch41]

are you sure that o-ring goes there. bearing should go up against sleeve not up against o-ring. also you should put #2 permatex around inside of speedi sleeve to seal water from getting in under sleeve and causing further corrsion. sorry I didnt say something before you got job done just read your post