*THE HULL TRUTH is the world's largest FREE network for the discussion of Boating & Fishing. Whether you're researching a new boat, or are a seasoned Captain, you'll find The Hull Truth Boating & Fishing Message Forum contains a wealth of information from Boaters and Sportfishermen around the world.
Welcome to the updated THT!
If you are having trouble signing in, please email feedback@thehulltruth.com with your username and we will help you. We thank you for your patience as we help you access the new site!
Random Quote: It ain't long, but it sure is skinny
Since theres a lot of questions about greasing bearings i have another question if anyone can help.I think i want to change my hubs because there getting rusty and 5 seasons old.Once i take tire off how does whole hub come off.Any sugestions apreciated.
Since theres a lot of questions about greasing bearings i have another question if anyone can help.I think i want to change my hubs because there getting rusty and 5 seasons old.Once i take tire off how does whole hub come off.Any sugestions apreciated.
There is no good reason to change your hubs because they are "rusty" or old. You can brush the rust off if it bothers you.
I would be concerned that after five years you don't know how to get them off because it means you haven't been maintaining your bearings.
If you do a web search you can find several articles on how to do this. No sense trying to write it again here.
Actually, many times the cost of a new hub, with bearings, isn't all that much more than the new set of bearings. If your hubs look rough, and you haven't been inspecting the bearings on a regular basis, I vote for new hubs. You remove the grease cap, or bearing buddy on the front of the axle. You will then find a cotter pin that must be removed, then a nut behind that. After you remove the nut, the hub will slide right off the axle, bearings, grease seals, and all. Be sure to pack the new bearings with waterproof marine wheel bearing grease before installation. All of this assumes that your trailer doesn't have brakes, which makes the removal slightly more complicated.
Great point. I was astonished to find that the local trailer shop sold me a complete galvanized hub for a 3500 lb axle, LOADED with bearings and they even packed the grease - for about $40. Much better than me trying to get out the old bearings / seals and getting coated in gunk and spending 3 hours outside cursing the trailer, the guy who invented the wheel, etc.
Like Martino said, remove the cap - remove the cotter pin or bend up a retaining tab - unscrew nut and voila, removable hub. Take it to a trailer shop and ask them to sell you a new one.
Assumin' your gonna remove 'em, puttin' 'em back on is whole other ball o' wax...even if they're pre-greased....gettin' that nut tightened properly is essential...loose enough for wheel to turn freely, but tight enough so no movement...hopefully someone can be more specific...
Just my opinions here.
#1: If you've never pre-loaded a new set of bearings, have someone show you how. It's a feel thing and very difficult to describe effectively.
#2: Oil hubs have a dismal record on boat trailers unless the trailer is used VERY regularly, such as by tournament fishermen. The seals tend to dry out and fail.
#3: Be cautious of complete hubs for $40. Granted, price depends on size but a set of GOOD Timken bearings for my trailer, with seal, costs about $50 Per hub. Without the hub. If you tow long distances and like boating more than roadside repairing, buy quality bearings.
gpspowell - 3/13/2007 12:18 PM
#3: Be cautious of complete hubs for $40. Granted, price depends on size but a set of GOOD Timken bearings for my trailer, with seal, costs about $50 Per hub. Without the hub. If you tow long distances and like boating more than roadside repairing, buy quality bearings.
For what it's worth, I called around and got prices anywhere from $35 a hub to $80 a hub, but not one of the places I called implied that they had any sort of "quality range" to choose from in bearings or hubs. I am sure most of the people out there would end up with whatever the store happens to stock, period. I trust the shop I got them from, and they still happened to be almost the cheapest.
A note on the oil filled hubs, I almost went that route but my concern was that they have to have a really, REALLY good seal on the inside surface. If you don't have that, all your oil is going to leak right out. The grease is going to be a good bit more forgiving.
My real point was that for $50 a side, better to let a pro do the messy work and just bolt 'em on - rather than trying to save $20 and fooling around with the individual bearings, seals, etc, and hoping you got it all together right. (then again I only have a mile on my self-replaced ones, let's see how they hold up)
The old farm trick for castle nut torque is to turn it till it don't turn anymore (within reason, no four foot wrenchs). Then back it off to the next groove on the nut
__________________ Sod your yard. I NEED TO KEEP MY BOAT!
Seahunt 186 Escape F115 Yamaha
You are now ready to slide the hub or hub drum onto the spindle. Clean the spindle with a rag. (NOTE: The inner surface of the bearing and the spindle shaft are machined to close tolerances. If the spindle is marred, unclean, or if the rear bearing is not square with the spindle shaft, the bearings may temporarily hang up as you slide the hub in place. Once the hub or hub drum is fully in place on the spindle, slide the outer bearing onto the spindle and into the hub. (Match the cone of the bearing to the race. DO NOT INSTALL THE BEARINGS BACKWARD!
At this point you are ready to pre-load the bearings. Whenever you install new hubs onto an axle, or whenever you install new bearings and races into existing hubs, you should pre-load the bearings. Pre-loading the bearings assures that the races in the hub are 100% in place against their machined stop points and keeps the hub from wobbling after a few miles.
To pre-load the bearings, install the spindle washer and spindle nut onto the spindle with the hub and bearings in place. Tighten the spindle nut finger tight (until snug) and then with channel-lock pliers or a crescent wrench, tighten the spindle nut another 1/4 turn or about 15 to 20 ft pounds of torque. Now turn the hub five to ten revolutions. This will fully seat the races. Now loosen the spindle nut very loose, then re-snug to finger tight, and engage the nut retaining device. (Some reverse lubricating spindles use a tab washer for the retaining device)
After 20 to 40 miles of highway travel, check to see if the hub is loose on the spindle. Pull the tire in and out a few times. If your hub is loose, you will need to re-snug the spindle nut and re-engage the nut retaining cotter pin or tab washer. NOTE: Never reuse the same tab on the tab washer. They are designed to be used one time only).
Never run your spindle nut to tight, this will cause your bearings to over heat. And never run your bearings too loose. A very slightly loose spindle nut will run adequately, but too loose and the individual rollers may come apart in the bearings, causing the hub to fracture.
You are now ready to install your dust cap. A short piece of 2" I.D. water pipe makes a good tool to install either a plain dust cap or the SPINDLE-LUBEŽ dust cap for the 3500# axle.
I recently put the oil hubs on some of my boat trailer axles. I have towed from NC to CT and back with no problems what so ever. Before I thought about installing them, I went through them pretty thuroughly. The seals have as much likelyhood of drying out and leaving you stranded as you do loosing a grease seal. The caps are clear so you can clearly see if any water gets into the hub, try doing that with a greased hub. The big thing I do see with them, is they are not on a galvanized hub, but I don't see that being too big a problem as I wash after every dunking, and keep oiled with corrosion block anyways. If you install them, almost overfill them with oil and go for a ride to warm the oil up, and then check the level again. That oil is pretty think. I will probably be replacing all my non-brake axles with them when the time comes, even those with posilube.
Trailer hubs 
