salem
Central Valley, Ca
Senior Member
Joined: 05/01/2004
View Profile
 Offline
|
For all of you who mentioned checking to see if they were done correctly to begin with; I had never thought of that. Think I'll get it in to the shop a little earlier than I had planned. Thanks to all. Also, think I'll plan on every other year just to be safe. That seems to be the general consensus.
|
Dave H M
IL
Senior Member
Joined: 08/11/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Salem
I know this is apples asnd oranges but the front wheel bearings on my pickup have not been checked since 99 and 127K.
My ole cargo trailer has never been serviced/repacked.
I think you have to do what is comfortable. I owned my last 5th wheel 8 years and did it once.
But you can always see me feeling the hubs when I stop.
|
salem
Central Valley, Ca
Senior Member
Joined: 05/01/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Dave: Someone posted the question earlier about how often I repacked the bearings on my car. I hated to admit it, but I don't remember ever doing it on my last car, and it had a little over 100,000 miles on it, although I did have a brake job done on it. I'll probably be a little more attentive to my DuraMax. (love that truck) I do vaguely remember doing a bearing job on a '63 chevy I had years ago.
|
RCMAN46
NorthWest
Senior Member
Joined: 02/24/2008
View Profile
|
It is my belief that the brakes need to be checked before the bearings. If it takes a lot of adjusting to adjust the brakes it is time to pull the hubs and check things out.
I purchased an infrared device and stop after 20 miles or so of highway towing and check each grease cap temperature. If one is much hotter than the others jack that wheel up and check to make sure the bearing is not too tight. Then at first opportunity remove the hub and make sure the bearing has not been damaged.
I also use the infrared device to compare brake drum temperatures after a long downhill run. This will detect a brake that may not be working for some reason. Such as a broken brake wire or improperly adjusted brake.
|
tvman44
Southwest Louisiana
Senior Member
Joined: 09/25/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
I'd do an initial repack to make sure everything was done correctly at factory and then just check them occasionally because of the nature of the load on the bearings, I'd schedule to check them about 2 or 3 years the way you pull each year.
Papa Bob
1* DW "Granny"
1* 2008 Brookside Sunnybrook 32'
1* 2002 F250 Super Duty 7.3L PSD
Husky 16K hitch, Tekonsha P3,
Firestone Ride Rite Air Springs, Trailair Equa-Flex, Champion C46540
"A bad day camping is better than a good day at work!"
|
|
|
Jayco-noslide
Galesburg,Il., USA
Senior Member
Joined: 11/24/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
We have a small 5er and have had several previous trailers. I don't do the bearings myself so its kind of expensive. I have adopted the schedule of having them checked and repacked about every 1 and 1/2 years without regard for the mileage and we put on a lot of miles; although, not much more than 12,000 in that period. So, if I do it this spring, then next would be a year from next fall so there would be 3 long trips during that interval. Have never had any bearing problems whatsoever. After 3 years, I think I would at least the 1st time.
Jayco-noslide
|
Bubtoofat
Westland, Michigan
Senior Member
Joined: 02/27/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
We do ours every spring regardless of how many miles we drove the year before. We also take a small tool box with us containing two sets of bearings and races, cotter pins, hammer, brass drift punch, seals, short 2X4, grease, bearing packer, roll of paper towels, gloves, torque wrench and socket. I ain't about to get stranded in the middle of nowhere because of something as simple as a wheel bearing.
|
randallb
home
Full Member
Joined: 11/19/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Salem,
I am going to get a little off track. If you are going to carry bearings, grease, etc so you do not get stranded as per Bubtoofat, save time on the side of the road and invest in an additional hub. Assemble the hub with prepacked bearings and seal and then vacuum pack it. Then if you suffer a bearing failure or just notice increased running temp a roadside repair can be performed in slightly more time than it takes to change a flat. Remove tire, old hub assembly, wipe off spindle, and install complete, packed replacement hub. As for packing your wheel bearings; do it right once and then just check hub temp occasionally and when one starts running warm, replace it. Once a bearing runs warm it is dying or dead and should just be replaced. I myself do not repack bearings, I just replace them. They do not cost that much after you factor in the cost of all the cleaning solvents and time you must use to clean the old ones to just find out they are junk.
Randy
|
jmanatee
Willington, CT
Senior Member
Joined: 04/27/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
I have seen two things fail that make it a good idea to check them atleast regularly.
I have seen an inner seal almost completely gone, just the rubber part. Not sure what happened to it. I know the bearing would have been gone very shortly after that.
I was repacking a bearing and noticed the race in the hub was turning while I was wiping it. That would have caused the bearing to fail as well.
Having said that I only check my bearings when I buy something used and then every 3-4 years regardless of miles.
JMHO
Jon
Our RVing Web Site | Our Roof Replacement Project
Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by things you did. Explore, Dream, Discover. Mark Twain
1992 32' Georgie Boy Swinger
|
Pete D
Washington
Senior Member
Joined: 11/19/2005
View Profile
|
Additional hub is a great idea on unbraked wheels, but gets kinda expensive and a storage problem when the bearings are mounted in a brake-drum hub. Pre-packed bearings can be carried in zip-lock bags.
I had bearings less than two years old and one cross-country trip fail because they were water contaminated, so miles and age don't mean much to me. I use an infrared thermometer on tire tread and hubs of both TV and TT; they are going to get hot before they fail.
1998 Ranger 4.0 4x4
1991 Scamp 13'
|
|
|
