The importance of reading instructions . . . .

[Texas Transplant]

Okay, this is a story on 'me'.



Several years ago, I had a bad tire/wheel/hub experience while at a tourney. My wife helped bail me out, bringing me a new hub and my other tools to get it installed so I could get home. After I was home, I bought new wheels, tires, and another new hub.



Last year while at a tourney, I noticed that one wheel had bearing grease on the inside of the rim. Sure fire sign that the rear seal was having a problem. I watched it on my short trips, and put it on my 'to-do' list.



Since I'm about to drive from SC to Texas pulling my rig (while moving), I decided the best thing to do was get a new hub and install it (faster and easier than simply fixing the seal. Got one Saturday morning, and went our yesterday after lunch to install it. Got the tire off, jack stand positioned, bearing buddy off (tips on that in a minute) and the old hub removed with little or no problem.



I got the new hub out and slipped it on. Perfect. Put on the 'nut' and tightened it down reasonably. About now, I noticed the 'instruction sheet' in the bottom of the package. Small 1/2 page paper, with about 7 steps on it. Decided to pick it up and read it. The key phrase, 'after tightening the nut to finger tight, continue to tighten it with a wrench to 30-40 ft/lbs of torque, to fully seat the rear seal. Then back off the nut, and retighten to finger tight. Then put on the 'nut cap' and install the cotter key.'



Hmmmmmmm. Tighten the nut with a wrench so while turning the hub so the rear seal will seat properly. Guess that my other 'repair', would have worked much better if I simply would have followed the instructions.



Other tip. If you need to install (or change/remove) a buddy bearing, do yourself a favor.



1. Buy a big rubber mallett. Using a regular hammer or small sledge just doesn't get it.



2. Remove the wheel from the trailer first. You won't have to deal with the wheel/tire clearances.



With the proper tools this time, I took it off, and re-installed it in about 10 seconds each time. Worked like a champ.



What I keep in my 'SUV boat box':



Spare buddy bearing and also a standard grease cap (also - duct tape works great in a pinch). Any type of lubricant the engine/boat might need. Bearing grease, lower unit lubricant, oil for the motor, hydraculic fluid for the engine lifts, etc. Also, a spare hub assembly ($30.00); rubber mallett, 3 to 1 extension cord plug (short one that is about a foot long) and also a small floor jack. Yep. When I lost my wheel/hub several years ago, my standard sisscor jack would not lift the trailer.



Have a great day.



Tex

 

[Marty Klein]

LOL at "reading the instructions first." I love the situations where you start folowing the instructions and realize had you read step 9 first, step 6 would have been much easier.



As an ignorant on DYI with trailer stuff, what is included in the "hub" part that would make it easier than just fixing the seal?

 

[Rich Stern]

Marty, a new hub that comes with the bearings already greased and in place, only requires pulling the old hub off and putting the new one on (properly, of course).



Replacing the bearings of a hub requires removing the hub, punching the old bearings out of the hub, cleaning the hub, then greasing and seating the new bearings, and reinstalling the hub. More steps, more tools, more messy.



Of course, cost is different. A pair of new bearings might be $5 to $10, while the entire hub assembly with new bearings already installed might be $25 to $50, depending on the type.



Time or money.

 

[Marty Klein]

Thanks Rich. Time or money? I think it's more of a "putz" or "not" issue with me. Fewer moving pieces, the better.

 

[Jim B]

There are instances where you have to repack them the old fashond way. My trailer for instance has disk brakes and the "hub" is a part of the disk assembly. The cost for a new disk is over $100 plus the bearings etc.



For that reason i dont keep a spare in the truck, but i do keep a set of bearings and races and the tools to change it should i ever have to. I tend to do a lot of PM on stuff like this and to date ive never had an issue with trailer bearings. But its nice to be prepared should a problem ever arise.

 

[Texas Transplant]

For mine, it is $30.00. I agree with Jim B, if mine had all of the 'other' stuff on it, I'd approach it differently.



The whole thing start to finish took me about 30 minutes.



Tex