Hi. I am replacing some trailer bearings with zero experience. I have extracted the old bearings and got replacements. I have got some k42ep grease. Is th is grease suitable? Do I need to clean all the old grease from the housing, spindle and so on? Can I over-grease?
When I took it apart it looked like the bearing was covered in dark grey ge l and the dust cap full of hard off white wax. Two types of grease or just old and new?
Any help appreciated.
Well K42EP is a lithium grease suitable for automotive wheel bearings etc so that should be fine.
You should certainly clean as much of the old grease out as possible, because it may contain water, dirt, and in the worst case small metal particles from a failed bearing.
"Grey gel" sounds like old grease which has been kept a bit fluid by the movement. Hard off-white wax sounds a bit like static grease which has "dried out" to use the colloquial term: grease has a structure a bit like a sponge and a significant proportion of the oil may have drained out, leaving a harder residue. (Oils may also oxidise, and thinner ones will evaporate slowly especially if the bearings have been running warm).
Bottom line, clean it up, regrease it, and don't worry. Some types of bearings need "adjustment" rather like old bicycle wheels, normally easily recognised because there will be a castellated nut fixed with a split pin. Probably lots of instructions on the web, especially if it is a mainstream trailer like Ivor Williams.
Oh, and apply the grease very liberally but don't *completely* fill the space between the bearings, etc, otherwise the bearing may overheat. It is usually quite difficult to overfill. You can completely fill the bearings, any excess grease will collect in the space betwen them and in the dust cap (as you have seen).
ed the old bearings and got replacements. I have got some k42ep grease. Is this grease suitable? Do I need to clean all the old grease from the housin g, spindle and so on? Can I over-grease?
gel and the dust cap full of hard off white wax. Two types of grease or jus t old and new?
I wasn't aware that bearings needed to be experienced!
There is a castellated nut and split pin. I suspect the trailer was home made. The advice I found online was to make the nut finger tight.
Tighten it until the wheel isn't loose when you pull at it, then loosen it a tiny bit. Best to replace the split pin rather than reuse the old one.
Bill
If these are taper roller bearings (implied by the need to adjust the pre-loading), it's best to have a tad too much rather than a tad too little pre-loading. Nothing ruins a taper roller bearing faster than having them running just the slightest bit slack.
ed the old bearings and got replacements. I have got some k42ep grease. Is this grease suitable? Do I need to clean all the old grease from the housin g, spindle and so on? Can I over-grease?
gel and the dust cap full of hard off white wax. Two types of grease or jus t old and new?
You never said why you removed them in the first place? Clean with petrol and regrease. High temp grease if the hubs have brakes. Should be sealed bearings if exposed to muck. If they are sealed, replace.
If it is adjustable, it will be tapered and will come to pieces when removed. Has to be reassembled by bedding all the balls in grease. The bears are replaced with the cones facing out (ie in opposite directions) and the castellated nut is tightened and backed off by one flat & new cotter pin fitted. These bearings were common in 50s and 60s cars.
My first car had castellated nuts and a split pin but need something like 150 ft lb of torque on the nut (triumph herald rears).
Are they taper roller bearings, rollers bearings or ball bearings?
If its home made they could have used something like indespension hubs or some off a car from a breaker, if you post a picture someone will probably tell you what its off.
Harry:
I took the trailer to the local garage to do some welding on the frame. Whe n I picked it up the guy advised that the wheel was grinding when turning a nd that the bearing needed attention. I have used the garage before and the y seemed OK so I listened to what he said.
The bearing consists of a inner and outer ring with what looks like ball bearings inbetween. I am pretty sure it does not come apart.
Then replace it if its fscked
Take old one to good motor factor and they will sell you a replacement
Are you saying there was just one bearing per wheel, or are there a pair of bearings like this?
It would really help if you could give us a serial number to identify the exact type because the setting up methods vary.
Good strategy, as I said elsewhere could you identify the bearing serial number please?
hen I picked it up the guy advised that the wheel was grinding when turning and that the bearing needed attention. I have used the garage before and t hey seemed OK so I listened to what he said.
Well if it's grinding it's knackered. Only solution is to replace it. Just take the old one to a factor & they will sell you another. Farmers markets are usually cheapest if you are in a rural area.
It's as well to replace both bearings on the same shaft. The "sound" one will have been subjected to overload & will likely fail soo n. Sealed bearings are best on trailer type axles, keeps the water and muck ou t.
Make sure that there is a good seal on the inside. One cause of failure is water getting into the bearing. Particularly if you have a boat trailer which has to be submerged to launch the boat.
Unfortunately there are no numbers/codes on it.
I thought there was only one per wheel. While cleaning off the grease today I discovered a second one per hub. I have managed to remove the two 'new' bearings using a hammer and a wooden punch.
Unfortunately the rubber seal on one of the hubs between the 'new' bearing and the trailer was distorted in the process. The seal had a 2 inch outer diameter and a 1.25 inch bore. Can anyone suggest where I can order one?
Sadly it is blank.
So how did you obtain replacements?
If you could give the basic dimensions (bore, OD, width) that could help. And are there two bearings per wheel, or only one (which would be odd).
OK, I assume this is a completely separate seal. Just google for lip seal suppliers and phone Simply Bearings, Supaseal, Barnwell, as takes your fancy. They will want to know the width as well as the OD and bore. Sounds very much as though you will have imperial seals and bearings. These are still available, but you may have to do a bit more phoning round than you would for metric.
If you could give us the three dimensions of the bearings that would help to identify the type.
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