Towing cross country on small trailer tires...
- Thread starter tod osier
- Start date
I carry the giant Milwaukee m18 fuel impact because that is what I own already. Not exactly inexpensive, tho.
I heard about that. Veteran trailer enthusiasts refuse to use old fashioned lug wrenches. A powered nut spinner is preferred. Also heard you're safe using it in Arkansas this year, should you take the southern route.
Scott Farris
Well-known member
If we're adding to E's list add in one or two speedie sleeves and installer (piece of pipe or tubing work) to salvage the spindles in the area the oil seal rides.
In my younger years I found myself in 10" of snow on a back country rock ramp 40 miles from home in the same situation. It only takes once.
Good thought on the thread die! For $30 or $40 you can get a good hex die if the need arises.
I've not encountered a shaft I couldn't clean with Emory cloth....yet. I also didn't know these existed. I'll have to look into these.
Hi Ed, I missed this response when it came in, thanks. With the grinder, I don't have a cordless. I have thought about buying one, tho.
. I always carry a big punch and a cold chisel, BUT I've never actually dealt with trashed bearings on a the spindle. You are using the grinder to cut the trashed bearings off the spindle?
Hi Todd, yes. I had to do that one time to a rear bearing race that basically welded its self to the spindle. I don't have a cordless myself although I've thought about getting one too. I carry a 1000watt inverter in my road box and use the boat battery for power.Hi Ed, I missed this response when it came in, thanks. With the grinder, I don't have a cordless. I have thought about buying one, tho.
Ahhh, an inverter, hadn't considered that. With the camper, I always have the generator, but I'm going to be running back and forth to WY and not bringing the generator.
All I can say is good luck on your trips and I hope you don't have to use any of the tools being discussed on the roadside this winter!
Jay K
Active member
Just figured I'd throw my $0.02 on this after having just rebuilt a set of hubs. Definitely see if you can get the spindle size from the manufacturer and consider buying two new hubs you can just swap on. 5 lug, that size, I would maybe say it's a 1-1/16" straight spindle.
Something like this:
I had a Load Rite for my last rig but I can't remember the spindle size and whether it's a tapered spindle or not. I know CE smith makes idler hubs with pre-set bearings, races, and oil seals for multiple sizes. Tapered, straight, 4 lug, etc.
It looks like an EZ-Lube axle judging by the grease cap.
With that being said, I keep 2 spare hubs at all times. I'm a bit old school and just rebuild the hubs, one time, before chucking them. I usually go for Timken races, bearings, and seals. If you buy 2 new hubs, consider just pulling them off before you get on the road, and swap the new ones on. Save the old ones to rebuild with Timken hardware and then you have a spare set you can just bolt on when the replacements wear out.
Something like this:
I had a Load Rite for my last rig but I can't remember the spindle size and whether it's a tapered spindle or not. I know CE smith makes idler hubs with pre-set bearings, races, and oil seals for multiple sizes. Tapered, straight, 4 lug, etc.
It looks like an EZ-Lube axle judging by the grease cap.
With that being said, I keep 2 spare hubs at all times. I'm a bit old school and just rebuild the hubs, one time, before chucking them. I usually go for Timken races, bearings, and seals. If you buy 2 new hubs, consider just pulling them off before you get on the road, and swap the new ones on. Save the old ones to rebuild with Timken hardware and then you have a spare set you can just bolt on when the replacements wear out.
I have the inner seal, bearing and race sizes from the axle manufacturer.
Are you saying you are replacing bearings and races that are not showing signs of wear, is that what rebuilding means? I repack and would only replace if I saw that there is a problem. I have tens of thousands of miles on bearings that I've only repacked and replaced grease seals on annually.
MIKE-SID
Active member
That is good common practice for normal local use, in my opinion. I would "rebuild " with new bearings, races and seals before a cross country trip for peace of mind. I'd rather start out new to avoid a failure. On my motorcycle, I replace the bearings on most tire changes, especially since Harley went with sealed bearings, I don't trust something that I can't inspect. Oh boy, don't get me started.
As my grandfather would say "Let Er Rip!" haha you should be fine, I'd be well prepared bring some extra bearings, air pump, jack kit, spare tires and send it! I've towed smaller tires and overweight boats many miles on hope & prayer.
Jay K
Active member
I'm with @MIKE-SID
By rebuilding I mean popping out the grease seal, pulling the bearings, and hammering out the races. Then replacing everything with new. Or you can just buy two new prebuilt hubs and keep the others as spares. I just sleep better at night with fresh bearings and races. The problem is you don't know how the person maintained the bearings. I wouldn't want to get there to find the bearings and races are trashed. 1000's of miles is going to be a real serious litmus test.
Did the guy run them locked down and they're about burned out? Did he run them too loose and now the bearings have slop?
This is just the way I feel about these things. Rebuilding a hub on the side of the interstate in the dark isn't my idea of a fun night.
I'm also the guy that got a brand new trailer with a trashed hub. Trailered 120 miles home to find one wheel had a 1/2"-3/4" of slop in the wheel. Grease seal was trashed and the bearings were about chattered out from the slop.
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It is my trailer, that I've had from new and I set the tightness of the castle nuts to my preference the day I brought it home.
My view, is that I'd rather repack the existing than put new in because the existing are proven. On my travel trailers, I'm repacking and leaving for 10-20K miles on the road - I want a proven bearing and race in there that I know work. Obviously, I may find scoring or rust and then just repacking will be out the window.
Jay K
Active member
Oh I had no idea this was YOUR trailer. I thought you had bought this from someone sight unseen. I misunderstood.
In that case, I agree. I wouldn't even sweat it then. Give them a repack, set them on, and call it a day. Those tires don't look bad. I've seen way worse.
12" wheels aren't bad at all. I am about 100 miles each way from any decent duck hunting where I live. My 12" wheels/hubs are as cool as can be after a standard round trip of 200 miles. 10" spin a bit more and heat up.
That's my thinking. All but one of my 12-18' boats are on trailers with 12" tires. I haven't had problems with them. I did have a couple of trailers years ago with 10" tires, they sucked and the bearings were forever crapping out. Possibly quality of manufacture had something to do with it as well, they weren't big-name brand trailers. I currently have a couple of those 100" wide snowsled trailers, they sit on 10" tires. I hold my breath every time I take them out.
Jay K
Active member
I end up rebuilding all my hubs with Timkens. As mentioned, I got a brand new trailer with a bad hub. Personally, I think it was bad assembly, and the person putting the hubs on did not know how to set/adjust them. Talking with the company, they ONLY sell pre-assembled hubs with minimal grease. When I asked the rep "How does someone go about adding/packing grease in a hub with a grease seal installed", he didn't know. It was a rhetorical question but I had to ask. I went ahead and just hammered out the races on the old hub and replaced with all Timken.
I just did a set of Timkens in my trailer. Adjusted them, greased them, and proceeded to pull the boat 200 round trip miles going 65mph or more. I stopped once on the way and once coming back to see if they were heating up. Cool as the other side of the pillow.
I probably don't trailer nearly as much as @tod osier but I am a fanatic about trailer safety. I had to help someone out with a hub that went bad on the road and it was NOT fun.