Changing Trailer Wheelbearings----Bushmecanix style
Submitted: Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 17:46
ThreadID:
64089
Views:
3472
Replies:
10
FollowUps:
14
This Thread has been Archived
Willem
Well, today was a nice sunny day and so I figured it was the right time to change the wheelbearings on the Offroad Trailer. I bought the trailer in October 05 and did the first bearing change in May 07 after about 25,000km. I wasn't going to do it but me mate George insisted as we were about to leave for the Arafura Sea via some dirt roads. Just as
well, as some of the cones were pitted. Now, after 18 months and 25,000km the time had come.
I started after smoko around 10am and only finished at 4.30. Those plurry cones are tough bastards and cling to the inside like the proverbial to a wool blanket. Must add, we had lunch in the vineyard and a red or two inbetween bearings....lol..... And apart from that, the older I get the harder the jobs seem to be...lol
Left hand side was OK upon inspection but I changed the lot anyway. Right hand side and the inner wheelbearing fell out in pieces in my hand.. Hmmmm.... just as
well I changed them, eh?
Set the right hand one up OK but tapped the seal a tad too hard and it went in skew. so tapped the other side and it went in too far. So I had to reef it out and fit another one. Then when putting the hub back on the seal wouldn't slip over the axle at the back. So I decide to tap the hub on with the hammer. Still wouldn't budge so I tapped a bit harder. Hands full of grease and the hammer slipped and burred the end of the axle thread ...bugga bugga bugga!!!!! Out with some fine files but not much chop. Still..maybe just enough. So I reversed the castlle nut and gently wound the whole shebang on. Too
the nut of, turned it right side on and it went on OK but left a small slither of metal behind...bugga again!!!
So tomorrow I shall go and find my mate who has a die set and repair the plurry repair job...LOL
While
wheels were off I nipped the U-bolt nuts up as
well..
Must say the trailer has put up with a lot of punishment having been towed offtrack across numerous deserts and corrugated tracks these past 3 years. It is still in good nick.
Cheers
Reply By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 17:56
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 17:56
So are you just going to be an onlooker for the wheel bearing service comp as part of the 4WD skills in
St George next year??
hahaha
Cheers Kev
| Russell Coight:
He was presented with a difficult decision: push on into the stretching deserts, or return home to his wife.Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog Send Message |
AnswerID:
338689
Follow Up By: Willem - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 18:01
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 18:01
Hmmmm. I think I will let the
young 'uns do their bit.
Cheers
FollowupID:
606216
Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 18:12
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 18:12
So will you be the chief scrutineer then?? ;)
Cheers Kev
| Russell Coight:
He was presented with a difficult decision: push on into the stretching deserts, or return home to his wife.Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog Send Message |
FollowupID:
606218
Reply By: Dave B (NSW) - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 18:06
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 18:06
Look on the
bright side Willem, all that happened in the vineyard, not out on the track without any shade or help within 1000kms.
And without a red handy too, hahaha
Dave
AnswerID:
338691
Reply By: Member - Axle - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 18:07
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 18:07
" Right hand one fell out in pieces in my hand"!
Theres one conserlation about getting older, we become oblivious to noises coming out the rear of our , campers and caravans!!...hahahaha. Lucky you didn't head off again...lol.
PS, I always order two of everthing, Seems to help with the stuff ups ..lol.
Cheers Axle.
AnswerID:
338692
Follow Up By: Willem - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 08:02
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 08:02
Don't tell me you have TWO Landrovers?
Hahahahaha
Cheers
FollowupID:
606277
Reply By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 19:18
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 19:18
Hi Willem
Doing the job in the Vineyard would be the best place to be,
many years ago we were comming home from Fraser Island, with
friends, both of us were towing trailers and the usual wife and kids,
we decided to take a short cut through the
Brisbane CBD, and link
up with the South East Freeway, it was 5pm peak hour traffic when
my Wheel Bearing let go on the trailer, we had no choice but to pull over in a tow away area, and make repairs, here we are to 4x4's
with trailers, and the wives and kids standing on the footpath
while my mate and I did repairs, luckily I had spare Bearings, but had
heaps of trouble getting the damaged one off, in the mean time
the traffic was trying to get passed us and it started to get dark
Office Workers on there way home stopped on the footpath and
wondered what the heck these two blokes were doing, in Tshirts
Shorts and Thongs on the side of a city street repairing a Trailer,
we still have a laugh about it.
Cheers
Daza
AnswerID:
338701
Reply By: Member - bushfix - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 19:46
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 19:46
"a red or two in between bearings"
ha ha.....yers....
hello mate,
funny thing changing bearings with some "oil" handy....ups the antics a bit I find...
AnswerID:
338707
Follow Up By: Peter 2 - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 20:51
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 20:51
That's how he managed to hit the end of the axle with the hammer, too much "lube"
Seriously Willem, the inner seals come in different sizes (ID) to suit different diameter axles, if you had to force it on it is too small for the axle and won't sit square to the back of the hub and won't seal too
well.. Then the dirt and
water get in ;-)))
Peter
FollowupID:
606239
Follow Up By: Member - bushfix - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:02
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:02
ha yes,
G'day Peter,
we've just been talking about you.....he he....
FollowupID:
606240
Follow Up By: Willem - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:17
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:17
Nah Peter, Standard Ford bearings and seals. All the same. Wasn't forced on, just a tad awkward and I recall now I didn't put any grease there to help it along. Anyway time will tell.
Cheers
FollowupID:
606248
Reply By: Member - Footloose - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 20:24
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 20:24
" we had lunch in the vineyard and a red or two inbetween bearings "
Life's tough eh ?
Must be Murphy's way of telling you something ?
AnswerID:
338713
Follow Up By: Willem - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 08:01
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 08:01
I do not have Irish relations....lol
Cheers
FollowupID:
606276
Reply By: V8 Troopie - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 20:49
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 20:49
Willem, there is a thing called a 'thread file'. Its square and has 8 different thread profiles to 'file' repair damaged threads. The profiles are along each side at end and there are also sort sections to clean nut threads.
A great gadget for the tool box, especially for those who are wont to use too big a hammer near threads.
Those files come in imperial and metric teeth profiles, might be wise to have one each in your toolbox for your outback trips .
AnswerID:
338716
Follow Up By: Member - bushfix - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:06
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:06
nice one Klaus, thanks for that info.
FollowupID:
606241
Follow Up By: Willem - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:12
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:12
Thanks. I have added it to the wishlist on the Whiteboard :-)
I probably have known about something like that but it has never crossed my mind to get onew. Now I will.
Cheers
FollowupID:
606244
Follow Up By: Member No 1- Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 07:44
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 07:44
copper headed hammer is a good thing to have near machined surfaces that one does'nt want to damage
FollowupID:
606272
Follow Up By: Willem - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 07:52
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 07:52
Thanks No 1
Another one for Xmas stocking...lol
Cheers
FollowupID:
606275
Reply By: Mad Cowz (VIC) - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:27
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:27
Hey Willem,
were the bearings still greasy? or a little dry?
I did bearings before our trip this year and popped in some bearing buddies after, I'm hoping these'll give some insuance of the bearings making sure there is always plenty of grease.......
After the trip I put in about 2 squirts of grease from the gun which was enough to push the thingy out a bit...
MC
AnswerID:
338722
Follow Up By: Willem - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:45
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:45
Nick
Bearings were covered in grease.
FollowupID:
606255
Reply By: Member - Michael J (SA) - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:35
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:35
Was gonna bring me wagon up for a 'bearing check up' but
not too sure now:))))))))))))))))
Cheers
Michael
AnswerID:
338723
Follow Up By: Willem - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:48
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:48
Best yer stays where yer are. Yer a danger on the roads :-)))))
Cheers
FollowupID:
606256
Reply By: George (NT) - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 00:44
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 00:44
gawd willem cant trust you with a greasy hammer and a wine or three to fix thoes bearings wil have to drive down and fix the stuff up before our next trip lol george nt
AnswerID:
338739
Follow Up By: Willem - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 07:50
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 07:50
George
I seem to recall that the bearing that collapsed was the one you fitted last time....hahahahahaha
Cheers
FollowupID:
606274