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Trailer Wheel Bearings

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ameration

ameration

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I was checking my Sea-Doo trailer before I go on a 180 mile trip with it this weekend and found that the right side wheel bearing is making noise. Will I be alright changing it after the trip or should I try to squeeze it in before the trip?

Also, any tips on doing the change?

Thanks.
 
Fix it!

Before the trip.

One thing we BOTH know, is that we don't know when it will go all the way out.

And, that it probably will be more expensive to fix, if you tear it all the way up.

Nate
 
Generally the bearing will have the # on it. It would also be a good idea to replace the races too, or at least make sure that they are nice and smooth(no nicks or rough at all). Thats the part that the bearings ride on.
 
pull cap/ or bearing buddy off, then pull codder pin, undo nut, and pull hub off. Then put grease in your hand, and smash the crap out of it, with the bearing,to pack in real good, then reinstal...good luck
 
Here are some pics of the bad one.

1_Wheel_Hub_1.jpg


1_000_0202.JPG
 
The trailer has small rubber "covers" on the ends of the hubs (on in these pics). The other side is clean and dry but this one is greasy on the outside.

I thought is you spin the trailer wheel freely and it makes noise it is bad bearing, correct? So that is why I assumed I need new bearings.
 
Sounds as if the rubber covers, aint giv'n good protection, look into bearing buddies, or at least the dust caps, that need malloting in...Crunchy bearing aint good, but remove it, and soke in wd-40, rid out old grease, then repack, maybe can save it...
 
Here is a pic of the good side - no noise when spinning. And below is pics fo the bad one with the rubber cover removed and some of the grease wiped out.

1_000_0203.JPG


1_000_0207.JPG
 
ameration said:
Here is a pic of the good side - no noise when spinning. And below is pics fo the bad one with the rubber cover removed and some of the grease wiped out.



Click to expand...


To me it looks like there is already some type of "Bearing Buddy" on there, correct? :confused:
 
Ive had one go with a 11,000lb boat on the trailer and it was not fun changing it.... If you think its bad dont try and save it REPLACE IT they not expensive. Grab the left and right side of the wheel and try and shake it back and forth if you feel any play is 100% done replace it and if its making any noise then chanses are its done replace it the last thing you what to be doing on your trip is trying to change a wheel bearing on the side of the highway...
 
your best bet is to just replace your bearings, races, and if you want to your bearing buddies. i did this after i bought my ski and total cost was around $50. all of the parts were found in the marine section of Academy. Tools you will need hammer to tap off of the bearing buddy, needle nose pliers to remove the cotter pin, cresent wrench to remove nut and a flat punch to remove the race. main thing is to get grease into all the grooves of the bearing when packing them. they make a bearing packer if you dont want to do it by hand.
 
also spray some penatrant lube on your lugnuts so if you need to change a wheel or something on the side of the road itll make life a little easyer for you cause they look really rusted, also what year is the trailer 1994? and do you alway make sure you grease them. if your trailer goes in and out of the water alot you should greasthem alot to keep the water out of them...
 
The trailer is a 1998 and I just got the trailer a few weeks ago when I got the ski so I am not sure about the previous maint. on it.

I did pull apart the "bad" side and the bearings looked, rolled and appeared to be fine. I cleaned it all out and repacked it.

The noise is still there though and I did notice that there was some grease coming out of the rear of the hub when I filled it with the new grease - bad inner grease seal? Could that be causing some of noise?
 
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you want grease to stay in, if it can get out, then water can get in. lack of grease from use, may have oblonged the inner seal. Fix the seal, then trailer it around, then repack again, since letting grease work in...
 
After reading all the new posts I got nervous so I too everything apart again and all I found that there was no grease in there at all now! It all came out the rear seal! I sure am glad that I decided to take it all apart again and check or I would of been stuck on the side of the road for sure!

I am going to get a new bearing kit tomorrow and re-do them. About how many pumps does it take from a grease gun to fill them up? I don't want to blow out the new rear seal.

Also, I am having a hell of a time getting the inner ring of the inner bearing off (it is still on the axle in the pic), any tips or just whack at it with a hammer and screwdriver?

1_000_0211.JPG
 
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i think your best bet is to cut the inner part of the bearing off with a dremel cut off wheel. scribe a line with the cut off wheel so that a groove exists in the bearing but don't go all the way through b/c you will damage the spindle surface. then take a punch or chisel and beat the bearing off along the line it should widen enough to get it off the spindle.

after you get it off take some 600 grit sandpaper and smooth the surface of the spindle up. feel for any knicks or scratches in the spindle surface. if you find some you can fix them by filling it in with jb weld. sand it smooth after you let it cure for 24 hours.

Just a word to the wise if your inner bearing came off like that it was not ok and chances are good that you would have not made it to your destination. i had this happen to mine when i replaced them, an hour after beating on the hub with a slide hammer finally broke the outer bearing loose. i performed the described spindle treatment above and no worries ever since.
 
cut a line in race, but dont go all the way thru, then directly on the race , 180*, cut a relief cut, then take screwdriver and put in first cut, and twist the handle...you poundon it, might gouge the spindle, then new inner race might not seat well...Chances though, your new bearing kit, the inner race is a pressure fit, considering thes are angular tapered bearings...:cheers:
 
Thanks for the dremel idea as it worked great. I replaced inner and outer bearings, races and rear seal and all seems to be well with it. Nice and smooth with very little noise.
 
just the way it should be. always better to know that you can get to your destination safely without having a breakdown in the middle of nowhere.
 
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