When was the last time you performed any maintenance on your trailer? We’re not procrastinators, so we decided that we should get it done because we don’t recall ever doing it before. We had noticed some odd tire wear, and thought we might have a couple of loose wheel bearings. It turned out we did, and also found that four of the six grease seals on our triple axle Haulmark had been leaking. Getting wheel bearing grease all over your brake shoes renders them useless, and can be avoided with just a couple of hours of your time.
I recently stopped by the new shop that some friends just opened to check it out, and they must have grown tired of me whining and sniveling about having to re-pack the wheel bearings on the race trailer. Bring it over they said, and we’ll do it. I had it back there in 10 minutes so they wouldn’t change their mind.
Liberty Off-Road is in the desert oasis town of Moses Lake in central Washington State. Dave McMains and Lee Creiglow have about 70 years combined experience building rigs for sand dunes, mountains, rocks and for many types of races. They have the ability to order whatever you need and install it, or help you to install it. Lee is a master fabricator if you need custom work done. They are just getting started have no intention of getting wealthy from the shop; it just needs to sustain itself and their passion for off-road motorsports. So stop by and say hi if you’re in town, and tell them we sent you in for a free beer.
I showed up the next morning at the crack of about 10 am, and they already had it up on jack stands with all six wheels and tires off. Dave was just pulling the first drum off, and this is what we found:
If looking at that picture doesn’t give you incentive to inspect your bearings and brakes, then you need to have your head examined.
Dave tore everything apart while I ran around town looking for new brake shoes. I actually found them at a local hardware store that retails everything from western wear to tools and lawn care.
Lee packed all the bearings while Dave installed the new brake shoes, then it was time for the final assembly.
These are Dexter Torflex axles and what you have may be from a different manufacturer, but the principle is the same – two wheel bearings, a grease seal, a spindle lock nut, and a lock nut retainer.
Our wheel hub and brake drum are one unit, and per the manufacturers instructions:
Whenever the hub equipment on your axle must be removed for inspection or maintenance the following procedure should be utilized.
1. Elevate and support the trailer unit per manufacturers’ instructions.
2. Remove the wheel.
3. Remove the grease cap by carefully prying progressively around the flange of the cap. If the hub is an oil lube type, then the cap can be removed by unscrewing it counterclockwise while holding the hub stationary.
4. Remove the cotter pin from the spindle nut or, in the case of E-Z Lube™ versions, bend the locking tang to the free position.
For E-Z Lube™ axles produced after February 2002, a new type of retainer is used. Gently pry off retainer from the nut and set aside.
5. Unscrew the spindle nut (counterclockwise) and remove the spindle washer.
6. Remove the hub from the spindle, being careful not to allow the outer bearing cone to fall out. The inner bearing cone will be retained by the seal.
If you find your brakes soaked in grease, remove the shoes (throw them away, as they are now no good) and hardware and get everything cleaned up. Pay particular attention to the electro-magnet and replace it if you see any damage. It can be cleaned and reused if it appears to be OK. Ours were cruddy, but worked properly when we tested them after they were cleaned up. The brakes are actuated by this electro-magnet, so if you have any doubts, replace them. When you depress your brake pedal, voltage activates the magnet, which grabs an inner surface of the brake drum. The magnet is mounted to a lever that mechanically expands the brake shoes into the brake drum to provide braking action. It’s an effective and simple system, and works well when properly maintained.
Once everything is cleaned up, the bearings are packed, and a new seal is installed, follow your manufacturers instructions for bearing assembly and adjustment. From Dexter:
1. After placing the hub, bearings, washers, and spindle nut back on the axle spindle in reverse order as detailed in the previous section on hub removal, rotate the hub assembly slowly while tightening the spindle nut to approximately 50 lbs.-ft (12″ wrench or pliers with full hand force).
2. Then loosen the spindle nut to remove the torque. Do not rotate the hub.
3. Finger tighten the spindle nut until just snug.
4. Back the spindle nut out slightly until the first castellation lines up with the cotter key hole and insert the cotter pin (or locking tang in the case of E-Z Lube™).
5. Bend over the cotter pin legs to secure the nut (or locking tang in the case of E-Z Lube™).
6. Nut should be free to move with only restraint being the cotter pin (or locking tang).
For axles using the new nut retainer:
1. Finger tighten the nut until just snug, align the retainer to the machined flat on the spindle and press the retainer onto the nut. The retainer should snap into place. Once in place, the retainer/nut assembly should be free to move slightly.
2. If the nut is too tight, remove the retainer and back the nut off approximately one twelfth of a turn and reinstall the retainer. The nut should now be free to move slightly.
3. Reinstall grease cap.
Don’t forget to adjust the brakes shoes. This is done the same as any other drum brake assembly.
So now that you have this reminder, and a little bit of information, get to it and get it done. Or, you’ll be sitting on the shoulder of some remote highway in the middle of the night with a seized bearing that ruined your spindle wondering why you didn’t just do it.
