Dust cap missing in action

[Ginder75]

1964 Overlander - dual axle.

On its maiden voyage home, I lost a hub dust cap. Well I thought no biggie, I was going to repack the bearings and give the running gear a good once over. So if figured, this just saved me some time on removing the cover. But what I thought was going to be a trip to the parts store has turned into an all out search for the holy grail.

The dust caps on this trailer measure 2.32" inches across but they need to have atleast one inch of offset to clear the axle nut, ...

I have brought four different caps home only to return them all. I just ordered 6 on the net but they will be in the mail on Tuesday because they do not fit either. I am really having trouble, the diameter is listed on every part, but the offset is not.

Does anyone know where I can find some deep dish dust covers for this axle?

Althought I have a ton of work to do in my driveway, I would like to get these put back together so I can pull it around when I want a change of scenery.

Ginder75

[Aage]

Did you try Vintage Trailer Supply?

[Ginder75]

Just spent an hour on their website and no dust caps/bearing covers. Thanks for the suggestion, but I am going to run this back up the flag pole for another set of eyes to see.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Ginder75

[Ginder75]

just got off the phone with a trailer manufactured, seems their solution is to drop new axles under the trailer to fix my missing dust cap problem. Can't figure a $1500 solution for a $5 problem.

There has got to be other fixes. I hav searched the net every night for the past week and can't find a replacement. I am calling upon all the fellow airstreamers, I need help. I am looking for a 2.32" diameter dust cap that is atleast 1.25" tall, taller would be better. I can find them all day long that are 2.32" in diamter, but they are only .5" tall. There has to be one sitting on a shelf collecting dust in a parts house some where. If you find one let me know.

Thanks,
Ginder75

[Diesel1]

Sounds like its time to break out the ole mig welder and modify one of new caps you have,a piece of exhaust pipe would be about right.
Adios, John

[Ginder75]

Going to give this a bit longer before I start the welding process.

Any thoughts on a bearing buddy, does anyone know how deep they are? Would that possibly give me the much needed clearance?

I will keep running this up to the top of the forum and let all the eyes see it

[bwbuer]

Did you try Andy at Inland RV?

[Shacksman]

Originally Posted by Ginder75

Just spent an hour on their website and no dust caps/bearing covers. Thanks for the suggestion, but I am going to run this back up the flag pole for another set of eyes to see.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Ginder75

I change Airstream axles here and I have a pile of parts. How many dust caps do you want. Give me your address and I'll send a bunch.

[BIGED52]

Doug, I'll send you good Karma for this response as I too need a dust cap for my '67 Safari. If you have one I'll pay shipping and for your trouble. I will PM you my address and you can let me know what I owe you. Thanks so much! Happy Trails, Ed

[Ginder75]

Doug,

I got the hub covers in, and guess what they do not fit. Do you want me to spend them back to you, or hold them for the next airstreamer that needs them?

I fired up the mig welder yesterday and turned two caps into one. It was not my prettiest welding job ever, but it worked and the hub covers installed.

Thanks for all the help, I am going to continue my search online. I think a PO swapped my hubs for Chevorlet hubs, thus my difficulties.

I will keep everyone posted on my trials and tribulations.

Ginder75

[Shacksman]

Originally Posted by Ginder75

Doug,

I got the hub covers in, and guess what they do not fit. Do you want me to spend them back to you, or hold them for the next airstreamer that needs them?

I fired up the mig welder yesterday and turned two caps into one. It was not my prettiest welding job ever, but it worked and the hub covers installed.

Thanks for all the help, I am going to continue my search online. I think a PO swapped my hubs for Chevorlet hubs, thus my difficulties.

I will keep everyone posted on my trials and tribulations.

Ginder75

Don't send them back, I have more. Those were off of two different Airstreams of the same years as yours, so you must have something changed. Try a wrecking yard that lets you wander around, you may find them there.

[easyride]

The ones on my globetrotter were thread on ,ended up breaking both of them trying to get them off when I changed axle..Dave

[Ginder75]

I pulled one off the other axle and took it with me just to let the loal mechanic see it. He could confirm my measurements and was just as confused. The hub measures 2.32" in diameter and the overal cap must be at least 1.25". So I will keep looking the homemade replacement works for now. It is not perfect, but I can atleast repack the bearings and pull it locally. I will go ahead and fashion two more out of my remaining undersized caps for on the road repairs.

Thanks again for all the help.

Robert

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Ginder75

I pulled one off the other axle and took it with me just to let the loal mechanic see it. He could confirm my measurements and was just as confused. The hub measures 2.32" in diameter and the overal cap must be at least 1.25". So I will keep looking the homemade replacement works for now. It is not perfect, but I can atleast repack the bearings and pull it locally. I will go ahead and fashion two more out of my remaining undersized caps for on the road repairs.

Thanks again for all the help.

Robert

Robert.

It sounds like the spindle is too long.

Are your axles the originals?

I will check tomorrow as I think our caps stick out more than 1 inch from the hub. But, you know how memory can be.

Andy

[BIGED52]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Robert.

It sounds like the spindle is too long.

Are your axles the originals?

I will check tomorrow as I think our caps stick out more than 1 inch from the hub. But, you know how memory can be.

Andy

Andy, Did you ever find out about these caps? Ed

[lbrownah]

Related question:

Visited our '79 Argosy 27 in the storage yard today with the plan to make sure everything ok before we head out for the first time of the season.

When going to check air pressure, I notice that the dust cap, and the bearing buddy (or similar equivalent) (was this standard?...I've emailed the previous owner to ask if he put it on) was off on one wheel.

I have no idea when it went missing...October was when it was winterized and put in the storage yard. I had other issues on my mind and didn't check, or did I think to look during the winter when I checked it then. But the dust caps were Grease had leaked up the hub a bit, but wouldn't it have splattered on the (white) wheel if it had come out when it was rolling? As late as Labour day last year, it was certainly on there, and went out for one weekend after that before winterizing.

Really has me perplexed...a dust cap sure, but a bearing buddy which is hammered on (I believe) to come off? Surely someone didn't steal it for their own use? Although, if its not a stanadrd size...and rare to find, you never know.

So:
Are dust cap standard sizes? Original Airstream Axis, OEM size 7.00 R15 tires. Something I should be able to pick up at an RV dealer locally? Obviously would like to have it before next weekend.

Should I be servicing the bearings right away, or can it wait? I had them redone and repacked last summer, it hadn't been done (but were apparently still fine) for about 7 years prior. We drove about 4000 miles last summer on them, won't be as much this year. Being a bit of a rookie, wasn't sure what I was looking at earlier today, and what I exactly I was missing, so now that I have taken a picture, I may go back and make sure everythig else is there as far as the bearings go. There is still a large amount of grease on the bearings it appears...so is just getting a dust cap fine at least for the short term, or should I be looking at something else to make sure everything is ok before I go the 2h drive next weekend.

The other issue, as mentioned, is how something like this bearing buddy could come off in the first place (assuming it wasn't stolen).

Any help, guidenece, thoughts, would be appreciated.

Edit: Attached are the one missing the dust cap and missing the bearing buddy...you can see the grease leaked up to coat the hub. The second picture is an ok wheel with the bearing buddy (and dust cap removed) in place.

[lbrownah]

Update:
After another visit to the trailer, armed with info and a set of 1.98 bearing protectors and "caps" (thinner plastic that stretches, not a hard cap) and a tape measure, found out that 1.98 is too small. The outside diameter of the ones currently on there (in the pic on my post above) is 2.24".
I quickly went to another store, but they only had 2.04, 2.44" variatons in addition to 1.98".

It appears 2.24 is a listed width on the bearing buddy website, so I may look into that, but for purposes of this weekend, it won't work. After calling around locallay, found an axle place, and they told me it really is a rare size, and they could order it (or caps that fit) through the same channels online that I would, but nothing local.

The caps that came with the 1.98 protectors are also small diameter wise, and, as one of the posters above said, not deep enough of an offset. Again, the cap would be a different size too then one that would fit a 2.24 bearing protector, as the exposed bearing would be a different size.

I contacted the previous owner, who's been very helpful in the year that we've bought it from him. He has the original Argosy caps (his father had put the bearing buddies on years ago, but he kept the originals), however they actually bolt on under the 7 nuts on each of the wheel. I may end up getting those at some point, but its not possible to have that fix by this weekend.

Outside of welding something together, any other options for a makeshift cap/protector for a short 300 mile round trip? In addition to the dust, there does plan to be some rain that we'll be heading through, and really don't want those bearings left exposed.

TIA