Failed Inspection for bearing/grease seals?

[Airloveland]

Does anyone know the correct size seals for my '84 Excella? I just has it inspected and it failed. Mechanic said he could replace if I could find the replacements. Has anyone had any experience with this? Thanks, Wes.

[Moflash]

I always remove bearings and seal on one axel the get the numbers off of them and get a replacement.Your mechanic should know this?

[perryg114]

Any trailer store should have all the parts including the seals. By trailer store I mean any place that sells or builds trailers. You can also go to etrailer.com and order some double lip seals. It helps to know the ID and OD of the seal. Since Airstream uses oversize drums, you will proablably need a seal for a 5000-6000lb axel. These are common generic trailer parts.

Perry

[Bill M.]

NAPA auto stores have them. They can identify them by the numbers on the seal. Small as those numbers are they are really there.

[Melody Ranch]

And.....you say it "failed" his inspection? What the devil kind of inspection are you talking about....and what kind of mechanic are you having do the "inspection"? I never heard of that or a good mechanic that would have a problem with the seals or bearing ID...in that both are marked and commonly available.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

And.....you say it "failed" his inspection? What the devil kind of inspection are you talking about....and what kind of mechanic are you having do the "inspection"? I never heard of that or a good mechanic that would have a problem with the seals or bearing ID...in that both are marked and commonly available.

Wonder'n too.....?

It wouldn't fail our DMV inspection unless the leak had damaged the bearing causing excess play. Or grease in brakes causing failure noted on road test.

This is the bearing on our Classic, note the part numbers. P/N's also on the seals and races.

Bob

[Airloveland]

Thanks for the replies...He told me the seal was leaking on the brakes. It was a DMV inspection. We just bought the Trailer a week or so ago and I'm need to get plates for the road.

[Moflash]

I think he is full of boloney

[ROBERT CROSS]

If he's a licensed inspector at an independent shop it's baloney, a government run facility it's bureaucracy, either way it's nutz.

Bob

[Bill M.]

Gee... Get the brakes fixed and the bearings checked and packed and be glad you caught it before you had trouble. Does not matter what kind of inspection it was. If the grease is leaking though the seals it means the grease is breaking down and/or the seal is old or damaged. You really do need to check the bearings, brakes, and seals every couple of years at least. No, I do not think it is like the front wheels on a car that you never check. Cars are built better.

[TG Twinkie]

It's not because cars are built better. It's because you normally drive the car on a daily or weekly basis. Whereas the trailer sits for months and sometimes years.
When bearings are not rotated or overheated the grease tends to separate. Especially the older formulas.
As long as the grease has not contacted and soaked into the brake shoe material. A good cleaning is the answer. Repack the bearings and install a new seal on each of the drums.
If the caps on the end of the hub has a grease zert it is possible there was too much grease. When the cavity between the two bearings gets full, the grease has to go somewhere. It is pushed out thru the seal.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Airloveland

Does anyone know the correct size seals for my '84 Excella? I just has it inspected and it failed. Mechanic said he could replace if I could find the replacements. Has anyone had any experience with this? Thanks, Wes.

The "correct" grease seals are double lipped and have a spring in them to hold the seal tighter against the spindle.

All to many times, owners go for the cheap one lip seal, and then wonder why the grease leaked out onto the brake shoes.

As always, you get what you pay for.

Safety and security, or who cares.

Andy

[perryg114]

Seals are real important on a drum brake because the grease ends up on the brake shoes and they will lock and act funny. On disk brakes is not as big of a deal. It would have to be alot of grease to be seen from the outside.

Perry