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Old 07-09-2002, 12:14 PM   #1
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repacking the Wheel Bearings

I've read that the grease seal should be replaced when this is done. Is this a standard "auto-parts store" item, or does it have to be airstream-specific? It would be nice to have all the parts lined up before starting...would be a pain to be all covered in grease, only then to have to get into my truck, and drive to the store to match a part...

any tips on re-packing in general?
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Old 07-09-2002, 12:47 PM   #2
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Hey ya'll,

Chuck, I just did my wheel bearings/seals and other work on my TT. Look under shocks on this thread site. I orderd my seals from Inland RV, they were differnt from the seals that were already in place. I don't know if you can get the seals from an auto store, but call Napa Auto. How do your shocks look? How about your drums and backing plates. Inspect all, while you have your tires off.
Good luck - Ray
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Old 07-09-2002, 12:49 PM   #3
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Any auto parts store shoud have them, take one with you also there is normally a part number on one, but they are standard. Wash the bearings good, I will not tell you what I use, and get your hands dirty.
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Old 07-10-2002, 05:49 AM   #4
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Any good industrial trailer store will have the proper seals. Just take the old seals or take the drum with you. We have several in the Houston area, but we have a lot of trailers here also. These stores also carry bearings and complete brake baking plates for very reasonable prices.

You might want to have the drums turned while you have them off. Also a good time to brush off the rust and crude off the outside of the drums and hit them with a good hi-temp spray paint. Makes them look good through the wheels.

You can clean the bearings and the inside of the drums with brake cleaner. Really gets the old grease out.

Beware of brake dust, use a respirator if air blowing. Old asbestos in the shoes.

-BobbyWright
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Old 07-10-2002, 07:20 AM   #5
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Wheel bearing packing

Try and get one of the cheap plastic cone bearing packers that fit on the end of a grease gun, it will push the grease from the race to the outside instead of trying to work it into the bearing.

Use a good quality long fiber wheel bearing grease, check the bearings and races for any damage. Make sure everything is super clean before reassembly.

Don't fill the cavity between the bearings, it retains heat.

John
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Old 07-10-2002, 09:59 AM   #6
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Part #'s

C,

Been there, done that, got the grease stain!

This is what I used for my trailer, which has 12" drums:

Grease Seals:
Timkin 442109
Auto Zone 012038

Brake Shoes:
NAPA AE 4005

Brake springs:
Dexter D1 H71-363

If I had to do it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would get all of my parts at a Dexter dealer. They have the parts in stock, they know what they are doing, they carry parts for trailers as a main line of business, and they are very cheap!

You can find Dexter on line and then find a dealer.

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Old 07-10-2002, 10:00 AM   #7
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Correction

The Dexter spring part # is

D1 K71-363

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Old 07-26-2002, 05:43 PM   #8
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Unhappy Greas seals?

Posted question re; 'grease seals' aka nifty pkg. I have AS double lip grease seals. One lip is V shaped ,the other has a standard lip. Usual way is to install with the lip towards the bearing.

That places the lip right up aganst the inner bearing race. Then the V lip is on the outside. Now I'm not sure. Worried that the other way my cause the lip to fold under when mounting the wheel assembly on the axel. What is the correct way???










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Old 07-30-2002, 01:37 PM   #9
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Installing grease seals

With the brake drum (or rotor if you have disc brakes) off, set the drum on a block of wood with the outside hub on the wood and the inner portion of the hub is exposed. Install the repacked (large) wheel bearing into the hub. Then install the seal into the hub. The seal is held by a press fit. So the seal will have to be pressed into the hub. If you do not have a seal driver, (and most people do not) use a block of wood - scrap 2 X 4 will work- and drive with a hammer the seal into the hub, using the wood as a cushion on top of the seal. Stop when the seal is flush with the hub. The seal should face with the metal section towards the inside of the drum. The lip of the seal towards the outside of the drum. Think of the seal as a cup, and the cup holds in the grease.

Tips: If the block of wood is dirty - use a piece of paper between it and the seal to keep out debris.

Make the block of wood a square section ie 4x4 or really 3 3/4 by 3 3/4

Give the seal a little grease around the lip after it is installed.

Filling the entire bearing cavity is not necessary. Just make sure all of the inside of the hub (including the cap) has grease on it to prevent rust from forming. - The packed bearings have sufficent grease, assuming the bearing are totally full.

The seal makes a barrier between the hub and the spindle. It may or may not contact the bearing. It is not revelant as to contact with the bearing.

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Old 07-30-2002, 06:43 PM   #10
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Red face Grease Seals

Thanks Action- These AS seals have 2 lips one a v shaped the other with a lip. The lip is even with the seal housing. If you place it down towards the bearing the lip doesn't ride on the axel because of the small camfer,and the metal housing rides aganst the bearing. AS says to place that lip up away from the bearing and the v lip towards the bearing. Today I did it your way with the wood block with lip up. The old seals had an open housing with one seal!!These, by the way are Kelsey-Hays not dexter.
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Old 07-31-2002, 09:17 AM   #11
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Seal

Will you shoot a pic of the seal?

Send part #.

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Old 07-31-2002, 11:49 AM   #12
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Red face Grease seals

Action-the part number is HEN9065061 no relation to poultry!! No D camera yet. Did it your way with spring towards bearing and wood block { oak}That left it flush with top and not rubbing on bearing. Looks good but had to destroy 2 seals getting them out! The old seals I took out did not have a spring and only one lip.
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Old 04-25-2003, 07:16 AM   #13
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Too much grease?

I recently installed new wheel bearings, and the backing plate (reached from behind wheel) feels warmer than I jthink it should. I was careful to not tighten the nut too much, but I did put a lot of grease (synthetic) on the shaft as well as the bearings. The hub cap does feel cool, however. How much grease is too much?

Your advice please.
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Old 04-25-2003, 08:19 AM   #14
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Question Why couldn't you

Just looking at the Champion Tire site and, I see that there's a setup that, eliminates this annual work of removal/repacking bearings.

Has anyone looked into this concept? It's called:

(short description)

With the SPINDLE-LUBE® axle, the bearings can be installed dry and then, because the SPINDLE-LUBE axle contains a builtin hub packing tool in each spindle, you can properly pack grease into your hub drums and bearings after they have been installed on the axle.

SPINDLE - LUBE® SPINDLES
NOW YOU CAN BUILD YOUR OWN AXLE WITH THE REVOLUTIONARY SPINDLE-LUBE® HUB LUBE SYSTEM BUILT IN. A HUB PACKING TOOL IS BUILT INTO EACH SPINDLE. AS YOU PUMP NEW GREASE INTO THE GREASE FITTING ON THE TIP OF THE SPINDLE, THE GREASE ENTERS THE HUB BETWEEN THE SEAL AND THE REAR BEARING. AS YOU CONTINUE TO PUMP NEW GREASE IN, YOU PURGE ALL OF THE OLD GREASE OUT THE FRONT OF THE HUB. THIS ALLOWS YOU TO REPACK THE HUB WITHOUT REMOVING THE WHEEL AND HUB FROM THE TRAILER. THE SPINDLE-LUBE® SPINDLE USES STANDARD HUBS OR HUB DRUMS.
INCLUDES DUST CAP AND RUBBER PLUG


champion tire

ciao
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Old 04-25-2003, 08:21 AM   #15
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Grease

Any grease not in the bearings and a little wiped on the seals is wasted and will tend to make the assembly run hotter. Grease has a lot more friction than air.

My former trailer had the fancy hubs with a zerk fitting. This was supposed to prevent having to repack bearings. You were supposed to pump new grease in while turning the wheel and wipe off the old grease as it extruded from the hub. Of course, that eventually packed the hub solidly with grease. The hubs initially ran super cool. As the hubs filled with grease, they ran hotter and hotter. When I finally repacked the bearings, they ran cool again. I'm sure that's why the no-repack idea seems to have lost momentum.
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Old 04-25-2003, 08:22 AM   #16
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Les

You don't need grease in the cavity except a thin coating on the spindle and drum/rotor cavity to prevent rust. Too much and it will hold heat. Rotate the drum/rotor as you tighten the nut to seat the bearings.

Niftypkg

You can pull a seal without destroying it. Pull the outer bearing, put the nut (and washer if it will fit through the cavity) back on the spindle. Pull the hub so the inner bearing is tight against the nut and push it back in an inch or so. Jerk it out and the inner bearing, seal and nut will stay on the spindle.

John
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Old 04-25-2003, 08:38 AM   #17
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Spindle lube

This concept is not new. Boat trailers have been using that concept for years. However, on a boat trailer there is another element at hand and that is dunking the trailer in cold water after a pull. The idea is to get the hub full of grease so when the boat is launched and every thing is chilled, water is not sucked into the hubs. Periodic repacking the wheelbearing is still recommended.

In a land only based trailer, filling the entire hub wastes a lot of grease. And could cause the grease to be pushed out of the hubs and cause a mess on the shiny sides. There is also a side benefit to disassembly of the hubs and repacking the wheelbearings. You have the opportunity to look at the brake system, shocks, and undercarrage.

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Old 04-25-2003, 08:52 AM   #18
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Action
Thanks for your comments. I understand the logic behind getting your hands dirty..lol
But, I'm thinking as I get older..My arms just don't seem to wanta turn those darn lug nuts~!~

Quote:
You have the opportunity to look at the brake system, shocks, and undercarrage.
In my case, the brakes are brand new, as well as, the shocks.
Naturally, the wheel bearings were repacked when I replaced the entire brake assembly. Just trying to think of ways to make life easier when I get OLDER..Which seems to come faster with each passing day..KWIM?

Thanks again..
ciao
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Old 04-25-2003, 10:14 AM   #19
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My thanks to all who responded so quickly. After reading your responses, I am sure I have put too much grease in the cavity between the bearings. Looks like a good day to get greasy.
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Old 04-25-2003, 10:28 AM   #20
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Towner,

As a simplified means to spinning the lug nuts - the zerk in the hub can work. The company that does a lot of those types of hub caps is Unique Functional Products out of Ca. The product is called a bearing buddy. Remove the old dust caps and install the bearing buddy. Pump full of grease and go. By the way get the second generation bearing buddy. The side benefit will be that you can put the axles of your bullet in the water with no fear.

As to a suggestion given your desire to spin lug nuts, I would suggest hire the work out. That can look like a paid professional or could be a person that has a desire to learn with you as an overseer, (given your knowledge) or it could be a family member that wants to use your unit and is willing to show some support. Lots of options.

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