On 10 Nov 2005 19:05:14 -0800, "Tim" wrote:

Here's an excellent article on boat trailer wheel bearing maintenance:

http://www.pugetsoundanglers.org/Fis...ler_brakes.htm

Tim - that's a great site but there are a couple of procedures that
concern me. During inspection, clean the cups and cones thoroughly and
inspect each roller while rotating it in the cage. If any roller shows
any sign of cracking or flaking then replace the bearings. Look at the
raceway and see if there is any flaking or dents. If so, replace the
bearings. Most bearings will show signs of fatigue or contamination
long before failing and a thorough inspection may allow you to replace
the bearings in a location that is far better than the side of the
road. Installing the race (or cup) with a hammer and punch can be
disastrous unless done very carefully (gently). It's best to use an
arbor that fits the race initially (piece of pipe, socket etc. or a
block of hard plastic or wood (careful of debris) to start rather than
strike the cup directly. Once flush you probably need to use a punch
as few of us have anything that will fit properly but the punch should
be a softer material (hard plastic, aluminum, brass) if possible.
Gentle is the key word here - lightly tap and move around the OD to
keep the cup square and not in a bind. When tightening the nut you
should rotate the hub full rotations in both directions as you tighten
to insure the rollers are aligned - not to seat the race which should
already be seated. Tapered rollers have a tendency to skew until
properly seated and rotating while tightening will help prevent this.
Also, bearing supply houses can be helpful in locating bearings and
seals and may be more economical. Finally, his comment on bearings
made in China is right on. There is some decent stuff coming out of
China but there is a lot of junk. None of it is on a par with Bower or
Timken so is it worth the risk? It makes me sick to walk into a
trailer supply house and see a barrel of bearings piled in with no
protective packaging. Talk about junk - bearings are most likely
brinelled before you ever install them.