Servicing my trailer bearings

[Lou C]

Ok, so I'm re thinking what little I know about these bearing systems. I just watched a you tube from Rockwell showing how their system works. I do have a zert on my spindles so I assume I have a posi lube system. According to the video, to repack the bearings on the hub you slowly squeeze grease into the system until you have clean grease exiting around the castle nut and everything should be good! ?? I could do that right where the boat sits with a pile of rags and a grease gun? I would check those rear seals to make sure they have not been leaking. This company, in the display they had, there was only a rear seal and then the cap with the rubber piece you can pop out to get to the zert. I'm sure the old school will be to tare it down...

Jack up the wheel on that side and spin the wheel while pumping in grease….

 

[rickasbury]

For the most part yes, than take your finger and dig out all the grease around the castle nut and put the seal back on. Your digging most of the grease out because heat will build pressure and if no grease is removed it will push the seal out, it needs a little air space

I know there is a seal in the rear but I don't think there is one in the front?

 

[Jeff J]

The dust cap or bearing buddy provides the seal on the front. That’s why those rubber pieces need replaced on the caps used with axles having zerk fittings when they deteriorate or tear. I just install standard caps since I don’t use the zerk fittings

 

[rickasbury]

Sorry for the spell checker mistake....I meant NYLOK nuts, A metal nut with a nylon insert to keep it from vibrating loose.

Lol....

 

[rickasbury]

Thanks for all the input, I know enough to be real dangerous! I'll bring it home, inspect those inner seals first. If they look good I'll go to pumping. If a seal is bad then obviously that wheel comes apart but otherwise I'm going to use the posi lube system and see how that works out....
Thanks Again, I appreciate all the input!
Rick

 

[jlh3rd]

use the same base grease.

 

[airshot]

use the same base grease.

Yes....if the prior grease is unkown, better to clean out everything and use a known grease to rebuild. Some types of grease do not mix well with others. Experienced it myself many years back. The different types turned into a liquid and ran out and destroyed the bearings and races.

 

[rickasbury]

Yes....if the prior grease is unkown, better to clean out everything and use a known grease to rebuild. Some types of grease do not mix well with others. Experienced it myself many years back. The different types turned into a liquid and ran out and destroyed the bearings and races.

I hear what you are saying but I feel like if I do this right and no seals are leaking, everything in the hub and bearings will be flushed out. Not 100% but certainly most of it. I will pull the wheel that has been running hotter and if i see some wear other than for out of adjustment I will pull the next one too. The hotter wheel the hottest point on the hub was 120? The others were all around 20 cooler. I understand sometimes the difference is more important than the number. Its feels like 110 degrees in Florida. The hottest wheel is 10 degrees hotter than the air! What should be a normal temp for the hub away from the rotor?

 

[jlh3rd]

well,
I have a karavan trailer with the sure-lube system. I can't be sure that if I change a grease base that using that system only will remove enough of the residual grease.
So it could still cause a problem.

 

[rickasbury]

Got the boat home and got to work. I bought medium gloves- would not fit. First time any latex on my body needed anything larger than medium.
The trip from the marina is maybe 5 miles? The wheel I was concerned with was now like 216 degrees, the others around 110. I checked the rotor temp and it was there too so suspected the brake caliper and found that it is. So the pads were wore down to about nothing, the piston is jammed. I went ahead and greased the bearing and left the brake off which leads me to a question- with the brake off I could easily spin the wheel. No rocking when I grabbed the wheel. With the caliper on, there is always a slight drag so when you are trying to adjust the castle nut, how do you know if you are to tight (or lose) with drag from the brake? I moved on to the 2nd tire, those pads were badly worn but not as bad as the 1st. For sure looks like pads are in order.
Back to the frozen caliper..Will the piston go crooked because of the uneven pad wear or did the pads get trashed because the piston froze? Chicken or the egg...when i first went through the trailer when we bought 10 years ago, I got all of calipers apart, new seals and dust boots...do I try to service it or at some point are they not serviceable? If i try to service, how do i get it out? I have a compression tool to push it back which I hoped would straighten out its path but it does not budge..compressed air i don't think would work.
I'm going to continue greasing the other wheels and inspecting...

 

[jlh3rd]

standard practice for castle nut adjustment is to snug the castle nut up as you rotate the wheel. You are setting the bearings, not tightening the nut.
Some say up to 25 lb/ft. torque on the nut .You can remove the drag by spreading the pad and pushing the caliper in a little. I've done so many for decades it is second nature. Then you loosen the nut without turning the wheel until you can turn it by hand. Then you tighten the nut by hand. If I'm off a little for the cotter pin, I go to the loose direction.
Pads trashed because of frozen caliper.
with that overheat I'd be at least replacing the seal and the bearings would be suspect. You don't really know how hot it got. If you weren't throwing grease, maybe ok.
"chicken or egg"..... doesn't matter. bad pads, bad caliper fix 'em.
I would replace the caliper, wouldn't try to service it. I've never serviced a frozen caliper and wouldn't, but it is your time and money.

 

[rickasbury]

So, interesting day.It's 500 degrees here in fl, no shade...on asphalt
1st- the boat has barley moved for the last six years...couple trips to the ramp (10 miles ), couple times home from storage to wash so it would look pretty sitting in storage. I always checked the temps on the hubs because I've been concerned about them. That wheel had been only 20 degrees hotter, trip home was 216 so that's the hottest temp it got and that was less than 5 miles. It was still full of grease.
So, I did grab another Kodiak 225 caliper. I just didn't have the time to deal with repairing. Perhaps I have one I can repair for spare, I'm guessing I can use it. Its just a casting, the piston rides on the seal, other than the seal there is nothing to wear right? I think i rebuilt them with a new piston, dust boot, and a seal in the bore. Only brakes I ever rebuilt like that. At that time I replaced the lines, bearings and the master cylinder. The master cylinder looks terrible. Fluid is cloudy, some kunk in the bottom of it. Seems like it's still functional but I guess not for long if I don't get it cleaned out. As I recognized from the first two wheels, pads were in order so as i went through each wheel I had the calipers off. I have a tool to compress the calipers for new pads, all the boots looked intact. All the bearings seem good, no rock in the wheel and they spun easily so I did not re adjust. Bled the brakes and back to storage. Hub temps are now all consistent, 112 plus or minus a few degrees. Feels like it is stopping better and not cluncking as bad. One of the 3 remaining calipers was a little hard to compress the piston so I will replace that next...the other two were ok but considering the fluid I just need to rotate them out and get that fluid out...
The master cylinder is still bubbling and brakes are holding and releasing...can I clean that out? The calipers have two fittings, the if I open them up i should be able to blow out the caliper? Blow out the lines from front to back?I can bring it home another weekend to make sure I recover all this fluid, disconect the master cylinder for cleaning ( with what ?) And blow out the lines...keep swapping out the cylinders...
I used 3 tubes of 14 oz Lucas marine grease. Was a little hard to find. The seals have a little grease coming out- that's goining to need fixing too but for right now I'm going to take today as a win and keep going . I have no trips planned and can work on cleaning the fiberglass and get these brakes a little straighter..

 

[jlh3rd]

kinda hard to follow you. You bled the brakes before you cleaned out the master cylinder?...but now you want to blow out lines/calipers?
If it was mine:
I would have cleaned out the master cylinder by removing the fluid (I use a baster), then wipe it out with shop towels, filled it with fresh fluid. Then I use a gravity method to bleed my brakes (yes, my cars,trailer). Master cylinder has to be elevated above the calipers, the higher the better. I've never felt the need to blow out lines or calipers. If it/they are that bad, I would just replace. Introducing all that air is just something I'd try to avoid....but, yeah, bleeding should take care of that also.
This method takes time. I have to do my brakes myself, so there's that. Use a brake bleeder if you want....I just don't anymore.... anyway..
I'm not there so I can't see exactly what you're dealing with or what other issues to consider.

yep, the one wheel overheated because of the caliper.

 

[rickasbury]

kinda hard to follow you. You bled the brakes before you cleaned out the master cylinder?...but now you want to blow out lines/calipers?
If it was mine:
I would have cleaned out the master cylinder by removing the fluid (I use a baster), then wipe it out with shop towels, filled it with fresh fluid. Then I use a gravity method to bleed my brakes (yes, my cars,trailer). Master cylinder has to be elevated above the calipers, the higher the better. I've never felt the need to blow out lines or calipers. If it/they are that bad, I would just replace. Introducing all that air is just something I'd try to avoid....but, yeah, bleeding should take care of that also.
This method takes time. I have to do my brakes myself, so there's that. Use a brake bleeder if you want....I just don't anymore.... anyway..
I'm not there so I can't see exactly what you're dealing with or what other issues to consider.

yep, the one wheel overheated because of the caliper.

I did clean out the master cylinder but I did not have time to pursue more cleaning- I can only keep my boat out front for 2 days at a time..2x a month..so I will get it back home again and get the fluid cleaned out and replace another caliper...maybe two.
I bleed with a 16 oz coke bottle, hose runs through the cap to the bleeder. I pumb the e brake until the bubbles are gone...works quickly!

 

[rickasbury]

So i can't get this piston un stuck. Its SS- it still corodes? I have it soaking in wd40 abd I have a small compressor- i need a fitting that will take my compressor hose to build pressure - any other ideas? Its a 100 difference in cost rebuild vs new x 4 which seems silly not to rebuild....im about ready to tap a bolt through it and find a way to pull it out...i have way more time than money!

 

[airshot]

For an extra 100, why rebuild ? No warranty with a rebuild...

 

[dingbat]

So i can't get this piston un stuck. Its SS- it still corodes? I have it soaking in wd40 abd I have a small compressor- i need a fitting that will take my compressor hose to build pressure - any other ideas? Its a 100 difference in cost rebuild vs new x 4 which seems silly not to rebuild....im about ready to tap a bolt through it and find a way to pull it out...i have way more time than money!

I was in the same situation with my Kodiak Calipers three years ago.

If you count the cost of the rebuild kits along with your labor, it's not so silly

 

[Lou C]

The piston might be aluminum, if so, keep in mind you have dissimilar metals, and brake fluid absorbs water. I would replace it. I use 12" drum brakes on my trailer, and I keep a set or 2 of wheel cylinders in the garage in case one seizes up. I also have a pair of complete backing plates as well in case I have a problem with shoes or springs, it is just easier to swap the whole thing.
A few tips that can help avoid seized calipers/wheel cylinders:
bleed out the fluid every 3-5 years, to get rid of moisture
if you can, actuate the brake actuator with a screwdriver at least once a month when the trailer is in storage, that can help your calipers/wheel cylinders to not seize up.
Look at how much larger a 12" brake is than a 10"! You can use these on 5200, 6000 and 7000 lb axles.

 

[rickasbury]

For an extra 100, why rebuild ? No warranty with a rebuild...

What warranty would you have on a new one?you have a piston that moves back and forth with hydraulic pressure..if it comes apart, it takes about 15 minutes to taje out the old, put in the new and back on tge trailer...

 

[rickasbury]

The piston might be aluminum, if so, keep in mind you have dissimilar metals, and brake fluid absorbs water. I would replace it. I use 12" drum brakes on my trailer, and I keep a set or 2 of wheel cylinders in the garage in case one seizes up. I also have a pair of complete backing plates as well in case I have a problem with shoes or springs, it is just easier to swap the whole thing.
A few tips that can help avoid seized calipers/wheel cylinders:
bleed out the fluid every 3-5 years, to get rid of moisture
if you can, actuate the brake actuator with a screwdriver at least once a month when the trailer is in storage, that can help your calipers/wheel cylinders to not seize up.
Look at how much larger a 12" brake is than a 10"! You can use these on 5200, 6000 and 7000 lb axles.
View attachment 419770

Old school drums...salt water makes a mess of those i bet- but they are reliable and should have done more preventive maintenance for sure- this is on me. There is the one only that is seized and would plan on rebuild of the other three. I'm done what retired now so I have way more time than money!