Do bearing always get hot before failure?

[backyardhockey3]

No issue here (to my knowledge) but I am curious. I always take IR temp reading, on the dust cap, when I come to a stop. 105 degrees roughly. Have had temps go higher due to brake issues. Will a bearing always let me know something is up by getting crazy hot? And how hot? My dragging brakes got to 170. And if I go from normal temp to crazy hot, on a trailer that has had it's bearings looked after, can I go another 100 miles? Just a bearing newbie trying to heducate myself.

So, you guys with temp guns and maintained bearings, ever go normal temp to hot to broken down in a short period on time? Would fresh v. salt use make a difference if maintained?

 

[rbh]

Re: Do bearing always get hot before failure?

Normally bearing failure is do to to overloaded trailer, tight or to loose axle nut and poor lubrication (grease has got old and dried up or sat to long in the heat and the grease sunk to the lowest point leaving one side almost dry.
And for the most part do get hot before self destructing (friction)

Bearings should go thousands of miles if maintained properly.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Do bearing always get hot before failure?

Normally bearing failure is do to to overloaded trailer

uh... the dynamic load rating of the standard 1.38" wheel bearing is over #20K ea. I would love to see someone get #40K on a single axle boat trailer.

 

[rbh]

Re: Do bearing always get hot before failure?

uh... the dynamic load rating of the standard 1.38" wheel bearing is over #20K ea. I would love to see someone get #40K on a single axle boat trailer.

Sometimes I think the question should be, "can my trailer haul this boat or piece of equipment"

(Its crazy to see some guys trying to pack a backhoe on a 12000 pound flat deck trailer and think they can getaway with it)

 

[Water logged]

Re: Do bearing always get hot before failure?

OP's question was about bearing temp related to failure. As in does failure cause heat, does heat cause failure? How hot can a hub be and still not be a sign of bearing failure? I would also like to know the abswer to this also.

Glenn

 

[Bondo]

Re: Do bearing always get hot before failure?

No issue here (to my knowledge) but I am curious. I always take IR temp reading, on the dust cap, when I come to a stop. 105 degrees roughly. Have had temps go higher due to brake issues. Will a bearing always let me know something is up by getting crazy hot? And how hot? My dragging brakes got to 170. And if I go from normal temp to crazy hot, on a trailer that has had it's bearings looked after, can I go another 100 miles? Just a bearing newbie trying to heducate myself.

So, you guys with temp guns and maintained bearings, ever go normal temp to hot to broken down in a short period on time? Would fresh v. salt use make a difference if maintained?

Nope,..... Not necessarily,...

Bearings fail for many reasons,.. Heat is Usually, but not always a factor....

I've seen stone cold rusted bearings fall apart, 'n drop a wheel in a few hundred yards,...
I've also hauled Rumblin' bearings a few hundred miles, in a pinch, 'n didn't get Bit...

The key to yer Question is underlined,...
If yer doin' proper Maintenance, you'll Know there's a failure comin', before it gets to ya....

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Do bearing always get hot before failure?

termal testing of bearings works but it requires a base line. first thing you need to do is paint the bearing surface flat black as any reflection affects a temp gun and will throw the readings well off. if you know that the bearings are good then take it for a run and measure the temp and have that as a base line. once you see a temp spike its time to check the bearing. if you lay the trailer up for months then temp will not be a reliable way to predict a failier. when fresh grease is added (depending on style) you may see a temp spike as to much grease will cause a bearing to heat until it purges.
i have a large flat bed trailer that gets lots of use and i have a spare bearing pre-greased in a vac pack bag (got the idea of a 4 wheel show). the bearing is kept in a tool box thats mounted to the trailer so if a bearing starts to play up then its a quick fix on the side of the road rather than running it till it completely fails. if you look in the mirror and the wheels are wobbling its time to stop and check the bearings. a bearing is cheap enoght to carry a spare the worst thing is to have one fail and no idea what size you require.