Heads up on grease seal sizing

[dingbat]

It's been a struggle keeping water out of the bearings on the front axle of my trailer for almost 5 years. I shrugged it off as bad rear seal surfaces until this weekend.

I had a brake issue (hung caliper) last week which caused me to tear into the front axle over the weekend. Removed the hub and found water.....as in rust colored grease. Ok, time to fix the problem once and for all.

Went to the SKF website to get a part number for Speedi-sleeves. I didn't know the seal part number off the top of my head so I went to the Kodiak website and found I had a 1.712" seals in my hubs. Just to be safe, I run out to the trailer and measured the actual sealing surface. The spindle on the trailer measured 1.681" diameter.

A quick check on the Loadrite Website confirms their #3500 straight axles had 1.712" shafts but my #3500 drop axles have 1.681" shafts. Darn, had the wrong seals all these years. That certainly would explain the problem.....Still going to install speedi-sleeves as the surface area is suspect.

Looking for seals to fit my axle, I ran into listings for seals to "retrofit Kodiak hubs" for use on Ez-Loader spindle shafts. Guessing Loadrite isn't the only manufacturer where is could be a problem.

 

[bruceb58]

This has been a known issue for EZ-Loader for years. I actually bought a kit once years ago when I was in a pinch and it contained both seals in it.

 

[TyeeMan]

won't the speedy sleeve let water in?? I mean it's not exactly a water tight seal between the sleeve and axle imo. The rig I picked up this year had speedy sleeves on all four hubs and that was the first thing I removed. The original surface wasn't that bad anyway, and, a on a couple sleeves the seal actually cut through the sleeve, , that's not good for anything.

 

[Alumarine]

won't the speedy sleeve let water in?? I mean it's not exactly a water tight seal between the sleeve and axle imo. The rig I picked up this year had speedy sleeves on all four hubs and that was the first thing I removed. The original surface wasn't that bad anyway, and, a on a couple sleeves the seal actually cut through the sleeve, , that's not good for anything.

A properly sized speedi-sleeve won't let water in. They also won't let oil out when used on motors.
Are you sure the trailer you picked up didn't have UFP/Trailer Buddy axles on it?
They come from the factory with proprietary speedi type wear sleeves on them.

 

[Scott Danforth]

A properly sized speedi-sleeve won't let water in. They also won't let oil out when used on motors.
Are you sure the trailer you picked up didn't have UFP/Trailer Buddy axles on it?
They come from the factory with proprietary speedi type wear sleeves on them.

That was my thought to

 

[dingbat]

won't the speedy sleeve let water in?? I mean it's not exactly a water tight seal between the sleeve and axle imo.

There are several different types of seal "protectors" being marketed. Everything from a simple pressed steel cups (UTP style) to the "press on" solutions marketed by the bearing manufacturers. Speedi-sleeve - SKF. Timken markets Redi-sleeve and Studi-sleeve is yet another. The bearing manufacturers products are expensive but far superior to the cup type solutions.
http://www.skf.com/us/products/seal...als/wear-sleeves/skf-speedi-sleeve/index.html

 

[jimmbo]

In June I was in the EZLoader Distributors office for the Zone where I reside. I was asking about switching to Oil Bath Hubs. He asked what year my trailer was, I said the Axle was replaced in 2005. He said I would most likely have to put a Speedi-sleeve on as the seal surface on the axle while fine for grease, wasn't smooth enough to ensure a seal good enough for oil. I still have my Bearing Buddy hubs.