trailer wheel hubs bearings

[bag007]

Hi... checking out the trailer today after hearing a wierd noise which started as i pulled the boat out of the water but went after about 1/2 mile if that... It was a high pitch squeak... I stopped checked couldnt see anything immediately... so continued home no further noise... Ok got home and the tires were hot but hubs were cool to touch...
So I spun the wheels both make the same noise spun freely.... but the right has a slight left right movement when you tug at the wheel....
Am i right in thinking I need new bearings .... or whould it be easier to just rplace the hub....
Thanks
tony

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: trailer wheel hubs bearings

you won't know what needs replaced until you visually inspect the hub itself, the sound could be the hub, bearing, spindle or just the brake pads riding, but the wheel moving is probably the bearing, if it has some mileage then it could have taken the hub or spindle also. Take the wheels off, all of them and check the hubs, bearings and spindles out, doesn't make much sense to do one and not the other/others.

 

[bag007]

Re: trailer wheel hubs bearings

The sound I found out today came from the truck.. squealing breaks.... However, thanks LippCJ7, for yuor prompt reply... I will be taking the wholelot down both sides as per your suggestion as I am not too happy with the left to right moement of the hub.... Better to replace the bearing now than have it go completely on the road..... I am seriously thinking about chaning out the hubs for the oil bathed ones.... Any opinnions on how good thses are as per reliability??? Thanks in advance!!

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: trailer wheel hubs bearings

I hear good things with the oil bathed hubs but I have no first hand knowledge on them, I have bearing buddies and I love them and highly recommend them. Any lateral movement in the trailer tires is not good but it could be as simple as the nut holding the bearing assembly being a little loose, if there are no signs of heat or wear on the spindle or bearings/races then I would just repack them and tighten them up!!

 

[sea_goin_dude]

Re: trailer wheel hubs bearings

Pull one of the bearings and take a look at the lube. If it is milky looking REPLACE THE LUBE and maybe the bearing. Sometimes if the bearings get hot on the way to the river / lake, they can suck water into them when they are cooled by the water. Might not cause problem until they sit up and the bearings rust.....then. on the next trip the bearing may seize and cause the bearing to come apart (if lucky) or it may cause the bearing to lock up and twist the hub off. Bearings and grease are cheap and could prevent a bad accident and maybe damage to a boat or loss of life if bad enough,