Bearing Seal...HELP!

[Jordan Tremblay]

Ok guys I need some help. I am in the middle of changing my bearings today and run into an issue. I go to the trailer store and they give me all the part I need..or so I thought. Turns out my trailer has some weired bearings because almost everything was wrong. The only thing that was right was the bearing.



To start, I have a 2000 Nitro 896 with the duel axel nitro trailer. I have added pics to the bottom of the post for reference. The first is of my boat..sorry the best I had. The second pic is of another 896 that is same year as mine that I found on this forum.



The race they gave me was one number too high. I got a LG68111 from the dealer and when I pulled my racer from my trailer, it was a LG68110. So I had to go back and change it out. Then I got to the end of the process and went to put the seal on, and realize that the seal didn't fit either. I am using a L44649 for my outer bearing and a L68149 for my inner bearing. The race is in, both outer and inner and the bearings fit, but now I don't have a seal...so the trailer is still on blocks.



First, can someone help me out with the seal that I need. I took to to two autoparts stores and neither of them have anything in stock that even matches the number or crossmatches the number on the seal. The factory seal has a number on it, AD2527E. I can not find a seal that will match. Tomorrow I am going to try to bring the measurements from the micrometer of the seal and see if I can find a match that way.



Second, why does bass bro, and Nitro, sell boats with bearing and seals that are so hard to find. If Bass Pro sells that boat, they should at least carry the part or be able to help me find it. They were no help telling me that they could not look it up on their computer system because my boat was too old since it is a 2000. I needed to contact the factory to order the part. WTF? I BOUGHT IT FROM BP?!?!?! Anyway...rant over.



Can someone help me out here that has some experience with boat trailer bearings. Also, I am working on the getting the serial number of the trailer in case that might help. I keep the boat at my brothers house because we share it and I am at home and I am trying to reach him. Thanks in advance.

 

[Jim B]

Jordan,

If you have a car quest near you ask them for a car quest seal part number 473317 and that should fit your trailer, its the same double lip seal as factory. I believe that part numbr is also national seal part number so any good auto parts store like a car quest or napa could cross refrence it for you.



If you need the size the od is 2.33" id 1.68" and it is a double lipped seal



First im shocked that an autoparts store couldnt cross that seal for you. It took my parts guy at my local car quest like 5 seconds to cross that AD2527E number, that company is NOK antoher big seal maker.



As far as why does nitro use hard to find parts? UFP the company that makes the axles is the one that choose the parts and they really arent that of the wall at all. The bearings and seals are standard auto parts that should be available anywhere.



I read your other post, can i ask why you are changing the bearings? If they havent failed there should be no reason to actually change them. The seal yes if they are leaking but the bearings no unless they are damaged. If properly adjusted and greased they should last a really long time. My last boat i put 100k miles on the trailer and never once changed them.

 

[Jordan Tremblay]

Jim B, Thanks so much for the help. Sorry for the rant, I was just in a very bad mood.



I went to Carquest and they were no help. They even walked back to the warehouse to see if they had anything similar and they came back with nothing. And, to top it all off, the carquest that I went to, was our regional distribution center warehouse that has an attached store. I guess it is all about who you get to help you.



I also went o Autozone, O'Reily, Advanced, Napa. etc... I went to all of them and got the same answer from all of them. No. Maybe if I go to them with the part number you supplied, I can track down the seal.



The main reason why we are doing the work is because the boat is approaching ten years old and we have never serviced the bearing, beyond greasing them. So we decided to do a little preventative maintenance and at least repack them and change out the seal (did find a little grease on the back of the hub so we wanted to change the seal). And we figured that since it was ten years old and we were going to have the seals off, might as well change out the bearings. Also, on our last nitro, we had a bearing blowout because of a faulty seal so now we are a little anal about wanting the bearings to be greased and in good shape. The boat was not trailered for a while when it lived at the camp, but now the boat is living at the house and is trailed a lot more so we wanted to just make sure everything was working well. They probably didnt need to be change, but why not is what I was thinking I guess. Is that bad?



I am by far an expert...so I guess at a minimum using this as a learning experience.



-Jordan

 

[Jim B]

My opinion is if they arent broke......



Seriously if the bearings are in good shape IE. no heat marks, scoring or cracks in cages or rollers they they are fine to go back in. Same goes for the races they can stay if all is ok. If you do need to change anything you need to change both the bearing and race as a set. The reason i would not change bearings to change bearings is that if you mess up getting the race in straightthey will fail. Personally if they are ok i would repack them and put them back with a new seal and keep on rolling. The bearings should last almost forever if you take good care of them which it appears you are by keeping them greased and making sure the seak isnt leaking. That's just my opinion... One thing for sure since you alreay have everything changed. Once you get it all back together and adjusted jack it up and check the end play after and re-adjust everything if needed after the first tow and again after you have 500 miles or so on it. They will loosen up a little after you use it some.



That part number i gave you should get you the seal you need no problem at car quest. That number is for the part in thier car quest branded box. Your right about who you get at the store. The guy that i got to is the owner of the store and he is very good, he's been doing the auto parts thing for over 30 years. If he cant find something nobody can.



Here is a picture of the box, if you print it and show it to the car quest guy he should be able to get you some. When you get them just drive them in flush to the housing with a block of wood or something similar so you done distort the seal and you will be set.

 

[Jordan Tremblay]

jim, I went to Carquest and the seal that they brought me (matching your part #) has all the same measurements as my old seal, it just isnt as "deep" as the old one. The inner seal and outer ring measurements are the same diameter, but the "depth" of the ring is only about half of the old one. Does this make any difference? Can it be that much skinnier? Will it effect anything? Thanks for your help!

 

[Jim B]

It wont make one bit of difference. when you put it in ust make sure the seal is flush with the housing and you will be all set.

 

[Jordan Tremblay]

Jim, just wanted to hop on the forum and tell you thanks again for all of your help. This website is amazing and the fact that my boat is up on blocks and taken all apart and within 30 min of me posting a question online about my bearings, I have an answer with pictures and part numbers. This site is amazing.



Thanks again for all of your help. I took your advice and on the otherside, I just took out the bearings and inspected them...they looked great. so I just repacked them and replaced the seal. Everything is great. I towed it only around the neighborhood to make sure everything is ok and it seemed fine. I am going to tow it to work and back one day next week to make sure it doesn't overheat on the interstate. The 30 mile round trip should be the perfect test!



Thanks!



-Jordan

 

[Jim B]

Any time, thats what we are all here for.



After that 30 mile tow jack it up and give the wheels a wiggle. If theres any play readjust them and liek i said before do it agian after 500 or so miles because thye will loosen a little especially the new ones as they break in.