911 TRAILER BEARINGS

[Michael Snow]

Guys, I've priced getting my bearings repacked and I'm too blamed cheap.



SO... I need step by step instructions on removing and repacking/replacing wheel bearings. Pictures would be nice.



First, how do I remove the hub from the axle? Is there a nut under all that grease behind the zerk fitting? If so, what size?



Next, any good guesses as to what size bearings? Also, if memory serves, I tap the races in. However, the seals... those are tapped in and then pinched or something? I did some car wheel bearings YEARS ago, and I swear every 90 degrees, you were supposed to use a punch to crimp/pinch the metal edge of the seal to hold it in place?



Okay, now that I've scared you ALL to death, anyone near Richardson, TX wanna come watch/help?

 

[Bryan McDonough]

I can't speak for my 2001 Nitro trailer, but my 1996 Nitro trailer had a nut that held the wheel discs on. Be gentle taking those bearings out since you should be able to find a part no stamped on the bearing ring. The inside seals were the hardest thing to find.

 

[Michael Snow]

Thanks... where did you find the parts? Autozone, or bass pro? I'm trying to get by with GOOD parts, but not pay BPS prices.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

I do think i saw BPS bearing kit... i may be wrong though. Autozone and O'reilys. Guys there got the part numbers and found the right matches since my part nos didn't exist anymore.

 

[Michael Snow]

By the way, in looking around, I found...



http://users.westco.net/~tandjlm/berring.htm



Very good info, no pics

 

[Adam Murray]

Mike...when you figure it out, let me know! Local tire guy wanted $100/axle to repack. Seemed a little out of whack to me. I'll be danged if I know how to do it, though...Scott's still trying to teach me to set the clock on my VCR!!

 

[Larry Harp]

If James D. is watching tonight maybe he can tell you about what he did with his. He changed out the entire hub and for no where near $100 a side, as far as I know. Best to let him give you the details though.

Harpo

 

[gone bye bye]

1. Remove rubber cap over zerk fitting.



2. Using a rubber mallet strike the bearing buddy from the side once then rotate the impact point about 60 degrees and repeat. Eventually the cap will break loose from the interference fit it has on the hub.



3. Using a paper towel or rag, clean the grease out from under the cap until you can see the nut and cotter pin holding the assembly together.



4. Remove cotter pin and set aside in safe place.



5. Remove the crown nut (there may be another stamped piece on top of nut that has to be removed first).



6. Pull on hub assembly towards the end of the shaft (towards you).



7. The ouside bearing should fall off in the process and the inner bearing is held in place with the bearing seal.



8. Using a wood dowel thru the outer bering side of the hub towards the inner, gently pound the inner bearing and seal out the inner side of the hub.



9. Clean all surfaces, bearings and races. Follow usual bearing packing with waterproof grease. (just like a car, fill hand with grease and "scoop" grease into bearing).



10. Reassemble with new seals....



11. Press bearing buddy back on, refill with fresh grease through the zerk fitting DO NOT OVERFILL!



12. Repeat 3 more times (on the other wheels...duh!) then wash hands and go fishing.



If the bearings are "crunchy" or stick at all after cleaning replace both the bearing and the race. You can take any of the trailer bearings to an auto or trailer parts store and they can match them. Some will even press the new races in for you.



Mini

 

[Adam Murray]

1. Meet Mini at boat ramp



2. Fish all day, let Mini net your hawgs



3. Pick up Shiner Bock and Makers Mark



4. Put everything on ice



5. Watch Mini conduct steps 1-12 of previous post



6. Offer him a beer after each bearing is finished

 

[Staci Matheis]

Revised #6: Offer him 2 beers AFTER both bearings are finished!







Mike -



My 2 cents.....



Unless something has happened to contaminate them, there is probably no real reason to repack your bearings. You may do more harm than good by taking them apart. I'd just give them a few good pumps of grease and let them be.....



me!

 

[Bill Gintzel]

If there is a zerk on the end of the axle you do not have to remove the wheel or bearings. The grease passes through the axle and comes out between the rear seal and rear bearings. Just remove the rubber plug on the hub and using a large grease gun (a different color of grease is good), pump until you see new grease at the outer bearing. The old grease will come out around the opening in the hub so have something under the axle to catch it.



If you want to see some diagrams of how these axles work go to www.championtrailers.com.



My guess is that you DO NOT have bearing buddies on your axle. They are not needed on the axles with the zerk on the end of the axle and should not be used. Last summer my friend lost the inner bearings on a return from Canada. He had the old style axle and bearing buddies. We were just fortunate that the tow operator was also a mechanic and he patched us up enough to get us from just West of Duluth to Kansas City. He had to use an aluminum can and hose clamp to create a hubcap. If you are ever on I35 West of Clouquet, his name is Rock's Towing. He was a savior, and did not charge nearly enough for his services.

 

[Michael Snow]

Mini, on a 911, do I have bearing buddies? I thought I had some sort of "neat-o" axle system.



Bill, thanks. The issue I have is that the boat is a repo. I managed to push water out when I put new grease in. I'm just trying to actually check the bearings and ensure they're in good working order BEFORE I find out the hard way.



Adam, Joe's Hitch will do them for $25/wheel. Rockwall Marine will do them for $65/hour (1 hour per axle) plus parts.

 

[gone bye bye]

Bearing buddies are the zerk fittings/spring and cap that are on the end of your axle, at least they were on mine. Just because youdont have a big rubber cap on the end and the cap doesnt say bearing buddy, doesnt mean you dont have a similare system installed. The one I described above was not a "Bearing Buddy" brand, but a similar setup on my 1999 911CDC and my 1996 Astro 2050CDX....



You do need to repack after a few years of service depending on the amount of trailering you do. The grease and road grime will get into the wrong places.



By overgreasing you will push water and grease out the inner (back) side of the hub reducing the seals ability to hold water out. Water in the grease is a conataminate, and a poor seal will allow more road grime in.



I dont drink beer. LOL



Mini

 

[James D.]

Went ahead and replaced the entire hubs on my lx700. The lx700 has the "tapered" spindle 1 3/8" x 1 1/16" so I would have had to remove the rear seal to get the rear bearing out. Didn't want to mess with punching the old out and putting a new seal in. Found some new hubs with seals & bearing pre greased for $34.95 each (adademy sporting goods). Removed the zerk fitting at the end of the spindle and put a new bearing buddy in ($9.95 a pair). I also got a quote to have the bearings repacked except the price I got was like $150 which also included the bearing buddies. Seemed easier and cheaper to just go ahead and replace with the new materials. I'll keep one of my old hubs in the truck in case I break down. Fairly easy project but messy. so far so good. (2) beers a side ought to do it!



jd