Trailer problems

[Bob F]

Gave the brakes and bearings the once over on one side of the trailer on Sunday. No problems, went a smooth as a whistle.

 

Hitched the trailer up to reposition the boat to do the other side, which has been sticking lately. As I moved away there was a pretty big TWANG as the brakes snapped free (and I always stow the boat with brakes off).

 

Anyway, jacked it up, took off the brake drum and a couple of brake pads came off with it!!! They'd sheered completely off. And to make things worse, the grease around the bearings looked very dark. After removing the grease it was clear that the bearings were black and knackered.

 

The main spline from the center of the wheel hub which the bearing sit on was also blackened and a bit pitted. There had obviously been a bit of heat being generated.

 

The brake system on this wheel was much more rusty than the brake on the other side. Why??

 

Anyway, will have to drop into Indepension this week and pick up some new bearings and brake pads.

 

I hope the slight pitting in the central spline will not cause a problem for the new bearings????

 

Looks like I will have to increase by 6mth inspection to 3 mths.

 

Oh fun!!!

 

BF

 

 

[Newboy]

I tend to inspect the grease on my bearings by popping the bearing caps after every trip as I have to tow it a fair old distance.

 

Incidentally, does your trailer 'swing' from side to side from time to time? I think road surface plays a big part in it, as I always get it under the flyover just outside Winchester.

[Paul D]

Kam,

 

The swinging from side to side is possibly due to too much weight at the back of the trailer.

 

re: bearings - I need to inspect mine before the Burnham trip ( I knew there was something I had forgotten ) but at least I have no pesky brake pads to worry about

 

 

[Newboy]

Not sure I can move anymore weigh to the front, only items are the engine and a fuel tank. The nose weigh is about 60 the last time I checked.

The swing comes on suddenly, and is not related to speed I was doing.

[Swainiac]

Bob, out of interest, do indispension come up with a good price for the bearings?? I use a local company for all my requirements, even down to mini bearings for my multipliers, and they are soooooooo much more competitive. What are the sizes u are replacing, I'll give my bloke a shout if you like. All mine have been off the shelf!!!

 

Rich

[Adam F]

DONT go to indespension!!! I did last year, and 2 sets of brake pads set me backover

[Adam F]

Kam,

 

You dont have to move anyweight - just adjust the boats position by 1/2" at a time forward until you get the right noseweight.

 

Adam

[Newboy]

Will try to adjust it next time I go out.

 

Thanks

[sean]

It may be the tyre pressures that are causing the swaying. Also when under load different makes and types of tyre will heat up at different rates and affect the pressures even more. If the brakes have been binding on one side that would also generate a lot of heat.

[Newboy]

The swinging only comes on for a few seconds and it would be out off the blue. I would be going down the road at various speed, 55,60,65,70 and it doesn't matter what speed I was at, it dies as quickly as it appears. The swing itself isn't too great maybe 6 inches either way. A trip down to Lymington, say 40 miles there and back, no more than half a dozon swayings.

 

The tyre pressure is 50 I think (might have been 55). The brakes are fine, both rim are cool as an ice cream after 40 miles.

 

Sorry new to towing anything so am really unsure of what to expect.

[Bob F]

Rich, Indespension have quoted me

[Bob F]

Kam,

 

Wobble whilst towing is usually caused by weigth distibution as the others have described. But in your case it may be due to the hight of your boat. Perhaps it is simply catching a cross wind.

 

When towing a caravan I have a stabilizer fitted to the tow hitch which greatly reduces any wobble. That might be something to consider.

 

cheers

 

BF

 

[Bob F]

Rang Indespension for prices of various bit for my Rollercoaster 1 trailer (year 2001 model).

List is as follows for future reference:

 

Wheel Bearing kit (p/n ISHU3)

Edited September 20, 2007 by Bob F

[Swainiac]

Bob, are the brake pads that indespension use just a set of pads from say a mini or an A40...something like that? It may pay you to take a set into a motor factor shop, and look in their bible of brake shoes/pads. I wouldnt be at all surprised if they are just a set of mini pads, or similar! Bearing measurements are generally internal diameter measurements, so they are easy to get replacements for, again, just remove a bearing, and go to the bearing supplier, I use SHB bearings in Budds Lane Industrial estate , Romsey, they are fantastic. replacements for my Penn rells were about 50 quid, I bought all mine for 12 quid!!!! Major saving!

 

Rich

[Manic Moore]

You also have to consider the race that the bearing sits on that is friction fitted in the hub. If you don't change that the life of the new bearings will shorten. This race is quite a big hammering job. You have to virtually chisel them out and when putting the new one in heat the hub and freeze the race and you need a drift to drive them in.

(I have a large socket that I used and your welcome to borrow)

 

Also, when you buy the bearings you have another choice. Cheap Chineese manufactured ones and good quality ones (french japanese etc) Stockist of bearings won't reccommend them but at least you have the choice. A trailer dealer may only have one and if they are cheaper ones they are unlikely to say that they are cheap ones

 

I don't know where you live but Henderson Bearings are a large stockists in Ringwood (crowarch ind. est.)

 

Good luck

 

 

Gordon

[Bob F]

Thank's Rich/Gordon. I'll shop around.

 

cheers

 

BF

 

[Bob F]

Picked up the bearings from Industrial Links in Upton.

[Bob F]

...so far so good. Knocked out the old inner race rings. There's convenient slots on the inside of the hub to allow you to get a screw driver in and hit the back of the race rings and gradually knot them out.

 

After cleaning up the inside of the hub the new inner race rings went in easy enough. I stuck the rings in the freezer for a while and heated up the hub with a blow torch. The rings then knocked into place fairly easily.

 

Then greased up the larger of the tapered bearings and pushed that home, followed by a new oil seal ring.

 

My only conern is that I'm not sure if the oil seal ring is supposed to push the tapered bearing right up against the inner ring, or is there supposed to be a bit of play to allow the tapered bearing to pushed up against the inner ring when you put the hub on the axle shaft and then torque up the castleated nut???

 

Does anyone know??

 

Also, does anyone know the torgue setting for the castleated nut? The guys at the bearing shop advised me to make sure this was torqued up correctly overwise it can cause excessive wear or generate too much heat.

 

cheers

 

BF

 

[Paul D]

Bob,

 

I don't know the torque setting but all I did for my new bearings last year is to do the nut up tightly ( so wheel barely moves ) and the back the nut off a single slot.

Works for me ( so far ! ).

 

When you tighten the whole assembly up as above this will push the bearings onto the tapered rings and backing off the nut one flat allows some "Play" ( should be a slight bit of play if you grab top and bottom of the wheel and "wobble" it. Too tight = no play and you will generate heat and wear them out.

 

Unless anyone knows differently .....

 

 

[Bob F]

Cheers Paul.

 

Actually, there's an article in this month's BFM that I've just read about replacing the brakes and bearings. It describes a similar method to the one you suggest, so I guess that's the way to go.

 

BF

 

[Newboy]

Bob, Tighten the nut to the point where it is still possible to 'just' spin the wheel (not free spinning), then back it up to the hole for the sheer pin. Don't pack too much grease into the bearing, not sure why, but been told to apply enough to cover the bearing.

 

Paul, I don't think you should be able to wobble the wheel, too loose and the bearing might grind against themselves and causes damages.

[Paul D]

Given the state of one of my bearings following return from Weymouth yesterday, you could very well be right Kam

 

I am replacing the ones on that wheel or Neo is not going to be going anywhere. Should be interesting to see what has happened to the bearings ( I suspect I didnt put enough grease in that side last time I changed the bearing ).

 

 

[Newboy]

Paul, when you apply the grease, hold the male part in the palm of your hand, dip you finger in the grease and put it on each round bar -coaster (?), you move (spin) each coaster so that it's coated all the way round, then you repeat for each coaster. Now do the same for the female part of the bearing. You smear a small amount on the surface of the two part before putting them together.

 

It's a good practice to lay all the parts on a sheet of newspaper, as sand and dirt can easily be picked up when handling the bearings and if they get trapped, a small particle of sand will damage the bearing.

[Bob F]

Took the boat out on the trailer yesterday to test out the bearings. After a short run I stopped to check for any heat or excessive play in the bearings.

 

There was no heat but wasn't happy about setting up the bearings with a bit of play when you rock the wheel. It seemed too loose to me. So tightened the castle nut until the play just stopped.

 

Hope this is going to be ok.

 

BF

 

[Paul D]

Good news !!

 

My bearings are fine. The wheel ( which strangely was the one Adam was studying at Weymouth - and obviously thinking "look at the state of that" .... ) was well shot though. I noticed the nuts had worked loose - again.

 

Tightened them up and took the trailer for a spin. Was OK but then started to make a noise again.

 

Got back home and noticed nuts had worked loose again.

 

Problem was the countersunk parts of the wheel were so worn they were almost flat and despite tightening the nuts really tight they still worked loose.

 

Now I have a nice shiny wheel on that side and all OK. So no need to play a round with the bearings after all.

 

Kam,

 

Thanks for the advice - I did actually apply grease that way and all looking OK now ( thank god ). Still a bit unsure about holding the male part in my hand though )