Trailer Wheel Bearing Replacement

[EasyPeeler]

Hi Everyone, I'm busy getting my new boat ship shape for the summer and one of the things I need to do is replace the trailer bearings.

I've not done this before but I'm sure I can figure it out with the help of YouTube! 

The question I have is how do I figure out what size and type bearings I need? 

The Snipe trailer it came with has an ID plate but it wasn't filled in for some reason so I don't know what type it is to look it up.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Andy 

[unclemike]

easy peasy try this;-

Spencer Mcgrath

Spare Parts 

For enquiries about spare parts please contact Spencer on

01206 257522 or send an email to.
parts@snipetrailers.com 

[EasyPeeler]

 

I did that but they like to know what model trailer you have. They said it was old. :-)

I guess the only other way is to try and remove them and measure them?

Do they come in different types?

[scaniaman]

Andy, if you remove one of the bearings from its housing you will find a five or six digit number on the edge of the outer casing. There may also be the name the manufacturer with the number i.e. Skf. You can get them from any local bearing supplier or the easy way from Amazon.Hope this helps.

Paul

 

[floydraser]

Andy,

IMO the best way is to remove the old bearings, measure them, and get the details as Scaniaman says. Real old trailers had taper rollers but I think most now have plain rollers. If so, you'll have choices: cheapo Chinese via Ebay (with added virus!) or a decent make. You could also have open bearings or sealed for life. Depends how much you value the trailer etc. If you are going to be dipping into salt water quite frequently you may want to go for cheapo Chinese and replace every year or so. Briefly dipping to rivers I would go for a good sealed for life jobby.

Get some latex or vinyl gloves as there'll be plenty of muck and grease involved, some new grease for the new bearings. There'll be a large castellated nut with split pin so some big sockets or large grips needed. A large "technical adjuster" may be required to get the hub off.

Hope that's not too involved but it's based on my own experiences of starting a job and finding I haven't got the right kit; worse when you're 140 miles from home! 

[Paul]

It's not a difficult job once you have the parts but if you are not using sealed bearings you must pack the new ones with grease properly, just smearing some over the surface of the bearing does not suffice. I put a big blob of grease in the palm of my hand and push the bearing into it, turning it slightly before repeating. It sounds more complicated than it is and plenty of video demos on youtube

Also check the hub nut. If the trailer uses taper bearings it should be a castellated nut secured by a cotter pin, This nut should not be over tightened, in fact once the pin is removed you should be able to remove it by hand. If over tightened it compresses the taper bearing causing it to over heat and fail. Always use a new cotter pin on these type of nuts.

If it's a plain or straight bearing then you should replace the hub nut each time you remove it, they are one shot only.

[annv]

Hi All bearings have a number stamped on the end when replacing with new you will find a sachet of grease in box cut a small piece from the corner then run this round the outer edge of the bearing squeezing it as you go this will force grease though the rollers and out of the opposite end just smearing grease on the outer surface is not sufficient the same with the new seals grease well before reassembly and if you are going to submerge the wheels in water pump hub full of grease through the grease nipple on the hub before immersing in water. John

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Andy,

While you are at it I would check the brakes on each wheel.

Regards 

Alan

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Being a new to you unknown trailer, I would see if grease nipples still work by putting grease through the line.

Never worked on trailer bearings so don't know the tolerances but keep the outer cup square to housing and would adapt a Tap Tap aproach rather than a Bang Bang with the hammer. Should you find excessive wear in shaft or cup housing then Loctite make amazing products for this sort of problems. Used them often when refurbishing industrial water pumps and bearings.

[EasyPeeler]

Thank you everyone for your help, such a wealth of information and experience on here, I'm very pleased to have found you! 

I will take your advice and find the ident number then get some new ones ordered. 

Thanks 
Andy 

 

[grendel]

if you cant find a number on the bearing, the important measurements are the outside diameter, inside diameter, and thickness

[OldBerkshireBoy]

7 hours ago, grendel said:

if you cant find a number on the bearing, the important measurements are the outside diameter, inside diameter, and thickness/ width

Just added width.

Image is only to show where the numbers will be. In this case it is 30204

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwj2hdiC4vvnAhUC4O0KHYcvDzAYABASGgJkZw&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESP-D2pzt6E6Nvh-BmiDfzM84gnJ-7h8T8IkNbBqZC8fF7QGzz849LscNO6BdXoC-YrsYvvnwy0j6GLfFH17p19g&sig=AOD64_3t5raZlgDm-YgFOQIHgscriR0hlA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwi17tCC4vvnAhUTi1wKHUVhBBMQ9aACegQIDhA3&adurl=

[Minigem]

When re-assembling the hub make sure you push the bearing shell hard onto the ridge inside the hub, I usually do this by pushing the shell into the hub with a vice and then putting an old bearing shell on top of it to push it in even further.

Whatever you do, please do not try to wind the bearing into the hub using the castellated nut on the axle as this will damage the bearing surfaces very badly and may cause failure on the road. 

Incidentally, if you just take an old bearing to a trailer suppliers they will sell you an identical one.