Overheating Front Hubs

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Most IMPORTANT of all: USE ONLY A QUALITY, NAME BRAND, HIGH TEMP DISC BRAKE GREASE!!!!!----ALL greases are NOT the same, there's some CHEAP, INFERIOR Crap, out there!!!
Slippery Bill W.

[aermotor]

Originally Posted by updraught

A bit off topic, but one for someone to get their teeth into to do with wheel bearings.

We have a camper trailer that has military grade suspension that looks like this:
https://www.campertrailers.org/trackmate15.jpg
It uses Ford car bearings from the 70's. The small outside bearings need to be greased every 5000k's otherwise the grease turns to black powder by about 8000 k's and by 10,000k's the bearings die. The hubs run cool even when the bearings are on the way out. Any ideas?

What size wheels?

John

[rocket1]

I have been using the fibrous grease that I have for years,never had a problem,I do not know if the modern grease is any better.

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by updraught

A bit off topic, but one for someone to get their teeth into to do with wheel bearings.

We have a camper trailer that has military grade suspension that looks like this:
https://www.campertrailers.org/trackmate15.jpg
It uses Ford car bearings from the 70's. The small outside bearings need to be greased every 5000k's otherwise the grease turns to black powder by about 8000 k's and by 10,000k's the bearings die. The hubs run cool even when the bearings are on the way out. Any ideas?

If the bearings are not being preloaded, then maybe they are simply too small for the job.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by rocket1

I have been using the fibrous grease that I have for years,never had a problem,I do not know if the modern grease is any better.

That grease would be perfect for Stagecoach & Wagon wheels, in Old Western Movies.
Bill Shotgun

[Railcarmover]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

A fool and his wheel are soon parted.

[updraught]

31 inch all terrain tyre. 15 inch wheel. I'm trying to avoid a two day trip to the factory to get an alignment.
What I thought was a good brand of grease may not be. It is an early version trailer from this company.
http://www.tracktrailer.com.au/compa...c2-suspension/
My sister has one the same and has never had a problem.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Big hammer

I’ll try state how to pack by hand, better to see hands on. Clean bearings throughly and DONT spin by air gun as they will fly apart. Put a Glob of grease in the palm of one hand, with the other hand put a finger or two through the bearing. Then roll the bear into the grease pushing grease into the opening of the bearing “the ring where the roller ends live” the grease will be pushed between the rollers and out to the side. Move around the bearing doing this until you have grease all around the bearings. I said I would try to explain, maybe someone on U-tube shows how to much better than I tried.

Exactly how I do it, and if you put a bread bag on each hand, you can pack them without getting grease on your hands. I've packed bearings by hand since high school, when a good older mechanic showed me the correct way to pack them. I can hand pack the bearing in less time than it takes to find my bearing packer, that I've never used.


I use Mystik JT-6 High Temp red grease, and only tighten the nut enough to just remove the free play. As mentioned, I'd loosen half a flat, rather than go tighter to install the cotter pin.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

When you think about it, 5Ft Lbs isn't VERY MUCH. If in doubt, use an Inch Lb wrench @ 60" Lbs. This has worked well for me, for a LOTS of YEARS!
TOO BAD we get SO Old, SO QUICK!
Bill W.

[Railcarmover]

fit the cup into the cone,its should fit square,and the rollers should have full width contact on the cone.Then put a little pressure on the cone and turn it in the cup...all the rollers should turn. Mis matched bearings will 'heel or toe' on the roller,they wont have full contact,causing the premature failure your seeing.


Lube by hand (method above) or packer. Assembled bearings completely.Tighten bearing nut till snug (you cant hurt them,get it tight) then turn the wheel.This 'seats' the bearing,insuring a true reading.CAREFULLY back off the nut,the exact point where the nut breaks free is zero preload. On front wheel bearings I prefer one nut flat off of zero preload.

Depending upon application tapered roller bearings can be set with a high amount of preload.Wheel bearings on a car is not one of them,they need to be set zero load with heat expansion room,the reason for the 'one flat' back off.If you cant catch the cotter at one flat,back off till you do.