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When it comes to caravan and trailer wheel bearings, a lot of us tend to overlook their importance. These components not only facilitate the wheel’s motion but also play a crucial role in the suspension system. If they malfunction or break, it could lead to your wheel – or even your entire caravan – being compromised.
Fortunately, bearing failures are not a common occurrence. With some attention and maintenance, you can prevent such issues from befalling you. It’s essential to understand how to examine, service, and replace them when necessary since they are subject to wear and tear. Bearing in mind these facts, let’s delve into the maintenance of your caravan and trailer wheel bearings.
Wait, what is the function of a wheel bearing?
A wheel bearing is responsible for supporting the entire weight of your trailer while enabling the wheel and tire to rotate. Typically positioned around an inner race at the axle ends in solid axle suspension or on the spindle of the stub-axles in independent suspension, the outer race is pressed into the wheel hub. These bearings usually contain balls or rollers between the inner and outer races, allowing the wheel to rotate while sustaining the weight above the axle, which includes the rest of your van or camper. Normally, a wheel has two bearings – an inner one and an outer one – situated at opposite ends of the spindle.
What causes bearing failures?
In essence, neglect is the main reason behind caravan and trailer wheel bearing failures. Similar to any mechanical component, or perhaps a teenager, lack of maintenance is a major culprit. Off-road trailers enduring rough terrains, extensive dusty or muddy conditions, or being pulled through water crossings (like launching boats) are highly vulnerable to foreign particles infiltrating the wheel bearings and causing damage. Additionally, overloaded trailers can accelerate wear and tear on the bearings, leading to premature failures. Often, bearings give out due to inadequate upkeep over time, particularly if the trailer remains inactive for long periods. As the grease loses its lubricating properties and cooling capabilities, friction escalates, metal components wear down, and eventually, the bearings deteriorate, leaving you stranded.
How to check the wheel bearings on your caravan or trailer
The longer the journey, the more thorough your examination should be. However, a quick and simple method involves lifting each wheel, gripping the tire at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions, and shaking it back and forth. Minimal play is acceptable, but if substantial movement occurs at the top or bottom of the wheel, a closer inspection is warranted.
Remove the dust cap to expose the outer bearing. Ensure that there is sufficient grease covering all internal hub surfaces and no apparent soiling or water damage. Shake the wheel again to pinpoint the source of movement. If luck is on your side, a slight adjustment of the retaining nut, especially when the trailer wheel bearings are relatively new, might be all that’s needed. If not, it’s time to acquire a replacement bearing kit (consider opting for products from Terrain Tamer) and equip yourself with the necessary tools. Alternatively, schedule a service at your local specialist to handle the task for you.
Achieving peace through bearing care
Caring for your caravan or trailer wheel bearings is a straightforward process that should ideally be conducted annually. For those engaging in extensive towing or off-road adventures, it might be advisable to perform maintenance biannually. Necessary tools for this task include a method for removing the wheel, a pry bar or screwdriver for the dust cap, pliers for the cotter pin, and a socket for the retaining nut. The retaining nut should not be excessively tight, so using pliers may suffice. Additionally, a grease gun and, for those averse to getting grease under their nails, a bearing packing tool may be handy, although the latter is not imperative.
The maintenance process involves dismantling the wheel, adjusting brake drums or calipers if present, unsealing the dust cap, extracting the cotter pin, loosening the retaining nut (which should not be overly tight), removing the washer, outer bearing, and subsequently, the hub (which might necessitate a gentle tap with a rubber mallet but nothing more forceful). An inspection of the spindle, hub seal, and inner bearing for any damages is imperative. Be informed that removing the rear hub seal is requisite to access the inner bearing.
Eradicate all old grease using a cloth and cleanse the trailer wheel bearings with brake cleaner. Subsequently, if reusing the existing bearings, repack them with fresh grease and reassemble the components. If opting to replace the bearings (which many consider a wise investment), it’s time to put everything back together using the new components. As mentioned, reputable kits such as those from Terrain Tamer are recommended due to their utilization of genuine Koyo bearings and high-quality Japanese-made seals.
Starting point: saturating the bearings with grease
There exist two approaches to accomplish this: using a packing tool or doing it manually. Neither method is undeniably superior to the other, but the packing tool might offer a slightly less messy experience. When manually performing this, dispense approximately a tablespoon of grease (marine grease is recommended, although any high-temperature waterproof bearing grease will suffice) onto your palm. Employ the bearing to smear the grease beneath the front and rear edges so that it fills the void housing the rollers/balls. Once grease starts emerging from behind the rollers, your task is completed. Certain spindles are designed for greasing, wherein you simply install the bearings and attach the grease gun to the zerk fitting at the spindle’s terminal, making the process easier if this feature is available.
Next step: reconstruction
Position the inner bearing inside the hub and secure the new seal using a hammer. Reattach the hub to the spindle, insert the outer bearing, washer, and retaining nut. There are varied opinions on how tightly the nut should be fastened, but the recommended approach, as demonstrated to me by the esteemed Allan Gray of Terrain Tamer, is to tighten the nut until the hub slightly resists turning. Subsequently, reinstall the tire and wheel and give it a firm kick or a slight nudge with a mallet to ensure the bearings are seated properly. Loosen the nut by a quarter turn to allow the wheel to rotate freely. Finally, reinstall any brake components, the cotter pin, and the dust cap. Congratulations, your trailer bearings are now secured for approximately the next 12 months!
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