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Author Topic:   Strange trailer wheel bearing failure

andygere posted 05-14-2010 12:34 AM ET (US)
Today I picked up my Outrage 22 Cuddy at my E-TEC dealer where it was in for its first 300 hour service. My tow home was about 40 miles of mostly highway driving, including going over an 1800 foot pass.
After I backed the trailer into the driveway and decoupled it from the truck, I noticed brake fluid dripping out of the fill cap on the brake actuator. Uh oh, not good. I quickly checked the temperature of all 4 hub/rotors and found one hot one. I jacked the trailer up and discovered the wheel and hub were wobbling on the axle. I moved the brake caliper aside, took off the Bearing Buddy (plenty of grease) and removed the cotter pin and castle nut. The outer bearing and race appeared to be in good condition. The hub was filled with high temperature grease that did not seem degraded in any way. The inner bearing assembly was destroyed, with the roller bearings dispersed inside the hub, and the inner face of the bearing assembly still on the axle. The inner race on the hub appeared to be in good condition, as did the axle seal. There was no grease leaking past the seal, which makes sense because the hub was still filled with grease.
Any thoughts on the cause of the failure? The bearings are less than 2 years old, have less than 500 miles on them and were hand packed by me.
I was unable to remove the remains of the old bearing carrier from the axle, and will attempt to heat it with a torch to get it off the axle. The spindle is somewhat boogered up, and it's unclear if it can be saved. I would love some advice on how to determine how much damage to the spindle can be repaired by polishing with emery cloth. The spindle is welded on to the axle. Can a new spindle be welded on, or does the axle need to be replaced if the spindle is too far gone?
burning_hXc_soul posted 05-14-2010 08:13 AM ET (US)
The spindle can be cut off and welded back on. My best advice would be to take it to a trailer repair shop and let them take a look at it and see what they say.
cohasett73 posted 05-14-2010 08:26 AM ET (US)
My recommedation,
Knock off the inner race with a brass or copper drift.
Using a flat mill file true up the spindle with file strokes from toe to heel around the spindle to maintain roundness. If the inner race spun on the spindle I would bet the spindle is toast. Emery will not true the damaged eare like a file will.
As to cause of the failure; individual rollers can and do fail prematurely and unfortunately it is impossible to predict.
Tom from Rubicon,WI
Plotman posted 05-14-2010 10:47 AM ET (US)
With the damage you describe, I'd get a new spindle. They are $30 or so, and you shouldn't have to pay more than an hour of labor to have it replaced.
If you don't you are always going to worry about that wheel.
andygere posted 05-14-2010 11:45 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the advice. My plan is to remove the remains of the inner bearing case as gently as possible, clean up the spindle with a file, and reassemble everything with new bearings and races. This will allow me to get the boat off the trailer (3 miles from home) to make working on the trailer easier. Then I'll take it to a trailer shop to have the spindle/axle evaluated and determine if it's better/cheaper to buy and install a new axle or have a new spindle welded on.
The trailer is a 1989 EZ Loader dual axle trailer with Kodiak brakes on all 4 wheels. Taking the nearly new brake system apart and bolting on a new axle ($250 for the part) is probably a lot harder in the long run than paying to have a new spindle welded on.
andygere posted 05-14-2010 02:55 PM ET (US)
I called a reputable trailer shop today, and they told me they won't weld a spindle to that axle, and recommended that I don't go that route due to the difficulty of getting good alignment. They suggested replacement of the EZ Loader axle, and quoted $500-$600 to do the job. Retail pricing on parts adds up to about $363, so they are only estimating 1.5-2.5 hours of labor. Seems low to me, but these guys are the pros.
An alternative is something called a Speedi-Sleeve.
http://www.vsm.skf.com/en-US/HeavyDuty/KitsAndTools/SpeediSleeve.aspx
Has anyone used one of these kits to repair a damaged spindle?
Bulldog posted 05-15-2010 06:41 AM ET (US)
I wouldn't weld on a new spindle, I would replace the axle, yes it might be more, but you will have no nagging doubts about the repair or the galvanizing in that area. I think you had a bearing failure, things do break even when taken care of. I have Kodiaks on my trailer, I think it is less work then drum brakes to swap axles......Jack
jimh posted 05-15-2010 04:33 PM ET (US)
Andy's trailer wheel and brake overhaul that he mentions was probably one of the most thorough overhauls a boat trailer has ever received. I think it set the gold standard for boat trailer wheel maintenance. In assessing the situation with this "strange trailer wheel bearing failure," I am going to rule out any cause related to the workmanship of the overhaul. I am also not inclined to blame the components or materials used--they all seemed to be top-grade. Instead, I want to focus on the timing of the failure and what preceded it.
Andy towed his boat to the dealer on the trailer for engine service. He left it there, and the dealer moved Andy's trailer around his facility. I also assume the trailer was probably moved around using a Hi-Lo lift with a trailer ball mounted on one of the forks of the lift platform. This is a very common method used to move trailers. The yard where I keep my trailer stored uses it, and I have seen many other yards and dealers use a Hi-Lo.
Since the onset of the failure occurred shortly after the boat was at the dealer, I believe the two events are associated. I suspect that the dealer moved the boat on the trailer using a Hi-Lo. In using a Hi-Lo to move the trailer, it is possible to get the trailer to turn in a very tight radius. When this happens there is a much higher side load force on the wheels and the wheel bearings than would occur in normal highway towing behind a car, or in any sort of backing situation where a truck and normal hitch were being used. Typically you cannot or would not try to move the trailer in a very tight turn with your truck. However, it seems like boat yards and boat dealers think nothing of moving your boat in very tight turns. What usually happens if you have a tandem axle trailer is that one wheel is not as heavily loaded as another, and that tire will be forced sideways. This puts too much load on the wheel bearings. If the dealer's yard is paved, and if the pavement was clean and dry, and if the tires have good traction, pushing the tire sideways takes a lot of force. The wheel bearing could have been damaged by too much sideways pressure.
The yard where I keep my trailer is paved with concrete, but there is an unpaved road running between the yard and the main storage building. There seems to always be a lot of road dirt on the concrete from that unpaved road. I think this helps the trailer tires skid sideways. I have watched the yard guy move my boat around and worried about the high side loading on the wheels.
My guess--based on what I have described above--is the failure of Andy's wheel bearing may have been caused by excessive side loading force that occurred while the trailer was with the dealer and was moved or rotated in a very tight turn.
andygere posted 05-16-2010 01:32 AM ET (US)
Jim,
I think you may have cracked the case! You are correct that the owner moves the boats around with a forklift using a hitch ball on one of the forks. His paved yard and shop space are very tight, and just to get the boat out from where it was parked in the work area around to the gate would have required him to nearly pivot the trailer on it's own axis. There were a number of boats parked in front of the shop, waiting their turn, and he had to maneuver mine around those to get it to a position where it could be hitched to my truck. I am now certain that an excessive side load must have damaged the outer bearing which resulted in it's failure, and the destruction of my axle.
As an interesting aside, when I dropped the boat off last Monday, I checked the temperature of all the hubs with my hand to see if any were hot. They were all warm (as would be expected since the hubs are integral with the brake rotors), but I could squeeze the outer hub and Bearing Buddy with my bare hand and leave it there indefinitely.
Today I made temporary repairs to the damaged wheel assembly so that I'll be able to put the boat back in her slip and replace the damaged axle. I was able to get the remains of the bearing case off the spindle by sawing nearly through it with a Dremel cut-off wheel, heating it with a torch, and getting it to snap by twisting a screwdriver in the groove that I cut in it. After I slid it off, it was clear the spindle is destroyed. The area under the bearing is worn down and grooved significantly. I was able to clean it up enough with a file and emory cloth to get a new bearing to slide on, however I would not trust it on a long trip. The good news is that since I used Bearing Buddy Spindle Seals when I did my upgrade, the stainless steel Spindle Ring preserved the machined surface beneath it so a standard size bearing seal would fit and seal correctly. I reassembled the Kodiak hub/rotor with new bearing races (just in case) and new bearings (hand packed with grease) and everything rolls true and smooth. I also inspected the undamaged outer bearing to determine its manufacturer. I have always avoided cheap bearings made in China (often sold in blister packs at the local chain chandlery). The ones installed (including the destroyed bearing) were US made Timken brand.
Since I had the jack out, I checked out the other three wheels. Each seemed to be just fine, although I felt a tiny bit of play on two of them, so I snugged the spindle nut slightly to take up the play, and installed a new cotter pin. I also inspected the grease seals, and all were intact with no grease leaking onto the back of the wheel assembly.
Salmon season is in full swing, so the boat goes in and the trailer repair project will proceed in an orderly fashion from here. I'll post details in a new thread.
rjgorion posted 05-16-2010 07:51 PM ET (US)
Andy,
sorry to hear about the bearing failure. As I'm sure you remember, I went through the same thing last November and had to replace the axel. I'm sure that you have begun the research process but I thought I would share with you that the folks a Pacific trailers were very helpful, knowledgeable and the process could not have been easier. Given the required measurements, they will build a quality direct replacement axel for you and you'll be back on the road quickly.
Ron
Chuck Tribolet posted 05-17-2010 12:06 PM ET (US)
Well, be glad you aren't having to get it fixed in time to
make the rendezvous this weekend. I guess that's the silver
lining in not being able to make the rendezvous.
Are the salmon biting in Soquel Hole? Lots of boats went
out of Monterey Saturday and it sounded on the radio like
everybody switched to rockfish. Most didn't come back Sunday,
which is a clue.

Chuck
andygere posted 05-17-2010 01:20 PM ET (US)
Ron,
Thanks for the words of support. I'm considering a few vendors for my replacement axle, including Pacific. I like the Idea of a Sure Lube or Spindle Lube axle, but I may just keep it simple and order an in-kind replacement from EZ Loader.
Chuck,
I was thinking the same thing. Major trailer maintenance for me is typically right before the Rendezvous. A friend of mine fished Soquel Hole on Thursday and had two limits of good grade fish in one hour. He fished the same area Saturday and boated a single fish for three anglers. I ended up doing extensive boat projects Sunday and did not get out on the water. A minor cabin leak turned into a full recaulking job...you get the idea.

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Author	Topic: Strange trailer wheel bearing failure
andygere	posted 05-14-2010 12:34 AM ET (US) Today I picked up my Outrage 22 Cuddy at my E-TEC dealer where it was in for its first 300 hour service. My tow home was about 40 miles of mostly highway driving, including going over an 1800 foot pass. After I backed the trailer into the driveway and decoupled it from the truck, I noticed brake fluid dripping out of the fill cap on the brake actuator. Uh oh, not good. I quickly checked the temperature of all 4 hub/rotors and found one hot one. I jacked the trailer up and discovered the wheel and hub were wobbling on the axle. I moved the brake caliper aside, took off the Bearing Buddy (plenty of grease) and removed the cotter pin and castle nut. The outer bearing and race appeared to be in good condition. The hub was filled with high temperature grease that did not seem degraded in any way. The inner bearing assembly was destroyed, with the roller bearings dispersed inside the hub, and the inner face of the bearing assembly still on the axle. The inner race on the hub appeared to be in good condition, as did the axle seal. There was no grease leaking past the seal, which makes sense because the hub was still filled with grease. Any thoughts on the cause of the failure? The bearings are less than 2 years old, have less than 500 miles on them and were hand packed by me. I was unable to remove the remains of the old bearing carrier from the axle, and will attempt to heat it with a torch to get it off the axle. The spindle is somewhat boogered up, and it's unclear if it can be saved. I would love some advice on how to determine how much damage to the spindle can be repaired by polishing with emery cloth. The spindle is welded on to the axle. Can a new spindle be welded on, or does the axle need to be replaced if the spindle is too far gone?
burning_hXc_soul	posted 05-14-2010 08:13 AM ET (US) The spindle can be cut off and welded back on. My best advice would be to take it to a trailer repair shop and let them take a look at it and see what they say.
cohasett73	posted 05-14-2010 08:26 AM ET (US) My recommedation, Knock off the inner race with a brass or copper drift. Using a flat mill file true up the spindle with file strokes from toe to heel around the spindle to maintain roundness. If the inner race spun on the spindle I would bet the spindle is toast. Emery will not true the damaged eare like a file will. As to cause of the failure; individual rollers can and do fail prematurely and unfortunately it is impossible to predict. Tom from Rubicon,WI
Plotman	posted 05-14-2010 10:47 AM ET (US) With the damage you describe, I'd get a new spindle. They are $30 or so, and you shouldn't have to pay more than an hour of labor to have it replaced. If you don't you are always going to worry about that wheel.
andygere	posted 05-14-2010 11:45 AM ET (US) Thanks for the advice. My plan is to remove the remains of the inner bearing case as gently as possible, clean up the spindle with a file, and reassemble everything with new bearings and races. This will allow me to get the boat off the trailer (3 miles from home) to make working on the trailer easier. Then I'll take it to a trailer shop to have the spindle/axle evaluated and determine if it's better/cheaper to buy and install a new axle or have a new spindle welded on. The trailer is a 1989 EZ Loader dual axle trailer with Kodiak brakes on all 4 wheels. Taking the nearly new brake system apart and bolting on a new axle ($250 for the part) is probably a lot harder in the long run than paying to have a new spindle welded on.
andygere	posted 05-14-2010 02:55 PM ET (US) I called a reputable trailer shop today, and they told me they won't weld a spindle to that axle, and recommended that I don't go that route due to the difficulty of getting good alignment. They suggested replacement of the EZ Loader axle, and quoted $500-$600 to do the job. Retail pricing on parts adds up to about $363, so they are only estimating 1.5-2.5 hours of labor. Seems low to me, but these guys are the pros. An alternative is something called a Speedi-Sleeve. http://www.vsm.skf.com/en-US/HeavyDuty/KitsAndTools/SpeediSleeve.aspx Has anyone used one of these kits to repair a damaged spindle?
Bulldog	posted 05-15-2010 06:41 AM ET (US) I wouldn't weld on a new spindle, I would replace the axle, yes it might be more, but you will have no nagging doubts about the repair or the galvanizing in that area. I think you had a bearing failure, things do break even when taken care of. I have Kodiaks on my trailer, I think it is less work then drum brakes to swap axles......Jack
jimh	posted 05-15-2010 04:33 PM ET (US) Andy's trailer wheel and brake overhaul that he mentions was probably one of the most thorough overhauls a boat trailer has ever received. I think it set the gold standard for boat trailer wheel maintenance. In assessing the situation with this "strange trailer wheel bearing failure," I am going to rule out any cause related to the workmanship of the overhaul. I am also not inclined to blame the components or materials used--they all seemed to be top-grade. Instead, I want to focus on the timing of the failure and what preceded it. Andy towed his boat to the dealer on the trailer for engine service. He left it there, and the dealer moved Andy's trailer around his facility. I also assume the trailer was probably moved around using a Hi-Lo lift with a trailer ball mounted on one of the forks of the lift platform. This is a very common method used to move trailers. The yard where I keep my trailer stored uses it, and I have seen many other yards and dealers use a Hi-Lo. Since the onset of the failure occurred shortly after the boat was at the dealer, I believe the two events are associated. I suspect that the dealer moved the boat on the trailer using a Hi-Lo. In using a Hi-Lo to move the trailer, it is possible to get the trailer to turn in a very tight radius. When this happens there is a much higher side load force on the wheels and the wheel bearings than would occur in normal highway towing behind a car, or in any sort of backing situation where a truck and normal hitch were being used. Typically you cannot or would not try to move the trailer in a very tight turn with your truck. However, it seems like boat yards and boat dealers think nothing of moving your boat in very tight turns. What usually happens if you have a tandem axle trailer is that one wheel is not as heavily loaded as another, and that tire will be forced sideways. This puts too much load on the wheel bearings. If the dealer's yard is paved, and if the pavement was clean and dry, and if the tires have good traction, pushing the tire sideways takes a lot of force. The wheel bearing could have been damaged by too much sideways pressure. The yard where I keep my trailer is paved with concrete, but there is an unpaved road running between the yard and the main storage building. There seems to always be a lot of road dirt on the concrete from that unpaved road. I think this helps the trailer tires skid sideways. I have watched the yard guy move my boat around and worried about the high side loading on the wheels. My guess--based on what I have described above--is the failure of Andy's wheel bearing may have been caused by excessive side loading force that occurred while the trailer was with the dealer and was moved or rotated in a very tight turn.
andygere	posted 05-16-2010 01:32 AM ET (US) Jim, I think you may have cracked the case! You are correct that the owner moves the boats around with a forklift using a hitch ball on one of the forks. His paved yard and shop space are very tight, and just to get the boat out from where it was parked in the work area around to the gate would have required him to nearly pivot the trailer on it's own axis. There were a number of boats parked in front of the shop, waiting their turn, and he had to maneuver mine around those to get it to a position where it could be hitched to my truck. I am now certain that an excessive side load must have damaged the outer bearing which resulted in it's failure, and the destruction of my axle. As an interesting aside, when I dropped the boat off last Monday, I checked the temperature of all the hubs with my hand to see if any were hot. They were all warm (as would be expected since the hubs are integral with the brake rotors), but I could squeeze the outer hub and Bearing Buddy with my bare hand and leave it there indefinitely. Today I made temporary repairs to the damaged wheel assembly so that I'll be able to put the boat back in her slip and replace the damaged axle. I was able to get the remains of the bearing case off the spindle by sawing nearly through it with a Dremel cut-off wheel, heating it with a torch, and getting it to snap by twisting a screwdriver in the groove that I cut in it. After I slid it off, it was clear the spindle is destroyed. The area under the bearing is worn down and grooved significantly. I was able to clean it up enough with a file and emory cloth to get a new bearing to slide on, however I would not trust it on a long trip. The good news is that since I used Bearing Buddy Spindle Seals when I did my upgrade, the stainless steel Spindle Ring preserved the machined surface beneath it so a standard size bearing seal would fit and seal correctly. I reassembled the Kodiak hub/rotor with new bearing races (just in case) and new bearings (hand packed with grease) and everything rolls true and smooth. I also inspected the undamaged outer bearing to determine its manufacturer. I have always avoided cheap bearings made in China (often sold in blister packs at the local chain chandlery). The ones installed (including the destroyed bearing) were US made Timken brand. Since I had the jack out, I checked out the other three wheels. Each seemed to be just fine, although I felt a tiny bit of play on two of them, so I snugged the spindle nut slightly to take up the play, and installed a new cotter pin. I also inspected the grease seals, and all were intact with no grease leaking onto the back of the wheel assembly. Salmon season is in full swing, so the boat goes in and the trailer repair project will proceed in an orderly fashion from here. I'll post details in a new thread.
rjgorion	posted 05-16-2010 07:51 PM ET (US) Andy, sorry to hear about the bearing failure. As I'm sure you remember, I went through the same thing last November and had to replace the axel. I'm sure that you have begun the research process but I thought I would share with you that the folks a Pacific trailers were very helpful, knowledgeable and the process could not have been easier. Given the required measurements, they will build a quality direct replacement axel for you and you'll be back on the road quickly. Ron
Chuck Tribolet	posted 05-17-2010 12:06 PM ET (US) Well, be glad you aren't having to get it fixed in time to make the rendezvous this weekend. I guess that's the silver lining in not being able to make the rendezvous. Are the salmon biting in Soquel Hole? Lots of boats went out of Monterey Saturday and it sounded on the radio like everybody switched to rockfish. Most didn't come back Sunday, which is a clue. Chuck
andygere	posted 05-17-2010 01:20 PM ET (US) Ron, Thanks for the words of support. I'm considering a few vendors for my replacement axle, including Pacific. I like the Idea of a Sure Lube or Spindle Lube axle, but I may just keep it simple and order an in-kind replacement from EZ Loader. Chuck, I was thinking the same thing. Major trailer maintenance for me is typically right before the Rendezvous. A friend of mine fished Soquel Hole on Thursday and had two limits of good grade fish in one hour. He fished the same area Saturday and boated a single fish for three anglers. I ended up doing extensive boat projects Sunday and did not get out on the water. A minor cabin leak turned into a full recaulking job...you get the idea.