Trailer hub replacement

[Blue_Runner]

A couple reasons for changing the hubs. I got the trailer with working drum brakes. Well, they died pretty quickly and I disabled them but want to get rid of the two hubs with the big azz rusty drums on them.

Secondly, after beating bearing buddies and dust caps on/off over the years I believe the hubs may be damaged to the point they don't seal as well? And third, I was thinking galvanized hubs would be better.

My thinking is, if I'm gonna replace two hubs I might as well replace all 4 at the same time.

Great info - thanks guys.

p.s. Destroyer I believe my bearing buddies popped off cause 1) I over packed the grease and 2) there was grease on the edges when I put them in. Still, I'm not a huge fan of buddies....but they are certainly better than nothing at all.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by Blue_Runner

My thinking is, if I'm gonna replace two hubs I might as well replace all 4 at the same time.

Great info - thanks guys.

p.s. Destroyer I believe my bearing buddies popped off cause 1) I over packed the grease and 2) there was grease on the edges when I put them in. Still, I'm not a huge fan of buddies....but they are certainly better than nothing at all.

Hmmmm... but there's a greese/pressure relief hole in the buddies... it's impossible to overpack/overpressurize them because the greese will just ooze out of the hole. In fact, that's why they make the bearing bra for them, (so the ooze is captured by the bra and doesn't cover your wheels.)
Now, if your spindles are damaged, that's another story entirely and it's very possible they came off because of that. I agree with you that if you're gonna replace two it's only smart to do all four... and like everyone else said, I'm of the opinion you'll find you have two different size bearings on each wheel. Take off a hub, remove the bearings and take down the numbers... then do like Reelapeelin said and go buy some quality Timken (American) or German (FAG) or Swedish (SKF) made bearings. (Or take the bearings to your local bearing house and let them size them up for you). Remember that your entire boat, trailer and days outing are riding on these 8 little bearings spinning around at hundreds of times a minute. You want nothing but the best down there...

[macojoe]

get the super lube caps for loadrite trailers, they go on and have a rubber cap in the center just pop it off grease the zerk and put the rubber back in, no more removal of the caps!!

http://www.easternmarine.com/superlu...dust-cap-81168

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by macojoe

get the super lube caps for loadrite trailers, they go on and have a rubber cap in the center just pop it off grease the zerk and put the rubber back in, no more removal of the caps!!

http://www.easternmarine.com/superlu...dust-cap-81168

X2 Totally forgot about them. I actually have them on one of my single axle trailers, and they work great... no more pounding the dust cap on or off... love them.

[phatdaddy]

definitely get the caps, put after you take the rubber plug out, do not rub your finger inside to clean the edges. it's very sharp!!!

[Blue_Runner]

Already was eyeballing those caps. People seem to like them and they are a good match for the posi-lube spindle from what I can tell.