OK, if this is a bit of a dumb question I am sorry but I have a thick skin and will ask anyway. Are there any rules of thumb mileages (Kilometres) generally quoted for checking and repacking van wheel bearings. I new a bloke years ago that took his 23 ft van from Carnarvon over to Meekatharra over the inland route. Probably about 400 kms over dirt tracks and crossing the Gascoyne river about 5 or 6 times. Note the Gascoyne river is dry most years and only wet for about a month or so when there is an extra good drop of rain. One of his bearings seized up and snapped his wheel off the axle about 100 Kms west of Meekatharra. That is right out in the sticks if you don't know the area. He got into Meekatharra and managed to get another axle which was about 100 mm (4 inches) short so that the wheels look really weird. OK I got side tracked there so, back to my original question, is it recommended to check every 5,000Km or 50,000 Km, or is it a make your own mind up thing. I also remember seeing a Van about 24- 26ft going down the Highway on 3 wheels, with one axle tied up to keep it all level. I suspect there may be others that are curious as well.
Simmo.
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I guess I am one of those who believe what I have been told by Caravan manufacturer and have done mine every 20000 Klm or there about, I remove the bearings clean out the old grease and repack with moly linden grease.
The question is also when was the last time you repacked or replaced the wheel bearings in your tug most people never do so why are we so paranoid about wheel bearings on our vans.
Maybe someone with more knowledge than me can answer that one.
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I guess I am one of those who believe what I have been told by Caravan manufacturer and have done mine every 20000 Klm or there about, I remove the bearings clean out the old grease and repack with moly linden grease.
The question is also when was the last time you repacked or replaced the wheel bearings in your tug most people never do so why are we so paranoid about wheel bearings on our vans. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me can answer that one.
That's a good point aussietraveller,a few years ago I sold my Trusty Troopy which I had from 40,000Km to 320,000 Km and never looked at any of the wheel bearings. Maybe caravans only get the elcheapo trailer bearings, and Vehicles get a better product. Maybe some body can enlighten us on that.
Simmo.
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Hard work never killed anybody but why take the chance.
Someone once explained that it was because vans normally sit for months at a time without moving. The grease solidifies and deteriorates and that causes bearing failure.
So a van on the road almost continously should not have any bearing problems.
Murray
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Monday 14th of December 2015 09:16:47 AM
Hi there Simmo. Having been caught out a couple of years ago 100klms west of Kimba, I now carry a spare set of bearings. I have them repacked every 20,000klms or so.
If you get your tow vehicle serviced every 5,000 or 10000 km, the bearings should be checked at that stage. But how many of us get our vans serviced regularly.
Also I find that if a tow vehicle has a dodgy bearing it is usually possible to hear or feel it. The van is way behind you so you would not hear any noise.
It is really easy to jack up the van, check for any movement and give it a spin. Any bearing noise is easy to hear.
That is a good question, I have wondered about it also.
My box trailer wheel bearing were about 30 years old, checked a few times when changing tyres, repacked 3 times at the most.
Our second hand 1968 semi trailer over a 8 year period, not sure say 300000ks when ever changing brake shoes would get te bearing repacked, don't remember buying new ones.
Seals you may replace if damaged once again don't really remember doing that either.
Comes the caravan on the scene I am a lot older not as keen and sent it into a caravan work shop to a have it serviced, I was shy of doing the bearing myself as the fear of god had been placed on me by much more experienced caravaners. Our van a single axle coming in around 2 tonne has a fair amount of weight resting on those bearing.
Adding up what the previous owner tod me what he had done and how far I had towed the van coming around 30000ks and getting ready to do another 10000ks I thought checking the bearing was a good thought not just jacking it up and spinning the wheel around but pulling them off repack the bearing, adjust the brakes and so on.
To my dissapointment and cost they replaced the bearing, seals $131.50 thank you plus labour $88. I did not mind the labour cost, I wanted there expertise.
They also found a LED clearance light not working bugger me dead, you only needed to look like tounching it and it would come on. $19 plus labour $44. The last time they see my van.
Previous owner must of done the something just before I had purchased the van off him as not long after us having the van serviced I found 2 sets of greased up bearing nicely wrapped up in cloth ready to go. Now I have 4 sets, what am I going to do with 4 sets, make a billy cart.
Morrell of the story is jack up the wheels occasionally, spin them, try wriggling, if your not happy pull them off. I guess an hour either side. Throw a bit of paint about to protect the under guards and chassis at same time all good. Do it about the same time each year as you replace the battery in the smoke alarm.
The only thing is if you are not sure when the bearing were done last and as a precautionary have them done.
Getting off the subject a bit my brother in law owns a sheep farm on the highway out from Coonabarrabarn NSW approx halfway between Brisbane and Melbourne serval times over the few years he has gone down to the highway to where there is smoke and flames to find a wheel with a broken stub axle attached.
This is my story I do hope it helps not a holder of any paper work to say I am expert but been around long enough to cause trouble and find my way out.
Your one of a kind Simmo.
-- Edited by Radar on Monday 14th of December 2015 09:32:25 AM
From my experience in the past which involved the servicing of all types of cars it was generally stated in Handbooks for cars such as holden , ford etc that front wheel bearing be repacked at 45,000 miles. i have always greased trailer , caravan bearings routinely on this basis and never had a bearing failure over fifty years. Current vehicles now have fully sealed front wheel bearings so must be replaced as cannot be repacked. There is one important fact to consider when repacking bearings that is for a correct procedure it is not adequate to just push grease into the bearing race with your fingers it is much better to use a bearing packer which allows the race to be completely filled with grease and the rollers completely immersed in grease. Recently on my new van travelled only 1500 klms. i decided to remove the hubs and bearings to check and found that of the four wheel hubs only one had both inner and outer bearings packed with grease and of the other three hubs only one i.e. an inner but not the outer or vice versa had been greased within the bearing race. I suspect that maybe some kid on work experience or similar is charged with the task of greasing the bearings at the chassis manufacturers. The inspection revealed that NONE had been greased using a bearing packer which is a cheap item that can be purchased at Repco stores or similar outlets. The warning is, Don't take for granted that your new caravan is set to go for thousands of klms. trouble free. It seems as if in this day and age if you want something done properly you need to do it yourself or at least check it. don't take it for granted. Cheers Allen.
My two cents worth. The problem with caravan and trailer bearings is the hubs and axles are poor quality and not machined well and the seals do not seal properly. The bearings are most likely OK. The initial greasing may be suspect too
So a check over and regrease may be a good idea every now and again. Not too much grease as overpacking is not good either. If you go through water then check them soon after too.
A quick check that everyone can do is when you have been on the road for a while and pull up for a stop. Walking around the van and carefully putting your hand on the tires and the hubs will alert you to a potential problem. If one tire or one hub is hotter than the others or any are too hot to keep your hand on then look into the cause. Takes a minute. I do it every day.
When you stop after traveling at least 10 k, get out of the car and go straight to the hubs. Feel each hub. A higher temperature than one that you would ordinarily expect, or one that is higher than the rest, would indicate a bearing in need of some attention. I have got into the habit over the years to check every time I stop. Takes seconds and will save a lot of headache down the track.
I also use the same principle with my tires. A hot temperature indicates under inflation that can sometimes by hard to see.
I do it every day.
