wheel bearing failure

Paulo · Veteran Member

wheel bearing failure

Jaahn · Guru

Hi Paulo smile

When I drive, and lots of others on here also, at the first stop, go round all the wheels and check the tires and hubs for heat. I just use my hand carefully, and if there is one that is hotter than the others by a noticeable amount I 'look into it ' hmm . Then I would do that regularly a couple of times on each leg of the trip. Takes a minute to do. So never had a failure.

If you want a more definitive look some people here use a little heat sensor that you point at the item and get an approximate reading. Cheap as chips on ebay. There has been some discussion recently. aww

Good luck. Remember luck follows the well prepared biggrin

Look here for the heat sensor; https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t59702602/infrared-thermometer/

Jaahn

-- Edited by Jaahn on Friday 16th of August 2019 02:01:11 PM

T1 Terry · Guru

It's amazing how refreshing that few mins spent checking wheel hub and tyre temps is after you have been driving for a few hrs. A great habit to get into when travelling for both mental relief, by knowing all was fine the last time you checked, and fatigue relief by actually doing something other than driving. It really helps with calming the nerves when you have a co pilot the insists of telling you they smell something or hear a different noise every 5 mins :roll:

T1 Terry

oldbloke · Guru

Jaahn wrote:
Hi Paulo
When I drive, and lots of others on here also, at the first stop, go round all the wheels and check the tires and hubs for heat. I just use my hand carefully, and if there is one that is hotter than the others by a noticeable amount I 'look into it ' . Then I would do that regularly a couple of times on each leg of the trip. Takes a minute to do. So never had a failure.
Jaahn

-- Edited by Jaahn on Friday 16th of August 2019 02:01:11 PM

Same here. Also carry in the tool box 1 set of bearings and some grease.

erad · Guru

Simple answer - No real symptoms. I have had a couple of failures (one of them a cracked hub). It is similar to a flat tyre - you may hear a grinding noise, you may feel a slight extra drag which is not normal. I check the bearings by feeling the hubs (as best I can because of the plastic Jayco hubcaps. Generally I feel the wheel studs, but on my trailer I can feel the hubs directly.

Contrary to what you read elsewhere, my single axle 16.5 ft Jayco poptop has never swerved or pulled wildly when I have had a tyre or bearing failure. I simply heard an unusual noise and stopped to check it. So much for the dual axle crowd and teh extra safety offered by the dual axles....

The last failure I had, I head an unusual noise and stopped to check it. No extra drag, no wobbles - nothing.The bearing was running so hot that I burnt my hand on the hub when I felt the wheel studs. The bearing had failed but not at that stage, collapsed. I was lucky - I was about 5 km from Fyshwick - the major industrial centre of Canberra. I drove very slowly into Fyshwick, looking for a garage type place which was open at 4:15 pm on Friday of a long weekend. Optimist! Eventually in desperation, I went into one of the few remaining businesses (a coffee roasting shop) which were still open and asked them if they knew of anyone. They phoned their tame mechanics who agreed to help me. The mechanics did a fantastic job and I was under way again by 5:30 pm. And the cost was $40.00 as well. Because they didn't have any new bearings to suit, they used an old bearing which I had to get me out of trouble, and then I bought 2 new sets of bearings and replaced both sides later on.

To sum up, I have found no extraordinary signs of impending or subsequent bearing failure. Regular checking of temperature and bearing slackness is the only way.

-- Edited by erad on Friday 16th of August 2019 03:41:30 PM

Bobdown · Guru

If you look in the mirror and see the van wheel heading to the bush it's too late. I seen lots of boat trailers jacked up on the side of the road with a wheel missing, salt water not good for them apparently.

Loud groaning noise is something to listen out for, though I once had a set of Pirelli's that were so noisy I got the mechanic to check the bearings.

Jack up the wheel and hold top and bottom and move to feel any play in the wheel and as others have said check the temp.

Cheers Bob

Baz421 · Guru

A simple check can be temps as mentioned OR walk beside wheel when someone else drives. Dry bearings like universal joints often squeal well before failure. Good luck

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Most wheel bearing failures are due poor initial adjustment or to dirt or water getting inside past the seals.
The most important part of a wheel bearing from a reliability point of view is the seal - both sides of the seal. Don't use cheap and nasty ones and it is pontless putting a good seal onto a surface that is not smooth to start with. If your axle is crudely machined like many, get your mechanic to fit a "Speedie sleeve" and you will have lots less trouble.
Cheers,
Peter

Knight · Senior Member

Paulo wrote:
Hi Guys - Can anyone tell me from actual experience what it is like to have a wheel bearing failure in a single axle caravan . Just in case , are there early signs - noises - heat - feel and how you got on with it following the event . I figure it's better to learn from others experience just in case it happens .

You should get the wheel bearings serviced every 10,000 kilometres, most of the time minor adjustment and greasing is all that will be needed.

My caravan has travelled since 2015 over 60,000 kilometres in all states and territories apart from Tasmania. The second last service removed the wheel bearings (single axle), cleaned them, inspected them with a view to replacement against my request, and the mechanics decided they were in perfect condition, having been adjusted and greased every 10,000 kilometres since new.

However, if concerned feel the bearing dust cover/cap and if very hot obtain professional advice. Also shake the wheel and try and detect slight movement, a sign that the bearing lock nut is too loose.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Knight wrote:

You should get the wheel bearings serviced every 10,000 kilometres,

The wheel bearings on your car probably get checked every 100,000km or less but are almost 100% reliable. That is because they are good quality bearings and good quality seals running on good quality surfaces with good quality grease and properly installed and adjusted in the first place.

If you get the same attention to detail on your caravan, the wheel bearings will be just as reliable as your car.

Cheers,

Peter

Paulo · Veteran Member

Thanks indeed erad that is one for the memory bank .

-- Edited by Paulo on Friday 16th of August 2019 05:12:01 PM

Paulo · Veteran Member

Thanks Bobdown that was a good laugh hope it doesn't get to that stage ever .

Paulo · Veteran Member

Thanks Guys i didn't expect so many replies , i do carry a spare set and i reckon one should not live in fear , but that is very helpful .

erad · Guru

One other thing about carrying spare wheel bearings: If you pre-pack the spare bearings with grease, that will protect them from rusting, but also it saves you a lot of work on the roadside should the worst happen to you. All you have to do is to knock out the old bearing race and knock in the new one. The roller cage is already paced with grease, so you don't have to do anything to it either. And carry the spare bearings in a tub of grease so that everything s ready to go. You still get messy, but the task of keeping dort & grit out of the bearing hub is 10 times easier if it is all pre-done.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Grease and repack them >before< rego or long trip every year . Checking out on highway ? Is really too late ! I have spare bearings in old grease can ..

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Paulo,
It AIN'T VERY NICE!!!

I nearly lost our Eagle camper on the Hume Highway some four-five years ago. I think I was within 5 minutes of a roll over when a young couple in a "flash" Mercedes sports car waved me down (no longer do I judge these sort of people as yuppies, etc). The axle nut was welded to the axle, the outer bearing was almost non-existent, the brakes on that side were cooked - it was a mess - all caused, I believe by a blown seal & my own ignorance! Resultant cost was $1500 & as it happened over the New Year period, I paid an exorbitant amount for the axle to have it made in Wagga (the van was in Gundagai). And the axle had to be replaced within a year due to alignment problems!

Did I have opportunities to prevent it? Yes! A big, big YES (quoting a current tv show - 4 YESes!
1. I failed to give it the wobble test before leaving Chiltern (NE Vic)
2. Didn't check it at Albury when I filled up with fuel.
3. Decided not to stop at a favourite haunt at Holbrook (the bakery).

The next stop after sitting on 100kph was on a small drive off on the highway 41kms south of Gundagai & requiring a tow truck! LESSON LEARNT - I check the van's axle temps at most stops now using my built in temperature gauge (three fingers on my right hand).

erad · Guru

My last tyre failure was a beauty. I was driving on the road from Goulburn to Oberon, and a section of the road is winding and double line for several km. I was doing my best to keep a reasonable speed and heard a funny noise - a slight growl. No significant loss of power. The noise seemed to go away and I kept going at a reasonable pace because I knew there was traffic behind me. Eventually on a corner I saw the car behind me flashing his lights and I knew I had trouble. There was nowhere to stop so I kept going for at least another km or so and finally found a driveway where I pulled over. Apparently the car behind me saw it all happen. The tyre started to smoke a bit and then finally exploded. All that was left 2 tyre beads and about 50 mm of sidewall each side. Not a trace of the tread. The rim was running on the ground and required a lot of grinding to smooth it out to allow a new tyre to be fitted. No other damage. The van didn't swerve, pull strongly either way or do anything unusual except make a noise for a short time only.

I had trouble changing the tyre because of respiratory difficulties and a guy in an old Pajero coming the other way stopped, jacked the can and changed the tyre for me. Karma does come back to you because I have done that to others several times over the years. I took the dead rim to a tyre place in Bathurst and asked if they could fix a puncture. "Certainly Sir - bring it in and we will do it for you now". When they saw the remnants of the tyre, they said that they didn't have a patch big enough!

I always check pressures before I leave home, and then check the temperature of the hubs after 20 or 30 km. My wheel bearing failure was after driving 550 km that day. This tyre failure was after 280 km driving from home. The main point of this thread is that I had NO inkling of what was going on behind me at the time. There was a noise which seemed to go away. There was no pulling or swaying, not a hint of the van rolling over. - NOTHING. Since then, I have purchased a tyre pressure monitoring system, and I not that the left tyre always runs hotter and the pressure rises more than the right tyre. I have checked the brakes and they are fine, the bearings are fine - I am sure that it is the alignment of the wheel which is wrong and always has been wrong, but that is another story. The tyre is wearing out but nowhere nearly as badly as it used to before the axle was replaced.

Knight · Senior Member

Wheel bearings are a critical part of the trailer body. They help support the trailer's weight and keep the wheels turning on the axle. Properly maintained bearings allow the wheel to spin freely, without putting unnecessary friction on the trailer axle. A wheel bearing that has been neglected eventually leaks and deteriorates. Dirt and other foreign objects can contaminate the bearings, cause breakdown of the assembly and possibly enable the wheel to detach from the axle.

Time Frame

Wheel bearing maintenance frequency depends on the trailer type, wheel size, and average load weight. Some manufacturers recommend inspecting and greasing an RV's wheel bearings once every season, or at least every 10,000 miles. But boat trailers with small wheels require re-packing every 2,000 miles. Generally, the smaller the tire, the faster the wheels spin, which puts stress on the bearings. Frequency can also be determined by considering how the trailer is used and where it has traveled.

Considerations

In 2008, the cost of having this job performed by a professional mechanic was approximately $125 per axle, based on average pricing obtained from three different RV repair shops in southern California. However, trailer owners who attempt this job at home will spend less than $100 in parts. The procedure calls for basic mechanical aptitude, and only requires high-temperature grease, rags, a trailer wheel jack, a torque wrench and a hammer. A bearing packer makes the job cleaner but is not necessary.

Identification

Wheel bearing design has remained unchanged over the last 50 years, and greasing them is simple. But before you attempt this at home, it is a good idea to have a service manual for your trailer with instructions for the procedure. The wheels must be properly torqued. Obtain a proper trailer jack, and block all tires on the opposite side to ensure your safety while underneath the trailer.

Warning

If your trailer has hauled excessively heavy loads or has been driven off-road or towed through water that covered the axles, it is a good idea to perform this maintenance. Also, some manufacturers forget to grease the wheel bearings prior to delivery to the dealer. To test new trailer wheel bearings for excessive friction, touch the tire after it has been in use. A hot tire surface could indicate improper lubrication.

T1 Terry · Guru

About the only thing to add is what to look for it you seem to have regular bearing failures on the same wheel. If it isn't obvious that water or dirt has entered from behind the seal, yet the bearings are now growling only on that wheel, check the stub axle is actually straight. With a steel rule as a straight edge, hold it against the inner bearing face and measure the distance to the outer bearing face, repeat at 90* intervals. Yes, you are looking at a high degree of accuracy so if you don't feel you are up to it, get someone who has lathe machining experience to do it using a dial indicator mounted on a jig so it can be spun around.
I had an EB Ford Falcon that continually went through left hand front wheel bearing. turned out it had been involved in a serious hit on the left hand wheel that had cause suspension component damage and they had been replaced, but no one check the stub axle. Also had a Ford 9"diff destroy those really big and expensive double bearing in under 10,000km, turned out to be a bent axle when I spun it in the lathe.

T1 Terry

Woody n Sue · Guru

Ok so some good info here, but I would add its very simple to check them by kneeling down beside the wheel put both hand on the tyre about 11 and 1 oclock and push/ rock the wheel side ways, if you can feel just the slightest movement that ok if theres a bit of movement keep an eye out as its probably time to tighten it up one notch on the castle nut , but here just remember it is better to have just a very small amount of movement than to be just a wee bit tight.
When you jack it up rotate the wheel and get a feel for how easy it turns, after tightening the bearing spin the wheel again it should be hard to tell that its harder to turn than before , thats good, if its easy to tell its heavier to turn than its too tight .
When checking the temperature the hub should be warm to hold like a nice cuppa on a cold morning, if you cant hold your hand on them , there is a potential problem developing, and if it burns your fingers than you have a problem .

Woody .

Cupie · Guru

My wheel bearing replacement kit includes a brass dolly to knock out the old inner bearing, along with a pair of prepacked Jap bearings & inner seals. Oh yes, a brake adjuster tool is taped to the kit.

I use an infra red temp gun to check the Tug & Van wheels (Tyres & Hubs) at every stop.

I check the wheels for play before every trip (an advantage of putting the van on jacks between trips - makes it easy to do). Only re- grease about every 12mths or so or if there is any sign of 'melting' grease on the hub caps/rims.

My dual axle van has not had a bearing issue in 200,000 km. I replaced the original 20YO ones at 180,000km just for fun (& peace of mind - actually, they looked brand new with absolutely no discoloration /pitting or roughness). But then I am never overloaded & only do bitumen at around 90km/hr. LOL

-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 18th of August 2019 10:32:28 PM

swamp · Senior Member

Hi
Regrease b4 every major trip .
Generally between 1-2 years
Especially dual axles as when turning tyres are way heavily side loaded
Trailer bearings are not large which also shortens there life
Machinery trailers towed 365 days a year get 40,000 km +/-. Greased at around 15,000km-20,000km
Brakes at this stage need doing so complete replacement fixes everything .

iana · Guru

Yesterday, did all of the wheel bearings on our van, 12months and 11000 kms. Certainly my body knows about it, 12 inch off road hubs and wheels all bloody heavy. Only the oil seal replaced, the rest in good order. Manger of the caravan park let me do the job, no to do brake adjustment, and move onto checking the rest of the van.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

I try to do a few short trips when new bearings have been fitted . Quite often theres issues after new bearing replacement. They dont have to be tight either . I spin wheel as I tighten , then back of 1/4 to 1/2 a turn . If I dont have the specs . Thats on tappered roller bearings . New systems have duel single bearing , they spec much
tighter .

Greg 1 · Guru

Just a tip if you are replacing or repacking them. Absolute cleanliness is a must for long bearing life. Wash your hands before unwrapping new bearings or repacking clean bearings so no dirt or grit enters the race. Do not blow out a washed bearing with compressed air causing it to spin. You will cause microscopic brindling to the unlubricated roller surfaces which dramatically shortens bearing life.

Baz421 · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Knight wrote:

You should get the wheel bearings serviced every 10,000 kilometres,
The wheel bearings on your car probably get checked every 100,000km or less but are almost 100% reliable. That is because they are good quality bearings and good quality seals running on good quality surfaces with good quality grease and properly installed and adjusted in the first place.
If you get the same attention to detail on your caravan, the wheel bearings will be just as reliable as your car.
Cheers,
Peter

Agree 100% Peter,,,, cars never repacked just checked and adjusted,,, we seem to over service vans based on not much science and as you say use quality bearings.

Repacked van once in 12 years, but checked adjustment regularly,,,, however just had all new backing plates, bearings fitted for 13,000km trip,, just back today.

Worked on trucks years ago,, they ran bearing forever so with say 750kg on each wheel only, why overservice.

Caravan industry looking for work.

.

Cupie · Guru

Baz421 wrote:
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Knight wrote:

You should get the wheel bearings serviced every 10,000 kilometres,
The wheel bearings on your car probably get checked every 100,000km or less but are almost 100% reliable. That is because they are good quality bearings and good quality seals running on good quality surfaces with good quality grease and properly installed and adjusted in the first place.
If you get the same attention to detail on your caravan, the wheel bearings will be just as reliable as your car.
Cheers,
Peter
Agree 100% Peter,,,, cars never repacked just checked and adjusted,,, we seem to over service vans based on not much science and as you say use quality bearings.
Repacked van once in 12 years, but checked adjustment regularly,,,, however just had all new backing plates, bearings fitted for 13,000km trip,, just back today.
Worked on trucks years ago,, they ran bearing forever so with say 750kg on each wheel only, why overservice.
Caravan industry looking for work.
.

Be nice if we had a 'like' button on this forum.

I agree that we tend to over service the WBs.

My 1st set of bearings lasted for >200,000km & 20 years with just regular checking & an occasional part repack. When I changed them as part of a complete brake & drum replacement project (just because I thought that I aught to after all that time .. & a bit of wear on one drum plus some wear on the magnets) the bearings still looked like new to my uneducated eye. The break shoes had >50% of linings left too.

-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 1st of September 2019 10:07:02 PM