Did I screw up bearing repack

dkutz · Mar 13, 2007, 05:53 PM

Ok I repacked my wheel bearings before the last trip. 1st time doing it on a trailer (bearing packing!!). I realized today I might have screwed up and put the hub in backward. I put the flat side in, and the "bumps", if you will, out towards the wheel. I now realize (after looking at another set) that I think I put them in wrong.

Is this a big deal? Can I leave it for now until the next repack? And if not, do I have to start all over and repack, or can I just get a couple new seals and flip the hub over and put in new seals on the right side?

I guess sometimes it pays to have someone do it for you!

wavery · Mar 13, 2007, 06:17 PM

Quote from: dkutzOk I repacked my wheel bearings before the last trip. 1st time doing it on a trailer (bearing packing!!). I realized today I might have screwed up and put the hub in backward. I put the flat side in, and the "bumps", if you will, out towards the wheel. I now realize (after looking at another set) that I think I put them in wrong.

Is this a big deal? Can I leave it for now until the next repack? And if not, do I have to start all over and repack, or can I just get a couple new seals and flip the hub over and put in new seals on the right side?

I guess sometimes it pays to have someone do it for you!

I'm not sure that I follow what your concern is but if you put the bearings in wrong they will need to be put in correctly before you tow. The bearings will self destruct if they are not in right. However, I doubt that you could possibly put it together wrong. I don't think that you could get the nut back on.

The "Hub" is the large casting that your bearings fit into and the wheel bolts to. It's impossible to put it on backwards (I think :eyecrazy: ) but then again, I've never tried it. :p

However, if in doubt, fix it now or you could have a major catastrophe on your hands.

Which of these parts are you calling the "hub"?

If it is the "Castle nut" that you are concerned about, you should be OK, as long as you preloaded it correctly and put it a new cotter pin. I would be a bit concerned that you may not be able to pre-load the bearings correctly if the castle nut is on backward.

dkutz · Mar 13, 2007, 08:04 PM

No I am talking about the hub itself. There is a smooth machined side and a side that is not smooth. I put the smooth side in and I think its supposed to go against the wheel. And yes it does fit that way. The bearings are in the correct way just the hub is backward...

wavery · Mar 13, 2007, 08:17 PM

Quote from: dkutzNo I am talking about the hub itself. There is a smooth machined side and a side that is not smooth. I put the smooth side in and I think its supposed to go against the wheel. And yes it does fit that way. The bearings are in the correct way just the hub is backward...

I'm really confused here. I think that the inner bearings are larger than the outer bearings. I just can't imagine how you could possibly put it on backwards. Then again, like I said, I've never tried it.

If you put the hub in backward, the lug nut studs would be facing in. You couldn't put the wheel on........what am I missing here? :eyecrazy:

Get out the old digital camera....dust it off and take a picture.....I must be dense or something because I just don't get it. :banghead:

Here's the hub:

The studs must be sticking out toward you, in order to put on the wheel.

brainpause · Mar 13, 2007, 08:42 PM

I'm with Wayne. I'm not quite getting it.

Larry

dkutz · Mar 13, 2007, 09:32 PM

I will try to take pictures tomorrow. This is a 93 starcraft, there are no studs on the hub, the wheel bolts to the hub with four bolts. And no you can put it on backward, I just did! the bearings are the same inside and out.. I promise. I will take pics tomorrow

wavery · Mar 13, 2007, 09:46 PM

Quote from: dkutzI will try to take pictures tomorrow. This is a 93 starcraft, there are no studs on the hub, the wheel bolts to the hub with four bolts. And no you can put it on backward, I just did! the bearings are the same inside and out.. I promise. I will take pics tomorrow

If the bearings are the same and the wheels are centered, it shouldn't make any difference which way the hub goes on. Did the grease cap go on?? If it did, it may be made to go either way.

NOW!!! having said all that, every bearing makes a unique pattern on it's particular race. IF.......you got the correct bearing with the correct race, you may be OK. If you mixed up the bearings and races, you may experience premature bearing failure. In that case and/or if you aren't sure, you may want to consider replacing the bearings the next time that you repack.

chip · Mar 13, 2007, 09:54 PM

If I understand your conundrum, look at it this way:

The grease seal goes to the inside. And yes, if the "hub" is indeed backward, you will have a problem. The seal seals against a surface on the spindle; that is the purpose of the rubber part on the inside of the seal. If the hub is backward, you are tightening the castle nut up against the grease seal and may damage it.

If this is the case, and you haven't destroyed the seal, turn it around. I have had a couple of trailers with inner and outer bearings the same. Makes it interesting getting the bearings and races matched up during reassembly.

wavery · Mar 13, 2007, 10:07 PM

Quote from: chipIf I understand your conundrum, look at it this way:

The grease seal goes to the inside. And yes, if the "hub" is indeed backward, you will have a problem. The seal seals against a surface on the spindle; that is the purpose of the rubber part on the inside of the seal. If the hub is backward, you are tightening the castle nut up against the grease seal and may damage it.

If this is the case, and you haven't destroyed the seal, turn it around. I have had a couple of trailers with inner and outer bearings the same. Makes it interesting getting the bearings and races matched up during reassembly.

Ya.....good point. Now again, if the seal also fit on the other side of the hub, I suppose it could be made to go either way.

dkutz · Mar 13, 2007, 10:14 PM

the seal is on the correct side of the hub. EVERYTHING fits backwards. My question is is that ok? The only difference I see is the wheel isn't completely flush with the hub. Took a 100+ mile trip this way and didn't have problems, hopefully its ok.

wavery · Mar 13, 2007, 10:27 PM

Quote from: dkutzthe seal is on the correct side of the hub. EVERYTHING fits backwards. My question is is that ok? The only difference I see is the wheel isn't completely flush with the hub. Took a 100+ mile trip this way and didn't have problems, hopefully its ok.

It doesn't seem like it would be a big deal to pull it off, take the seal out and put the seal on the other side (have a new seal on hand just in case) and put it back together. The wheel should fit flush. You don't want the wheel vibrating loose. Obviously, you don't feel comfortable about it. You might sleep better if you just straighten it out.

You still have the concern about having an uneven wear pattern on the bearings. It wouldn't necessarily be catastrophic but it may cause pre-mature failure due to over-heating from un-even friction.

AustinBoston · Mar 14, 2007, 08:50 AM

I'm with wavery on this one - if it bothers you, fix it (and it's a good idea to anyway). I would probably spring for new bearings and races as well. They tend to end up "mated" and don't always wear well when mixed.

Oh, and next time, spread out enough newspaper/ tarp/ whatever so that you can lay out the parts in order and not think about where they go going back together.

Austin

News:

Did I screw up bearing repack