Mystery of the Warmer Hub Solved!

[flyfisherman]

Awhile back I posted a simple question here and you cannot believe the smartalec answers I got ...! (really wanted to use another word here!)

Here, per se, is what I posted ...

When traveling down the pike, towing the little Starcraft (most always with a canoe on top of it) and when I stop off at a rest area. or to get gas, or whatever, I go through a little check-over ritual;  I check the hitch, make sure the canoe is still lashed down tight and check the axle hubs and tires. Obviously a visual for the tires, but also a little touchy-feel to see if they are HOT - same for the hubs. One time I had a slow leak in a tire and it was maybe half way deflated and you cannot believe how hot it was! Usually they are warm to the touch, not overly so, but warm. I always noted, especially in the hot summer time, the curb side hub would always be warmer than the driver's side hub. First I thought it was maybe a lack of grease but when checking that out later, such was not the case. Then I got the bright idea to post this on the board here and I got anything but a sensible response!    

Well, you'll be pleased to know that I got what seems the most logical answer. My friend has a Jayco and he had dropped it off at the dealer for servicing ... wheels bearings and such. I went with him to pick up the camper and that got me to thinking and so I asked this old curmudgeon of a service manager why my one hub was always warmer than the other. He said that was simple ... it was because of the slope or curvature of the road toward the curbside. He said as the camper weaves and pitches it's way down the road there's always a tendency to shift more weight toward the curbside and that will be the side the bearings will wear out on first.

Now you'd think there would have been someone on this board smart enough to have figured that out ... but nooooo. Only smartalecs! So now everyone knows.



Fly

[Russinator]

Hey Fly, thanks for the info.

I'm looking forward to reading the replies you get to this thread.

Russ

[austinado16]

Hey Fly, thanks for the info.

I'm looking forward to reading the replies you get to this thread.

Russ

Somehow I'm not surprised about the kind of responses you received.

I have the same little ritual when I stop for fuel/bathroom/etc.  I bring an infrared temp gun and zap the TV tires and compare those #'s to the PUP (or other trailer tires) and zap the hub centers too.  I also do a hand's on, so I can relate that digital reading to real world, "How hot do these feel."

I too noticed the curb side was hotter during our run to the Grand Canyon, I was thinking, "I wonder if it's due to road slope." But then I thought, "Naw.....this side of the trailer is facing due south, it's about 105*F and the sun is just baking this thing."

However, on the trip home, it was the north side that was running hotter (we were traveling east-to-west).

Ha! We need to install curb side cool air hub ducting on our PUPs!  I'm visualizing some 4" diameter ABS pipe mounted under the frame with plumber's tape seft-tapping screwed to the frame, and a 90 EL directing air from in front of the PUP directly onto the hub......oh, and some fancy skirting!

[wavery]

Somehow I'm not surprised about the kind of responses you received.

I have the same little ritual when I stop for fuel/bathroom/etc.  I bring an infrared temp gun and zap the TV tires and compare those #'s to the PUP (or other trailer tires) and zap the hub centers too.  I also do a hand's on, so I can relate that digital reading to real world, "How hot do these feel."

I too noticed the curb side was hotter during our run to the Grand Canyon, I was thinking, "I wonder if it's due to road slope." But then I thought, "Naw.....this side of the trailer is facing due south, it's about 105*F and the sun is just baking this thing."

However, on the trip home, it was the north side that was running hotter (we were traveling east-to-west).

Ha! We need to install curb side cool air hub ducting on our PUPs!  I'm visualizing some 4" diameter ABS pipe mounted under the frame with plumber's tape seft-tapping screwed to the frame, and a 90 EL directing air from in front of the PUP directly onto the hub......oh, and some fancy skirting!

I've got some spare 12v computer case fans that I can send you. Mount those suckers just right and BINGO....problem solved. :sombraro:

[austinado16]

I've got some spare 12v computer case fans that I can send you. Mount those suckers just right and BINGO....problem solved. :sombraro:

But riddle me this batman......would it be better to have them mounted blowing onto the hub, or drawing air through it?  heheheeee

[Old Goat]

Hey Fly,  You being an old timer like my self, have you noticed how the great human virtue of good common sense is rapidly becomming uncommon and a thing of the past? I think those smartalec answers you got earlier for your question are a very good example of this.........

OG

[flyfisherman]

Hey Fly,  You being an old timer like my self, have you noticed how the great human virtue of good common sense is rapidly becomming uncommon and a thing of the past? I think those smartalec answers you got earlier for your question are a very good example of this.........

OG

Bill ... your so right ... around here, we get no respect!


And the government has got to be a prize example for the lack of common sense!

[aw738]

I work for an auto parts store with it's corporate offices in Roanoke VA. We have a saying at the store that goes:

As far as "Roanoke" is concerned, common sense will NOT be tolerated.

[tlhdoc]

I work for an auto parts store with it's corporate offices in Roanoke VA. We have a saying at the store that goes:
 
As far as "Roanoke" is concerned, common sense will NOT be tolerated.

I think that is the way all corporations are run.

[mudrider420]

i wonder if you change out the hub to be oil-cooled, will it keep the heat down??

[Old Goat]

i wonder if you change out the hub to be oil-cooled, will it keep the heat down??

If a wheel bearing is well cleaned, greased and adjusted properly when serviced it will run warm and not heat up. In cool weather it will probably not even get warm  and run cold depending on the tempature. I have wheel covers on so I don't check them or the lug nuts. I do service them every two years or so depending on the milage. I trust my own work and have never had a problem, so why worry? I don't.....

[flyfisherman]

i wonder if you change out the hub to be oil-cooled, will it keep the heat down??

From what I understand those oil bath wheel bearing set-ups are great for big trucking rigs that are on the highway constantly but no so practical for the occasional on the road RV'er. And there's the cost factor, too. Actually, My little Starcraft has been down the road for some serious miles since it was new; been through one set of bearings. For the most part the regular hubs & bearings (don't have the EZ-lube hubs) are serviced annually and I've never had a problem, so just doing the regular servicing has been satisfactory. Like I posted orginally, one hub always was runs a little warmer than the other, but that's not excessively hot.



Fly

[dirtracin]

Fly, thanks for the post, the curb side bearings on my pup does get a little warmer than the other side too and seeing how I did them myself I was wondering if I did something wrong