Repacking Bearings

[rdecker1462]

Many may find this funny, but I now know more about repacking bearings than I ever dreamed.  I want to give some insight to other first-timers.  I bought a '91 Coleman Chesapeake last year and all is good.  So this year I decided to repack bearings.  Took off the tire, dust cap and packing nut. Pulled the hub and took out the old bearings and grease seal, and took them to Autozone to get new ones.  They didn't have them.  Went to 4 other places before I got them. I'll spare you the long and agonizing details.  I NOW know that for this trailer, you need National #L44610 (or Federal Mogul A-4) bearings, which are 1-1/16" I.D. and a Victor 47544 (or Federated F482163N) grease seal.  Be very careful on the grease seal because it has a 1-3/8" I.D., while apparently the industry standard for most trailers is a grease seal with a 1-1/4" I.D. And of course when you try to put the wrong size seal on the spindle it won't work, and you end up mashing the seal so you can't return it!  When I finally figured this out and got the right grease seals, I didn't want them to fall out, so I pushed them way in (too far) up next to the bearings, which (I found out later) caused the bearings to tear up the seals when I test drove, which caused a little too much slop (endplay) in the wheel, which caused both of my dust caps to fall out somewhere during the test drive.  I then went to Tractor Supply and bought two standard 2" dust caps.  Only apparently the Coleman hubs are not quite 2", maybe 1-31/32, so that they were REALLY snug, so that when I hammered the first one on with a rubber mallot, (and I really had to hammer it), I ended up splitting the hub!  I cannot believe that one of those whimpy dust caps would split the hub, but it did.  Put about a 1" long crack right in it.  So then, I had to go back to Tractor Supply and buy 2 new 1-1/16" replacement hubs, which come with the bearings and grease seal already installed.  Only the grease seal (remember that?) is only 1-1/4" I.D. instead of the 1-3/8" I.D. to fit the Coleman spindle, so I had to buy 2 new grease seals again.  Also, I found out when I pulled the hub that I had seated the grease seal too deeply, and the bearings were rubbing against the seals, which chewed them all up. Finally, I got the right size seals into the new hubs.  When seating the seals, only put them in so that they are flush with the outside of the hub, and no deeper.  That leaves a small space between the bearing and seal. (Go ahead, those of you who know this already can laugh!).  On went the hub, on went the packing nut, correct amount of endplay, NEW cotter pin (very important), and finally the whimpy dust cap that split my old hub, (fit perfectly in the new hub).  Test drive and all is right with the world again.  

Who said camping is not an adventure!

[fleagalbaum]

it sounds like you have the same luck as I do getting repairs done.  a one hour job turns into a 3 day ordeal and costs 4 times as much.

[Jim K in PA]

rdecker - welcome to PUT!

Great first post.  Thanks for sharing your experience (and pain) with the bearing adventure.  I know it was not fun for you at the time, but it is a good read now!  

Post some pics of your camper when you can.

[aw738]

For future referance the A-4 bearing set fits a 1970 Plymouth Beracuda. Front outer bearing with 9" drum brakes. If you are out on the road and need a bearing just remember the classic muscle car.

[4Kellys]

I just went through the same thing with my 93 coleman.I bought a wheel bearing kit at napa and the grease seals were to small.Went to several places to find the correct ones and they looked at me like I had 3 heads.Finally I put the old ones back in until I can locate the correct ones.Did tracter supply get you the right seals.I thought this could only happen to me.I feel your pain

[rdecker1462]

I just went through the same thing with my 93 coleman.I bought a wheel bearing kit at napa and the grease seals were to small.Went to several places to find the correct ones and they looked at me like I had 3 heads.Finally I put the old ones back in until I can locate the correct ones.Did tracter supply get you the right seals.I thought this could only happen to me.I feel your pain

No actually, what I had to do was take the brand new grease seals and inner bearings out of the new hubs that I got at Tractor Supply, and replace then with the correct grease seals (Federated F482163N) and new A-4 bearings (or National #L44610).  I got the grease seals at Federated Auto Parts (may be Fisher Auto Parts in some areas).  They didn't have them in the store I went to, but they had them at their main distribution warehouse, which is in Staunton, VA, which lucky for me is where I live, so I was able to drive to the warehouse and pick them up.  :p  NAPA should be able to cross reference the grease seal with either of the two numbers I gave you.  Also, the new bearings that came with the hub from Tractor Supply did not have the same rounded inner race that the A-4 bearing will have, which is important, because it needs that to fit perfectly up against the machined area of the spindle.  So, I took out the new grease seals and discarded them, and took out the new inner bearings and wrapped them up and saved them for the next time I replace bearings, to be used on the outside of the hub.  They work OK there.  

Also, I am happy to report that I hit the road on July 2nd, and came back July 6th after a 400 mile round trip, and everything performed perfectly.   :-()

[rdecker1462]

For the guy who wanted pictures, check this one out.  This is how I move my camper around at home.  It's much easier to manuver, and boy does it look cool! That's a Kubota RTV900, and it's all the power you need.