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Trailer help question


Dave K

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50 minutes ago, Ox said:

Turned out that my 4wd actuator wasn't working, and I was in 2wd.

Nothing like a lever on the floor.

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Well, that truck actually has a lever, it's the hub lock-outs that would have been "old skewl" in this case...

 

 

Edited by Ox
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2 hours ago, Strong Farmer said:

Wow that’s impressive. Was trailer weighted down with sleds at the time too? I always hated pulling empty trailers since they bounce around more behind you. 

4 sleds and "stuff".

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2 hours ago, Ox said:

I love my flatbed truck! :D

 

Only issue I ever had was one time when I was passing a string of trailers headin' north and just as I got beside the rubber duck, mine came loose.

All ended well, but there was quite a few rough seconds in there for us all...

 

Parked in the bush and all....

 

Turned out that my 4wd actuator wasn't working, and I was in 2wd.

Didn't even figger that out 'till the next summer. 

Years ago I had a F-250 which I had switched into 4WD and found out the hard way that the hubs were not engaged due to a vacuum hose leak.  All was good until the surprise when I got stuck on a hill and had to back down the hill.  Ford dealer said it was common back then.  Nice not to have to lock the hubs when it worked. 

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.... when it worked ....

 

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19 hours ago, sledjunk said:

I had the surge disc brakes on my previous trailer.  They have needed replacing a couple of times over the course of the 10 years I used it.  Electric brakes will need to be serviced and likely have parts replaced every year.  The disc brakes are more money up front, but, IMO, a better way to go.

My enclosed sled trailer has braking issues and it was serviced the previous year. Looks like I need to have the trailer brakes looked at a lot more often due to the salt. I thought I had brake controller issues until I hooked up a new to me travel trailer and the brakes locked up right away due to the high gain setting I set from the sled trailer. thanks for the info.

 

Jerry

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2 hours ago, grover_yyz said:

My enclosed sled trailer has braking issues and it was serviced the previous year. Looks like I need to have the trailer brakes looked at a lot more often due to the salt. I thought I had brake controller issues until I hooked up a new to me travel trailer and the brakes locked up right away due to the high gain setting I set from the sled trailer. thanks for the info.

 

Jerry

My trailer guy said bearings need more attention too in salt and sand in winter. I was also told not too use those easy hub grease fittings, since they re pack bearings with synthetic wheel grease and grease doesn’t go any where snd mixing is bad. This is from a respectable shop In area. 

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I'm not following this?

 

Where does synthetic come into the subject per the fitting?

Shirley the zerk will take dino grease - no?

 

I've never used one of those fancy covers to actually grease anything.

I think they just lay it beside the outside bearing?

 

A good design would have a grease zerk sticking right out he end of the axle, with a cross hole between the two bearings, but I don't know if anyone makes that style or not?

I really don't mess with trailer bearings all too often.

 

However - I doo make many shafts for commercial tensioners that ARE greased in the way that I said.

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1 hour ago, Ox said:

I'm not following this?

 

Where does synthetic come into the subject per the fitting?

Shirley the zerk will take dino grease - no?

 

I've never used one of those fancy covers to actually grease anything.

I think they just lay it beside the outside bearing?

 

A good design would have a grease zerk sticking right out he end of the axle, with a cross hole between the two bearings, but I don't know if anyone makes that style or not?

I really don't mess with trailer bearings all too often.

 

However - I doo make many shafts for commercial tensioners that ARE greased in the way that I said.

Dexter Axles are set up that way.  There may be another brand as well, but I'm not sure.

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The cross drill comes out between the seal and back bearing.  Spin the hub while greasing in the warm of summer and by the time you used half a cartridge, the new grease will have come through the back bearing, through the front bearing, and most of the old grease will puke on the ground. Feel the end play and adjust as needed.  If you hear something dragging change the bearings.

 

I think it is a good idea to buy real NTN or SKF cones and cups and replace the Chinese units in the hubs.  Don't buy the $20 blister pack bearing kit.

 

I use Dino grease.

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1 hour ago, Ox said:

I'm not following this?

 

Where does synthetic come into the subject per the fitting?

Shirley the zerk will take dino grease - no?

 

I've never used one of those fancy covers to actually grease anything.

I think they just lay it beside the outside bearing?

 

A good design would have a grease zerk sticking right out he end of the axle, with a cross hole between the two bearings, but I don't know if anyone makes that style or not?

I really don't mess with trailer bearings all too often.

 

However - I doo make many shafts for commercial tensioners that ARE greased in the way that I said.

Good System...……

The Dexter E-Z Lub Axles are center drilled and the cross drill is actually past the inner bearing so grease is pumped between the inner bearing and the inner hub seal.  That way it is forced back through the inner bearing and completely back through the center of the hub and finally through the outer bearing all around the axle.  Then you have to remove all the extra grease inside the hub cap and replace the rubber plug.

This action cleans out any "contaminated" grease whether synthetic or not as it purges.  The worry is that the grease viscosity is compatible with the ability of the inner seal to contain the grease.  This is why the tire/drum/hub/axle needs to be jacked up and able to be rotated as grease is pumped "slowly" through the hubs.

 

Not desirable………

"Bearing Buddies" are basically hub caps with spring loaded plungers to push grease toward the outer bearing only and never clean out the contaminated grease. 

 

NOT OK....

There are some with nothing more that a Zerk fitting in the hub cap which is almost guaranteed to blow the inner seals out.

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, sledjunk said:

Dexter Axles are set up that way.  There may be another brand as well, but I'm not sure.

Yes, My trailer is Dexter axles.  Use a half tube per axle, and away we go.  Grease zerk is in the middle of the shaft.

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17 hours ago, Strong Farmer said:

My trailer guy said bearings need more attention too in salt and sand in winter. I was also told not too use those easy hub grease fittings, since they re pack bearings with synthetic wheel grease and grease doesn’t go any where snd mixing is bad. This is from a respectable shop In area. 

Same here. I pull wheels and hubs and manually pack the bearings with a bearing packer. Forces the old grease out, new stuff in. Means a new seal every time but it makes for piece of mind.

 While in there I service the electric brakes. Pressure wash, lube the adjusters. Half a dozen trailers, it is time consuming and dirty.

 

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8 hours ago, gtserider said:

Some boat trailers are coning with oil filled hubs,clear site glass as a cap.You can see the level and contamination.Considering they are submersed in water,the results have been good.

That’s a good idea in theory. Only issue is Sometimes sight glasses get crap on them

snd you can’t see anything after oil is changed. We have them on new equipment now for hydraulic fluid. So far I am liking them and glasses are staying clear. But  equipment is only 17 months old now. 

Edited by Strong Farmer
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  • 2 weeks later...

So I decided to take the old axles off and repaint them while waiting on brake parts.  Aluminum frame held up really well over last 18 years.  Nothing to stop me from driving another 18 years.

 

Took the axle off, 4 coats of tremclad, and looks brand new.  I'm waiting for some SS bolts to come in to reinstall, then take  2nd axle off, wire brush and paint.  Then wheel bearings and reinstall.  Going to do wheel bearings on first axle once brake parts arrive.

 

Old bolts really held up for being 18 years old

15961106073997773272789747283272.jpg

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15961109652317864933808865204684.jpg

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On 7/14/2020 at 5:49 PM, Ox said:

You only have brakes on one axle?

 

 

 

A salesman at the Novi snowmobile show mentioned that trailers they send to Ontario only need brakes on one axle. New York State ( where that trailer was made) requires brakes on both axles. 

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One  salesman also mentioned they would issue Ontarians 2 invoices for trailer sales (I assume clam type).  One for trailer bed and one for the 'cap', since Ontario sales tax is only likely to be caught by MTO on the trailer bed when registering and licencing.

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2 hours ago, Dave K said:

So I decided to take the old axles off and repaint them while waiting on brake parts.  Aluminum frame held up really well over last 18 years.  Nothing to stop me from driving another 18 years.

 

Took the axle off, 4 coats of tremclad, and looks brand new.  I'm waiting for some SS bolts to come in to reinstall, then take  2nd axle off, wire brush and paint.  Then wheel bearings and reinstall.  Going to do wheel bearings on first axle once brake parts arrive.

 

Old bolts really held up for being 18 years old

 

 

 

Looking good Dave.  A couple of points, though.  First off, make sure the insulator between the axle and the chassis is in place and in good condition.  My trailer mechanic said that they often use a couple of layers of duct tape for that insulation.  The second point is to verify that the SS bolts are as strong as the steel bolts they are replacing,  I would suggest that you might be better off to use new bolts of the same grade as you are removing (likely Gr 8 judging by the way they resisted rusting) with a generous coat of antiseize.

JMO, but you are obviously doing a great job.

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1 minute ago, sledjunk said:

Looking good Dave.  A couple of points, though.  First off, make sure the insulator between the axle and the chassis is in place and in good condition.  My trailer mechanic said that they often use a couple of layers of duct tape for that insulation.  The second point is to verify that the SS bolts are as strong as the steel bolts they are replacing,  I would suggest that you might be better off to use new bolts of the same grade as you are removing (likely Gr 8 judging by the way they resisted rusting) with a generous coat of antiseize.

JMO, but you are obviously doing a great job.

The "gasket" is in good shape.  I do  have some rubber roofing material that I think I will add also.

 

  I asked my machinist/fabricator neighbour about bolts and said SS bolts are only one grade, but will be ok on this trailer ( he only uses SS when building a trailer)

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Given the very light cross section of that alum frame, I kan't imagine a grade 2 bolt not being overkill as is...

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Owners can do as they like with the bolts but in the trade, we are not allowed to use anything less than grade 5 Hardware. If there is ever an accident and the MTO investigates, there could be a very ugly lawsuit. I would recommend grade 8 cadmium washed Hardware for that job but Y’all can do what you want.

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1 hour ago, catinental couch said:

Owners can do as they like with the bolts but in the trade, we are not allowed to use anything less than grade 5 Hardware. If there is ever an accident and the MTO investigates, there could be a very ugly lawsuit. I would recommend grade 8 cadmium washed Hardware for that job but Y’all can do what you want.

Agreed %100. I would not personally use the ss hardware.  Grade 8, with either a cadnium coating or something similar,  and you will never have any more fastner worries..

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Cad is a very expensive and seldom used process, let alone for hardware.

You sure that you don't mean yellow zinc?

 

 

"Yes - the mfgr used 1/8" profile alum and the bolts pulled through without a thought aboot it, but the bolts are fine..."

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Dave,

 

Keep an eye on the weld on the axle square tube on top at the short side frame mounting bracket.  Mine cracked above the weld on both sides.   e\Ended up making a 3/16"  "U" plate to capture the tube from the bottom and had it welded all around to stiffen the bracket up to the top bend.  All is good after this past winter.  My trailer is only single axle so it took all the side force.  You may be OK with dual axles.

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