trailer vibrating bad...need some help

[RFoster130]

Well I spent the last 4 days on a boat trip out of town. It is about 4 hours away. Trailer did fine on the way down. On the the way back, it was doing fine on the back roads. Once we got on the highway, I started feeling a horrible vibration. Looking in the mirror, the right side of the trailer was bouncing hard. I could see the fender above the right tire bouncing pretty much constantly. I pulled over and everything looked fine.

Tire pressure was good and nothing looked broken on the leaf spring. Both wheels have bearing buddies and had been greased prior to leaving on the trip. I didnt have any choice but to continue the drive home. It was very rough and I could see both wheels bouncing very hard. I think the left side may have just been bouncing from the vibration on the right side. It actually bounced and vibrated so hard that it ripped the wires out of both brand new LED lights on the right fender. It also broke the plastic where the latch on the driver side of the boat connects to the windscreen.

Once home, there was a ton of dust on the right rear of the trailer. It looked like a rusty version of the brake dust you get on wheels. I know nothing about trailers but can figure most things out. I am guessing a bearing or something in the rotating assembly is shot. Does this sound consistent?

I am thinking about just ordering new wheels and tires anyway. So that will rule them out. Anyone know where I can find directions on how to replace bearings or whatever else may be in there? I guess I will try google and look for you tube videos.

I have gone and looked on ebay and google. It looks like I can just swap out both entire hub assemblies. Is it just a big nut and cotter pin that holds the whole thing on like on cars? If so, how do i figure out what size I need?

 

[Dr Honda]

well, at least you made it home.


There are a few thing out on the net on how to change them... but it's not too hard to do.

You will need 2 bearing kits. (1-1/16 id) pop the grease caps off. remove the nut, and slide the hub off of the axle. Clean out all the old grease. use a punch, an knock out the old races from the hub. press in the new races, grease up the new bearings. put the rear bearing in, and tap in your new seal. (flush with the hub face) put a little grease on the seal and the axle, and slide the hub back on. Slide the new bearing on the front. replace the washer and axle nut. tighten it down until you feel just a slight drag on the hub. install a new cotter pin, and finally install the grease cap.

If you have bearing buddies... pump them up.

Oh... wear some old clothes. The old grease will get everywhere.

 

[RFoster130]

Thanks Doc!!! I thought that is how they worked. I think I am going to go the route of replacing the entire hub assembly. That way I know all the parts are new and the races are good also. I found them for 50 bucks for both. Seemed like a good deal. That and new rims and tired and I should be good.

One question though, can the bearing buddies be popped out and then reused on new hubs?

 

[Dr Honda]

Thanks Doc!!!

One question though, can the bearing buddies be popped out and then reused on new hubs?

Yup. As long as they are the same size. They should be since you aren't changing the axle.

They aren't the easiest things to get out since they are rigid. What I do is get a large set of channel lock pliers (slip joint) and grab the outer lip. Then, give it one good whack with a hammer. Then, rotate 180 degrees, grab it again, and whack it. You will probably have to go back and forth 4 or 5 times... but it will come out. Then... just tap it in to the new hub after you get it installed on the axle.

One word of advice... make sure you tap it in straight. If it gets too far sideways... you will warp the housing, and it may not get tight in the new hub.

 

[RFoster130]

1 more thing before i order these hubs. Do these look like the right ones?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TWO-..._Camper_Parts_Accessories&hash=item563c408680

 

[Dr Honda]

Yes... but you may have a 1.25" seal. But for that price... it's not a big deal. Look on ebay, and you will find 2 seals (1.25 ID, 1.98 OD) for about $7 shipped.

Email the guy. If he is a trailer shop... he can probably just add them in for a few $$$.

Then use what ever one you need.

 

[RFoster130]

I came home and jacked it up today. There is no play at all pushing and pulling on the wheel and trying to move side to side. Taking the bearing buddy off, everything looks like it is in good shape. With the wheel off the ground, I can spin it and it has an obvious problem. Almost looks like a section of the tire going around is flat and square. I am thinking it is a busted belt or something with the tire. I already ordered new wheels and tires. I figure since it is so cheap though I might as well swap out those hub assemblies. That way I know it is good to go.

 

[seadooya]

Yo Foster...trailer sitting dormant for the winter, created a flat spot on her. No need for hubs assy, buddy.

 

[RFoster130]

Thats kinda what I thought. But I took it out for a 45 minute drive to the lake and back a few weeks ago and it was fine. Then this past weekend it was fine for the 4 hour trip down there. Just started being rough on the ride home.

If that is a problem with these tires, for the winter when it sits, should I just the trailer up with the tires off the ground and support the trailer by the axle?

 

[seadooya]

Thats what i'd do, IF i hadda boat....

 

[LeeZeitvogel]

I have a trailer at work I have been hauling a few for 11 years at my job. Tires have a life span of about 5 years if you use them regularly then they will dry rot and crack and come apart. I had a trailer my boss bought for $2000 it was a Big tex utility trailer and I drove it for about a month and all of the sudden on a road trip an hour away, we had about a 4000 lb load on it, 3 tires came apart at the same time and we had to jack it up and block it off and go to a tire shop with 3 tires to be replaced! And when you do the wheel bearings just do one side at a time like breaks on a car so you know where everything goes to put it back together. If you have a digital camera those help too to reference back to. Also if you have trouble getting the races in the hub use a block of wood like a 2x4 or 2x6 to pad it and hit the wood with a hammer to get em to seat well so you dont damage the metal. Same goes for the bearing caps too.

 

[05GTXSC]

This thread is a year old....

 

[LeeZeitvogel]

Yeah I know, and this tread is still here for other members to read and gain knowledge from. So any helpful info should be appreciated for future members with similar problems....

 

[Phildoo]

I had the same vibration. The new tire and wheels were never balanced.

 

[RFoster130]

Just to update what fixed it last year. It was a busted belt in the tire. The previous owner lived on a lake and never used the trailer so the tires were 12 years old and dry rotted. I should have probably replaced them before. I bought new tires and wheels off ebay for 160 shipped to my door. Its good as new.

 

[logans runner]

Most if not all trailer utility, boat and even 5th wheel rv are being supplied with thires made by our Chineese friends and this has lead to alot of failures and troubles. I researched for my fifth wheel last rear as the tires were rotted within weeks and the replacements under warranty were almost worse. I believe that Keystone actually still manufactures a tire in the USA.

Just my nickle,