Trailer bearing failure - need advice

[Rick Kirchner]

Last week I was hauling some stuff back from LA and noticed a problem with the trailer - smelled like hot brakes, and eventually the wheel became totally black.

Never got real hot though, not even as hot as it gets towing in the summer.

Heard a lot of grinding and squealing. Problem of course was just what was I going to do in the middle of the LA metroplex. Race trailer full of tools, I could get it apart and then what?

So I opted to drag it home.

Outside bearing survived and that's what was holding the wheel on. Both brake shoes gone. The inner races were still there, but there was nothing, absolutely nothing left of the rollers inside. a lot of grooving of the axle, and I had to cut the inner race off the axle.

Went after it with a Roloc disc and polished it a bit. Could do more.

What are your experiences with axle integrity after something like this. Axle is a torsion, don't know if the stub can have the welds ground off and a new one pressed in.

Replacing the whole assembly is probably going to be $1K....

[David Ferguson]

You replace the whole axle. It comes complete with brakes, & hubs ready to bolt on.

[Lastminuteracin]

Fix it right with a new axle. Don't skimp. You have to consider what's riding in it too.

[veeten]

Same damage to my Pace Axle last year.
Wanted to go new axle but none available.
Polished damage and replaced bearings and drum and shoes.
16 K miles last year on it after repair
We pulled it apart this winter all looks good.
New axle with all brakes now $1300 and 6 week wait.
I plan to gamble on it holding up

[DanW]

Rick,

I've used this company for trailer parts for more than 15 years. Get the axle info and contact them. They have
treated me really well. https://www.randpcarriages.com/

They have an e-bay store with an impressive inventory of parts available.

Regards,
Dan

[Rick Kirchner]

You replace the whole axle. It comes complete with brakes, & hubs ready to bolt on.

Unfortunately it's welded, so at a minimum I'm going to have to get it to B'field or Lancaster, maybe all the way to Carson (who replaced the same axle several years ago when it got bent).

Totally flummoxed as to what caused this.

[Hawke]

Unfortunately it's welded, so at a minimum I'm going to have to get it to B'field or Lancaster, maybe all the way to Carson (who replaced the same axle several years ago when it got bent).

Totally flummoxed as to what caused this.

Rick, in a previous life, I worked for a major caravan manufacturer here in Australia. Axles, hubs and bearings were sourced from China, with price driving selection. They were then fitted by a “welder” who often left slag and welding wire on bearing and seal surfaces. Poor bearings, bad fitment meant many many failures. Conditions here can be pretty bad for towing. However, some stuff had Alko - German - suspension. Hardly any failures.

My own race trailer has had a similar failure. Now replaced with quality bearings, along with a spare hub fitted with bearings, seals and grease. It now has a similar maintenance check list as the race car, as does the tow car.

No trailer or tow car - no racing. We spend a crap load of time and money getting the car set up, and it’s let down by a $2 **** bearing.

[Rick Kirchner]

Rick, in a previous life, I worked for a major caravan manufacturer here in Australia. Axles, hubs and bearings were sourced from China, with price driving selection.

No trailer or tow car - no racing. We spend a crap load of time and money getting the car set up, and it’s let down by a $2 **** bearing.

Mine were Dexter. But I'd serviced all 4 not long prior, so it was probably my fault in some way. Still have the LR locking if the controller is turned up so I need to get in there and sort that one out.

Looks like I'll just disconnect the other front brake, buy some cheap bearings from NAPA and get the thing going enough to get to a shop.

[billtebbutt]

Mine were Dexter. But I'd serviced all 4 not long prior, so it was probably my fault in some way. Still have the LR locking if the controller is turned up so I need to get in there and sort that one out.

Looks like I'll just disconnect the other front brake, buy some cheap bearings from NAPA and get the thing going enough to get to a shop.

Rick I had the exact same thing happen to me, and that was 15 years ago (Dexter axle as well). Got home on 3 wheels, cleaned up the axle, found some proper Timken bearings, and put it all back together. Still working just fine today, but I admit I keep a closer eye on bearings than perhaps I used to....

cheers,
bt

[DaveW]

Mine were Dexter. But I'd serviced all 4 not long prior, so it was probably my fault in some way. Still have the LR locking if the controller is turned up so I need to get in there and sort that one out.

Looks like I'll just disconnect the other front brake, buy some cheap bearings from NAPA and get the thing going enough to get to a shop.

One brake locking often means that one or more of the other 3 has an open circuit - ask me how I know... That leads to excess voltage/amperage at the remaining functional pucks. On my 1st electric brake trailer I had only 1 functional brake out of 4 after only a few years of use. Three pucks had broken wires.

The most common failure is the wires fatiguing off from vibration where they enter the pucks. When I get new pucks I put some RTV around the wires there as a strain relief.

[Rick Kirchner]

Thanks for that tip Dave! I've been meaning to build a trailer tester. Heck though, that's just one of a dozen things I need to get done.

I spent two days wringing out a bunch of wiring problems on this thing. The trailer internal harness did not follow the color standard. The Chinese cable I used to replace the original one didn't either - and different colors to boot. And to make matters worse - I had a bad ground at the ramp door joint, and a mix of LED and incandescent. That will absolutely drive you nuts.

[DaveW]

...What are your experiences with axle integrity after something like this. Axle is a torsion, don't know if the stub can have the welds ground off and a new one pressed in.

Replacing the whole assembly is probably going to be $1K....

I've never had any stub axle look that bad. I wouldn't trust it, especially for long trips towing a racecar.