Harbor Freight Trailer - Removing Inner Wheel Bearing
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 лип 2024
- A guide on how to remove the inner wheel bearing and bearing seal without damage when assembling your Harbor Freight Haul Master trailer - applies to other idle axle trailer hubs as well. This bearing is skipped over in the Haul Master instructions, but needs cleaning and packing with fresh grease before use.
Thank you for posting this. It was very helpful. I tried tapping the seal with a punch but I was really afraid of damaging the bearing and/or the seal so I stopped and found your video. Your method ensures that an even force is applied to the bearing and seal. Very smart idea and thanks again for posting this. I think you saved me from yelling a lot of words I don't want my children to hear.
I did the exact same thing. This guy saved me a lot of aggravation!!!
How do you put the rear seal back? Just press it in?
My two cents and experience since it wasn't as easy as your video made it appear to be for your situation . Bought a used 10yo HF light duty version. Prior owner said it was used 'maybe 5 times' in that time. It is extremely clean and paint is virtually like new so I don't have reason to doubt it.
After removing the outside bearing I tried your method to remove the inside bearing. It didn't work because the flat washer was larger than the hub hause so the hub would not travel over the washer in order to make impact on the face of the inner bearing. I then tried hammering out the inner bearing and seal using a large socket on an extension. The old inner seal was practically welded to the hub and it took immense hammering force to pound it out. This was exactly the same situation for both hubs. It eventually came out but the inner seal destroyed as did one of the bearings which just disintegrated. I am now needing to do a bearing and seal replacement. My observation is that the old 'axle grease' was like thick almost dried glue. Brown in color. As I have read elsewhere it seems this is the original seal grease from the factory and may in fact not be axle grease at all. Anyway thanks for your video but I wanted to share my personal experience in case others also find it doesn't go quite as easily as your video depicted for you in your case.
I'm in the same boat as you right now. The back seal is like welded to the hub and I need to hammer it out to get it out of there. very frustrating.
Brilliant!!!! I can't believe how many people assemble these trailers without cleaning and repacking these bearings with quality grease. Awesome video. Thank you!!
Even HF is confused about the need to clean and repack the bearings. The store told me "that is your run-in grease" and HF tech support advised me to replace with "real American" grease before using. The instructions should be clearer. Anyway, THANK YOU for a fabulous video on how to remove the inner bearing. I was stymied with how I was going to clean and regrease that bearing without damaging something and your method worked FLAWLESSLY.
Thank you! This was exactly the video I needed to watch. The instructions for the trailer don't say anything about taking the wheel hub apart. Great video!
Use a 32mm socket and extension and tap out the inner bearing and seal from the inside of the hub. A 32mm socket fits perfectly on the outside race of the inner bearing. Much easier, faster and better then yanking and banging.
i like the washer method, ive never owned 32mm socket, ill keep my eye out for one at the flea market swap meet junk show
@Nicholas T No, race center diameter is larger than bearing outer cage.
Thank you for a clear & concise video
Worked great for an assembled HF trailer in the folded and upright position. Thanks.
Great vid. watched, went to store bought required material and just finished the first wheel. There was no grease in the rear bearing, nothing. it was almost cleaner then the front bearing after i cleaned it. Glad i stumbled across your video, the bearing were my task for today, u made it easier. thx u
Thank You. Very nice (and very clean!) work and just enough info without any unnecessary information (or barking dog or crying babies!). I never thought of taking a complete spare. I think I will do that on my boat trailer going forward. Great insurance!
Thanks a lot for creating/posting this.
The Chinese manufacturer of these trailers packs the wheel bearings in some kind of rust inhibitor shipping grease (e.g., cosmoline), definitely NOT suitable for road use. This fact SHOULD be clearly stated in the manufacturer's instructions, but isn't, and as Ben has pointed out, that leads to a LOT of mistakes/confusion for buyers, including me at first. Not knowing this, I replaced the OE dust caps with Bearing Buddies, and just used the grease fitting on the Buddies to fill the hubs, thinking it would mix with the other stuff and be "good enough." After a little more study, however, I realized that was a mistake, and opened/repacked the outer bearings. Fortunately, at that point, I hadn't used the trailer for anything but a few unloaded tests, and a few short distance "dump runs."
Then I saw this video, and realized I had only done "half" the job; opened the hubs again, and cleaned/repacked the inner bearings too. I'm SO glad I did. Now my mind's at peace knowing that ALL the bearings are packed in a proper, high-speed rated grease. I would have had no idea how to get at the inner bearing without damaging the seal if I hadn't seen your video, which explained the process perfectly. Very simple! Thanks so much.
Thanks for this helpful reply. I just bought a used HF trailer from a neighbor and think I need to replace one of the wheel's bearings. Could you tell me where I can find a reputable/quality source for them? HF was reluctant to work with me in getting a part because I'm not the original buyer. :/
@@thisisalwaysatest: First, if you're doing one, I'd do 'em all. But if you're trying to limit cost, at least pull them all out, clean the bearings and hub races thoroughly, and carefully inspect everything for any pitting/damage. I don't know the right part number/size for ordering new ones (there is a number on the bearing shown in Ben's vid, but the hub size on your trailer could be different), but I believe they're a common, metric size. Just bring one of your existing bearings to a local auto parts store. They'll measure it and fix you up with proper replacements, or at least give you exact info on what you need and where you can get it. Bring a seal too, in case you also need a replacement for one or both of those. Second, I wouldn't rely on info from HF on internal parts like this anyway, even if they were willing to "work with me" ... e.g., the HF rep won't be the one stuck on a roadside somewhere with a fried trailer axle ...
@@dmrtechnology6033 Thanks for the super helpful response! I fixed them this past weekend and they seem to be working fine. I'll do as you suggest and keep a greased up pair of bearings and seals with my trailer. Thanks again.
@@dmrtechnology6033 Here's the bearing (and seal) kit on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H5QP9AC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=ddndddddddhdk-20&linkId=c5426caa91c4f1653279d8a7901d5773
@@timwalsh8198 .... thanks a lot for posting this. I'm still using the original bearings and inner seal, but I'll probably buy another pair of sets to keep as spares/backup, especially with Amazon's good price on the set. One of the things I noticed when repacking the originals is that the inner hub surface the seal fits into is pretty rough (I don't think the manufacturer does any honing/smoothing of that surface after it's taken out of the forge/mold), and causes some damage to the outer edge of the seal when it's being pushed out/in. I'm regularly inspecting the seals for any signs of leaking/failure, but they're fine so far.
Thank you for an awesome video. That method of pulling the inner seal off is awesome. I'm repacking my bearings, the seals still look good (soft, no cracks or cuts) so I can reuse them. Sure, they are cheap enough to buy new, but that takes time and it's not really necessary. My advice to newbies, if you don't know what a bad seal looks like, best to replace with new.
First, many thanks for taking the time to show us how to do it right. The instructions say nothing about getting the bearings out. But, it looks like they added a highlighted section saying that the packing grease (blue) should be removed thoroughly. I'm thinking that the problem some folks had with used trailers was that removing the packing grease was never done and the heat and water just glued that rear seal to the hub. I know my buddy was telling me that you don't have to clean and repack those new bearings. But I've seen enough UA-cam videos to know better. I've got some good Valvoline Moly grease. My rear seals won't be stuck to the hub.
You are the man! I’m putting together my first ever trailer to haul my hunting kayak, I’ve been scratching my head for 2 hours trying to figure out how was going to clean that inner bearing. Wish I could buy you a beer.
Dunno if anyone gives a damn but if you are stoned like me during the covid times you can stream all of the new series on Instaflixxer. Been watching with my girlfriend for the last few months xD
@Walter Andy yea, have been watching on Instaflixxer for years myself :)
Sounds like the typical dumb hillbilly with a hunting kayak. Hope it tips over in the rapids
Great video! I was going to use a punch to get rear seal
Out. One out of 2 of my hubs came with the wrong size seal. Your way is much better. Also dont forget your cotter pin in the castle nut. Castle nut goes on just over hand tight for anyone wondering👍
Great video!! Very very helpful and crucial
thanks! All the info needed in 5.5 mins
This was soo helpful. Thanks
You're amazing! Thanks for the upload
@ben g part# for the seal is 30x52x10
Great video 👍
If you are planning to put some miles on the trailer it may be well worth chunking the Chinese bearings and races and replacing with Timken or equivalent.
Well done. Thank you!
Very helpful, thanks!
Well done thanks mate.
Great video thanks
Thank you!
How do you reinstall the inner bearing...it wont seem to go on the axle collar, or seat
If i want to replace the wheel hub.. what could be my possibilities?
Old School sometimes you won't need the washer on the castle nut just the nut and pull.
What size is this axle washer? I can't find shit for this trailer in stores and have to order everything lol I bent the washer using the method here and tried to flatten it back out but would feel better with a new one.
Thanks for the very helpful video. I tried using your technique, but couldn't get the inner bearing to come out. Since you had to put the camera down when you pulled, how would you describe your pull? Big running start, then hit the washer/castle nut? or Bring the wheel up to the washer/castle nut then give a big pull? Or something else? Thanks!
Short solid slams into the castle nut.
@@bgiddins Thanks! Actually, it took 15 - 20 short slams into the washer/castle nut (enough force that it started to move the frame). But, the inner bearing is out, undamaged, and cleaned up!
I cleaned up the bearings and added grease when I assembled mine, didn't really pack them perfectly as I hadn't watched the packing bearings videos before. But yeah nothing about the inner bearing in my instruction manual! I've put about 100 miles on my trailer so far, nothing heavy on it only about 200 pounds total. Guess I have yet another project in line ugh. Does using the grease fitting and squirting in extra grease help short term, I kind of need the trailer and don't want to burn up the bearings before I get enough time to fart with this.
See my post, above. The inner bearing comes sealed/packed with a different kind of grease than the shipping stuff they put on the outer bearing, so you should be fine for now, but don't put the job off too long. It really isn't that hard to do, and you'll rest easier once you've personally inspected/packed both bearing assemblies yourself, and know exactly what's in there.
If you add through the grease fitting until oozes out from the cap or the seal, you will be OK. I did that with my first HF trailer. My most recent acquisition I repacked the bearings just to try something different and to avoid mixing greases.
Hey, Awesome Video, Would You Happen To Have A Lead On The Axle Seals? I Found A Pair Like Yours But I Need Thinner Ones With Same Inner And Outer Diameter . The Stock Ones Are Probably Half The Replacement Harbor Freight Ones I Found.
The manual from the manufacturer needs to be more clear on the grease that comes with the trailer. It doesn't specifically say to remove the "packing grease" although several videos from owners claim that is what needs to be done. Someone not seeing those videos might just assemble using the "packing grease" and consider it mission complete. I'm also confused about the 45 mile an hour limit and whether that is just a standard tire limit and buying a new tire would be better, or if there is some limitation on the overall trailer structure and bearings.
Question: is it really necessary to fill the hub with grease using the zerk fitting? Seems like a waste of grease that is not doing anything. I have several videos that shows guys pumping full the hub and then filling up the dust cover. Why?
Just the way I was shown to do it. One potential benefit is that it fills up space that water could otherwise occupy. Grease is pretty cheap.
Wow.
The grease zeark my neighbor said could not get gun to fit on I watched video and will have to show him that there is packing grease
Any idea what size socket did you use to tighten the castle nut? Bought one 2 days ago, still in the progress to finishing it.
Don't use a socket - do it up fingertight, then back it off to line the cotter pin hole up with a slot in the castle nut.
Once again, I'm with Ben. You can use a wrench to tighten down the castle nut, but spin the wheel while you're doing it, and as soon as you start feeling/seeing ANY resistance to turning, stop, and back the nut up until one of its slots lines up with the spindle hole for your cotter pin.
@@bgiddins I used a socket and tightend it up fairly tight to make sure the bearing was seated nicely, then backed it off, finger tightened and then put in the cotter pin. That shouldn't have damaged it or anything, right?
@@tjtewshews5531 doesn't sound like it would
@@bgiddins I bent the washer a little when beating the inner bearing out with it. It cupped the washer a little. I beat it with a hammer to try and get it back flat but it's still a little out of shape. Do you think it would be ok to use because I can't find these washers anywhere. Does it really need to sit perfectly flat against the bearing?
Is that the flat washer that came with your trailer? Mine is too big and will not pass the racer.
Yes, it was the one supplied.
My trailer also has the same problem. My washer was a bit big too much to do this trick. Finding a smaller washer at the store for the sole purpose of pulling is prob the best solution.
Are both inner and outer bearings the same?
Yes, identical
@@bgiddins thank you for taking the time to make this video 👍
Why not replace the bearings altogether with a bearing of good manufacture?
LOL for the price I'd buy a Northern Tool trailer instead that came with standard sizes :) The bearings are fine if treated properly.
even pulls are important, i bent my washer on one hub... :-(
Surely a seal/bearing puller on a slide hammer would be the "proper" way. Available at HF!
I had read a lot of instances where people were damaging the bearing seal by using tools like bearing pullers, screwdrivers, sockets etc. This technique has been used for decades on basic bearings, and doesn't require a tool.
I'm with Ben. This was literally the first time in my life I had to open/repack a vehicle wheel bearing, and I've already got enough rarely used/useless tools taking up space in my garage/tool box. His removal technique worked great for me, no damage to the bearing or seal, and no special tools needed. IMHO, getting such practical, useful tips/info "out there" is what UA-cam is all about!
on my 4 year old trailer that trick did not work! :(
Old Gal Fly Fisher how firmly were you pulling on the hub? I couldn't show it in the video because I needed both hands to pull on the hub, but it's a really firm jerk that causes the bearing to slam into the castle nut. Really jerk on it and smack them together, and the impacts slowly push the bearing out.
@@bgiddins oh I pulled hard a few times! I finally had to put the hub between 2 blocks of wood and using a big socket with extension and with a short-handled sledgehammer I got it off!
I left the wheel on the hub for pulling. Easier to properly grasp, and provides a larger/heavier impact on the bearing/seal you're trying to remove. It did take a few strong pulls/whacks, but as long as you've got it properly balanced/aligned, the impacts won't hurt the bearing or the seal.
@@dmrtechnology6033 I was also having issues with removing it, even on a brand new trailer. Leaving the wheel on did the trick.
@@primal_aperture_photo For me it took more than a few pulls. One side came loose after about 10 pulls, the other side about 20.
only the uninformed would need to call hf for a new seal
But you're smarter than them, right?
that is not packing grease, it is lithium high temp/high preasure grease... you only should add more grease to the hub, and not bother doign this
I just bought one of these now I want to take it back. All I see is shit I need to do to it to make it right. I would have rather paid more. What junk
Any new trailer bearing should be fully cleaned and greased.
Paying more for something doesn't guarantee anything, and any DIY kit is going to require some specialized smarts to properly assemble and use ... especially one you plan to hook on the back of a vehicle and haul around on public roads.
I bought one of these 4' x 4' Harbour Frieght trailers nearly 10 years ago. I bought it new and unused by the original owner. I am assuming the original owner repack the bearings as I have nearly 10,000 miles on this little trailer which has been faultless...if someone can complain about the usefulness of this trailer for $200 or what's required to get it to go 1000s of miles.. it is a baseless complaint... There is no trailer on the market. That is even close to the purchase price...none.
@@davidevans1128 … I just got/built out the 1,720 lb. rated one a few months ago, and haven't driven it much yet, but I'm with you. I love it. If this trailer is properly built, used and maintained, I see no reason it won't serve its owner well, and last indefinitely … and all that for about $450 (even less if you time your purchase right and use an HF coupon), plus the cost of whatever you choose to add to the basic frame? No brainer.