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Trailer bearing torque

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Mad Manny
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Re: Trailer bearing torque

#1

Post by Mad Manny »

Is this a 4x4/Off Road Trailer?
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Crips
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#2

Post by Crips »

Hunter4x2 wrote:
Wed Jun 19, 2019 11:13 am
Good day all. I am in the process of refurbishing a 6ft venter trailer and will be replacing wheel bearings. What is the correct load torque to apply to the bearings, is there a chart available. I'm not interested in the " spin and tighten the nut by hand" type method of setting. All information will be appreciated. Thanks

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Maybe phone Venter and ask them?

But this is the way to do it:
Fit the hub assembly into the shaft and tighten the securing nut. This will correct the required bearing preload. Turn the hub assembly gradually while tightening the securing nut. When the bearing begins to bind while you are tightening, loosen the nut slightly until the bearing rotates freely again, then allow the relevant spanner or bar to drop freely on its own weight. The preload on the bearings will now be within the required preload specifications. Re-install the new split pin and refit the grease cap, or dust cover.
Chris

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grips
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#3

Post by grips »

You can measure the free play between the rollers and outer cage with a feeler gauge provided you have the specs. Doing this on small trailer bearings are difficult.
You can also torque the nut if you have the specs and a torque wrench that start reading from 0 Nm.
Still the easiest is the way Crips described in post 4
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Nico-MAD
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#4

Post by Nico-MAD »

Done it same way as Chris for many years. Never had bearing problems.

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Apocalypse
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#5

Post by Apocalypse »

What type of bearing is it?

Presumably a double cone assembly and not a preloaded set up?

The correct torque is technically zero for a double cone set up .

You may very well not be interested in the ‘spin it up and tighten it by hand’ technique but then I’m afraid you aren’t going to be able to set them up correctly ...

The lads above have it correct !
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Mad Manny
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#6

Post by Mad Manny »

Hunter4x2 wrote:
Wed Jun 19, 2019 3:20 pm
To set my Isuzu front wheel bearings they mention using a fish scale pulling against the bub bolt.
You are a Bubble head...
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#7

Post by grips »

Why I do not like the torque method of doing wheel bearings. You usually have a very fine thread on the locking bolts. These threads get damaged very easily or any little object lodge in the threads. Very easy to torque against damaged or obstructed thread leaving you with a bearing set to loose.

For many years I have set them by feeling and never had a bearing failure. The last failure I had were caused by water ingestion on a front hub. Vehicle
were stuck in mud for around 5 hours.
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#8

Post by Mike Nel »

Craig

In my humble opinion, I think it would be cheaper in the long run to just buy a new trailer. I think a new one is around R12K.

There is a saying that I am sure you are familiar with. “Penny wise, pound foolish”

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#9

Post by Disco Nic »

Mike Nel wrote:
Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:27 pm
Craig

In my humble opinion, I think it would be cheaper in the long run to just buy a new trailer. I think a new one is around R12K.

There is a saying that I am sure you are familiar with. “Penny wise, pound foolish”

Don’t be that guy
Craig is tighter than a Scot...
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#10

Post by HenriSteyn »

Late post sorry just catching up after 2 weeks on holiday.

I have found that even after the initial tighten process as described by Crips the nuts need to be tightened again after a while.

I replaced the bearings on my Xplorer van just as a precaution before our trip to Nam last year.

Before we left for a holiday 2 weeks ago I removed the hubs to adjust the brake shoes. I found the nuts needed tightening up as there was some play in the bearings.

Cheers.

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#11

Post by BushWacker »

... so if you jack wheel off the ground there should be easy loose free spin yet if you grip either side there should be near imperceptible
play or not at all ?

....

... when travelling long distance I routinely feel hubs temp to the touch (... also tyres ...)
to ensure nothings excessive or out of ordinary.

At 300k Ive never replaced any wheel bearings on my defender 😬 so think I’ ll renew them all anyway ... rather here in sunny ol Joburg than at roadside in some far flung corner of Africa ... as I do carry 2 sets of spares.
... Famous Fiver VoorLoper ...
... Veni Vidi Vici ...

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#12

Post by HenriSteyn »

There should be no play and the wheel should spin freely.
Thinking about it I have adjusted on both my previous trailers and garden rubbish trailer.

No failures to date.

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