Alternate title: How crappy are AL-KO axles.

I decided it was time to re-pack the wheel bearings on my trailer, and inspite of them having the easy grease option, I pulled them apart and here is what I found:

Wheel 1: Small chunk of welding slag had attached itself to wheel seal surface. The seal was in bad shape, and surprising it sealed anything due to the slag ripping it apart.

The spindle itself looked like it was randomly beat with a hammer, and needed filing and emery cloth to smooth out the rough edges.

Wheel 2: The cotter key was little more than jammed into the hole. This was due to the quality manufacturing of the hole in the spindle being drilled so no 2 reliefs in the castle nut match up enough to get a cotterpin all the way through.

Wheel 3: Looked ok.

Wheel 4; Outer Chinese bearing flaking apart and had chewed up the cone a bit, with it's days clearly numbered.
Also the brakes on this wheel were never fully assembled, with the shoes and magnet simply hanging. No springs or adjusters at all.

Again the spindle was beat up for no reason.

I bought this trailer new, and picked it up from the dealer the next day after it arrived, so everythig was "as shipped" from the factory, so no excuses about previous mechanics.

 

I hope you documented it with photos and sent it to your dealer..

 

No pictures, the trailer is now 5 years old, so no warranty.

The brakes on the fourth wheel was not a surprise. I tried adjusting them a few years ago, and after failing to find the adjusting star through the adjuster hole, I quickly pulled it apart to see what was wrong. That is when I found I had no brakes on that wheel. Since we were leaving the next morning I put it back together as was.

Phoned the dealer about it when I got back. They could have cared less. Said it was way past warranty (even though t had always been that way) so they wouldn't even give me the parts to fix it.

 

What kind of trailer? I have a Mac lander and I believe it uses the same axles, I bought it used, but I have pulled the axles aparts and other then the seals failing they looked good.

 

Tear down and service annually (or 3-5k miles). Time trumps distance. Sorry about your equipment, but it isn't uncommon.

 

I just had mine done a last summer. It was about $400 to have it done. Is it that hard of a job? I might try doing it myself. How much are the parts?

 

parts aren't usually that much if you have to replace bearings is where the price will come in but a simple repack will take you a couple of hours to do right if you have a good mechanical sense.

 

2007 Keystone Cougar

 

It's not a hard job, just messy. No matter how hard you try, grease gets everywhere.

You do have to know how to pack the bearing with grease properly, and setting the bearings. Wouldn't hurt to have someone in the know help you the first time. Seals are usually about $10/wheel and the cost of a tub of grease.

 

I just did mine and I paid $17 for 4 seals. Bearings/races were in good condition.

Plus a tub of grease of which I used about 1/3 of.

 

Cool thanks.

 

Exactly And it doesn't matter what type of trailer it is either. The smaller the more often it should be done. One bad wheel bearing can ruin a vacation.

I had to grind down my castle nuts to get the wheel bearings adjusted properly and get the cotter pin in.

Mine is a very elaborate 24' open car trailer. 3800 pounds empty, 5500 pound axles, 10,000 GVW, shackle shock absorbers, about 115,000 on the original brakes and hubs. It didn't need it, but I finally replaced the bearings last year.

I find the stuff at tractor supply is pretty good.

Just the brakes alone, it's good you took it apart.

Oh and avoid disc brakes as much as you can

 

One thing I am good at is steering a topic off course.

Speaking of wheel bearings, who here is taking their front abs sensors out and shooting grease in there to give their unit bearings on their trucks a bit more longevity? I can start a new topic on this but since its kind of related, I thought I would ask.

 

What don't you like about disc brakes on a trailer?

I agree with what others have said about performing preventative maintenance on the wheel bearings and brakes. It sure beats roadside repair's...

 

I don't personally have them

I have a friend with a 26 foot boat. The trailer came with discs. I've rebuilt those axles several times in the last 2 years.

The calipers leak, the pads wear down fast, the rotors warp. Awful mess

The trailer stops OK, but the quality of the parts is the issue. These things don't have to even get wet to cause trouble. They seem ti be rated properly

Yes they are rated correctly. I think it has allot to do with the surge setup and we live in allot of rolling hills. But even so, I bought the best calipers i could ge and the seals were leaking before the end of the season. The dust boots were full of fluid. You would think they would be better. But my trailer is heavier under a load, I have way more miles on it with the original brakes. They's still 50%!