How do you identify bearing size?

[Erin]

I thought my trailer was sounding a bit 'rumbly' when I pulled the boat out last week, and having been a bit lazy on servicing it last year I decided I ought to take a look at the bearings. Glad I did.

First challenge however was to remove the bearing savers (misnomer if ever there was one ) see piccy 1. The tapping (belting ) it with a hammer trick didn't work and as I didn't have a bit of pipe large enough to slide over them I ended up using an old scaffold tube jointing piece (piccy 2) to give the required leverage and wobble factor to walk them out.

Not a pretty sight inside. I'm pretty sure it ain't meant to be brown in there . Piccy 3

After a bit of coaxing I managed to get the hub off and the old bearings out - piccy 4. I suspect the rear seal has failed allowing water in. The section of axle that the seal sits on was pretty lumpy and rusty so it's no wonder it didn't seal properly.

The trailer is a Dixonbate which I see is now under the ownership of Bradley. There don't seem to be any agents for them in the Channel Islands, so the question is, do I need specific Dixonbate/Bradley taper bearings or will they be a standard size? The only identifying marks I can find are Peer L44649 on the outer bearing and Peer POS1622637 on the seal.

[Boats&Outboards]

Good job (dont forget the shells). Think the bearing you need is the standard taper bearing found on most boat trailers. I've took a screen grab from eBay but by just googling the bearing number you will find lots of suppliers.

Don't take my word for it though. Check the bearings are the same.

Peter ~ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

[Erin]

Thanks for that Peter. However, if I find a kit with the correct outer bearing will the inside bearing automatically be the right one too? Or are there too many different combinations for it to be that simple?

[Boats&Outboards]

It should be but it's worth maybe googling the inner ones part number too. They seem to be a kit so I'd guess it's the right one. Remember to get the shells out though else it's pointless doing the bearings.

That 2nd pic has all the diameter sizes for you to compare, the first pic was the first returned search so you mat find a cheaper set if you browse better than I did

Peter ~ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

[SPR]

Towsure - buy new hub 1inch tapper! easier than removing shells, gives new studs and nuts!

Lazy way of doing it!

[Boats&Outboards]

Agree with that!! But the price goes up quite a lot on that hub. Our trailer centre does deals on the standard 4in pcd hub 2 for £40 (can make big saving online but i like to buy local if posible) which comes complete with bearings etc. Makes life easier and better selling point but on the larger hubs the prices seem to go up a lot more with the hubs so we just do the bearings unless the hubs are in need of replacement

[Paul Cannell]

I would clean the rust off the stub axle with a flap wheel on a drill (be careful not to go to mad) & put a protective coating on it, otherwise you'll be back to square one shortly.

Pack the rear seal around the spring with grease, this should stop it rusting & failing in future, easier if the seal is a separate item.

I've never had bearing savers, always squirted a couple of pumps of grease after each outing & striped down each year, only changed 1 set in 5 years

[Crusher]

Hi Erin,

I think the condition of your hub looks no different from every one I have ever split. Novel / good idea to take the bearing savers off, I'll remember that should the need arise!
You should find a number on both bearings, only way to be 100% sure the 'Sets' offered are correct, however my experience is that they are.
My only concern, and sorry I haven't found an answer yet (hopefully somebody reading this has....) I worry about the quality of these 'cheap' bearings on eBay. I changed the the bearings on my trailer at the start of this year and was really disappointed to find them rumbling after not many launches later.
I had used water resistant grease, which after talking to others, I won't do again.
Now looking at changing bearings again this winter, just unsure where to source quality bearings from.
:-)

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[Hightower]

It would be handy to build a database of where people get their bearings from and to find out if they were pleased with them or not. Same with grease too.

I haven't done bearings for years and when I did I used the hubs from towsure on an unbraked trailer which was a cheap as chips soloution but only lasted a season.

The grease I use is the blue Aqua stuff from indispension.

[Boats&Outboards]

Originally Posted by Crusher

Hi Erin,

I think the condition of your hub looks no different from every one I have ever split. Novel / good idea to take the bearing savers off, I'll remember that should the need arise!
You should find a number on both bearings, only way to be 100% sure the 'Sets' offered are correct, however my experience is that they are.
My only concern, and sorry I haven't found an answer yet (hopefully somebody reading this has....) I worry about the quality of these 'cheap' bearings on eBay. I changed the the bearings on my trailer at the start of this year and was really disappointed to find them rumbling after not many launches later.
I had used water resistant grease, which after talking to others, I won't do again.
Now looking at changing bearings again this winter, just unsure where to source quality bearings from.
:-)

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

Agreed ref the taper quality but that's pretty much par for the course with most on the Market. None of them seem great quality, rather mass produced Chinese products. That's kind of my point ref the sealed v taper discussion on another thread

Peter ~ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

[Erin]

Thanks gentlemen, it's starting to become a bit clearer to me, although by the same token everyone seems to have their own personal views regarding bearing savers or not, waterproof grease or not etc.

The inner bearing is so rusted that the laser etched part no is unreadable. The axle appears to be a Meredith & Eyre RS150200 with 200mm x 50mm drum. I can find bearing kits for M&E hubs of smaller diameter but not my particular version. I can also find a Peak bearing kit which has the right combination of bearings (based on my measurements) but lacks the correct oil seal. I will have to call Dixonbate tomorrow and see what they have to offer.

[biffer]

Take the old ones to bearing services/ hendersons etc half the price of the trailer places. Once you've done that keep the numbers of the bearings for the next time

sent from a remote device

[Trailer Guy]

If it's Meredith & Eyre 200x50 (drum casting number 1160 or 1203) then you're correct about the bearings being the same as Peak. They copied the casting!

Ergo your bearings should be:

Inner cone LM48548
Inner cup LM48510
Outer cone L44649
Outer cup L44610
Seal 262.162.37

Biffer's right though - go to a bearing place, they should be more reasonably priced.

PS. Hello Biff. You won't remember me, but you did some chuffing excellent stainless steel work on a motorbike exhaust of mine many, many moons ago. Hope you're well.

[Erin]

Through the rust I think I can make out 1160 stamped into it. Really helpful to have someone properly knowledgable chip in, thanks. (and that's not a slur on all the other good ribnetters that have contributed )

I'll try my local motor factors for a kit but I don't hold out much hope as they can't have much demand in our relatively small community. Failing that, any recommendations for good reliable on-line suppliers of a Peak kit? I see Trailer-Tek do them but I know nothing about them.

Any tricks for popping the bearing shells out of the hubs? I've tried tapping them with a punch but they're quite tightly wedged in. Brute force??

[Trailer Guy]

Yup, Trailertek are fine. The owner wronged me pretty badly, a few years ago, so I'll not comment on them. However, on a business level, their parts are well priced and of equal quality to most you'll find on the net. They hold a good stock too, so you should receive them pretty quickly.

Reference bearing cups/races - yes, you'll need to give them a good clout to get them moving. But once on the move they should come out ok. It's not unusual for them to crack/shatter either. If they come out intact then keep them - you can use them to start drifitng the new ones in (keeping them straight!). I've got some Snap-On parabolic drifts, which are fantastic as they're curved to fit the curvature of the bearing cups, but that's just showing off

[Crusher]

Originally Posted by Trailer Guy

Biffer's right though - go to a bearing place,

I got mine from Solent bearings in Southampton and said I didn't want cheap bearings! Still haven't lasted. Will definitely do more research before buying my next ones!!!

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[m chappelow]

i have in the past taken old bearings if its a bit of a unknown ,to one of our local bearing suppliers ,as long as they are clean they drop them into a machine that measures them and gives out the number or alternitive size /type ,

when getting the outer race back or compleate bearing in the hub i tap until straight then squeeze them in with a large vice ,
in an emergency or at the side of the road a large nut and bolt with a couple if plate washes does the same unless you tap or hammer them in .

and i have bought expensive ones that have lasted less than the cheap ones .

[biffer]

Morning trailer guy sorry can't place your job I would remember if I see you though. I remember faces more than jobs. Them numbers that you quoted for bearings are mostly universal across suppliers

sent from a remote device

[Crusher]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

and i have bought expensive ones that have lasted less than the cheap ones .

now I'm stuck what to do!
Think we all need to start naming the manufacturers of bearings as being good or bad for us too!
Will see if I still have the packaging or invoice from mine and post here later!

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[Erin]

Problem is, most of them seem to come from China. The packaging bears no relation to the original supplier.

Incidentally, I just tried ordering a set from Trailertek but they wanted £30 postage to Jersey. Needless to say I've ended up going elsewhere (Taunton Trailers who were happy with £3!)