Troubleshooting Overheating Hubs on a Trailer With New Bearings and Grease

Question

Question:

My 8inch hub runs quite hot even with new bearings Timkin and fresh grease. After about 15 miles at 60 mph, I am not able to hold on to the hub... its too hot. The nut is not that tight... just tight enough to have no slop. How hot do these 8inch wheels get? My trailer is empty so its not a weight issue. Any ideas?

asked by: Tim

0

Expert Reply:

Hubs will heat up when driving, but if it feels like they are getting too hot, then you will want to look at a few things on your hub. My guess is that the spindle nut is too tight and the added stress on the bearings is overheating the bearings and hub and could be causing damage to the bearings.

When you install the castle nut you will want to tighten the spindle nut while turning the hub. When there is a slight bind on the bearing, the parts are seated correctly. Back the nut off up to 1/4 turn to allow .001 inch to .007 inch end play for the bearings.

Failure to back off the adjusting nut could cause the bearings to run hot and be damaged.

Once you have backed off the spindle nut you will want to bend the cotter pin or tang on the washer to prevent the nut from backing off. I have attached a video of our technician installing a hub on a trailer and how the spindle nut should be tightened to prevent over heating. You can skip to the 1 minute and 45 second mark to see the hub installation.

expert reply by: John H

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Andres G.

5/28/2020

I change out my wheel bearing on my trailer last week drove about 5 miles but still think it's still getting hot

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Chris R.

6/1/2020

Have you tried backing off the spindle nut or just making sure it isn't too tight? How hot is the hub getting?

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Joey L.

7/22/2020

Hi can I wire 5th wheel brakes to bust bar to work together. Instead of them individual. Wire them to come on at same time instead of one getting power first let them come at same time and work together. Thanks

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Chris R.

7/28/2020

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. How do you currently have the brake assemblies wired?

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Joey L.

7/28/2020

They are factory wired. I was thinking I could wire them were they would come on at same time using a terminable board or something else where they would Get the same power at the same time.

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Jon G.

8/5/2020

Any delay between the individual brakes being applied will be extremely minimal. The way that your current brakes are wired is standard and you shouldn't be experiencing any noticeable delay. If you are then you're going to want to check your wiring for any places where it is damaged.

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Answer 1

So long as a hub uses the correct bearings that match the dimensions of the spindle that is on the axle there is no worry about using two different brands of products, such as a Dexter hub on a Lippert axle. That in itself is not a concern. When a…

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Answer 2

Yes, the temperatures you mentioned are normal. If you were getting over 200 degrees that would be a bad sign. But typically if all of the hubs are the same temperature you're good and it's only really an issue if one of the hubs is hotter…

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Answer 3

There are a few things you can check to make sure the brakes are adjusted correctly, but it sounds like there may be a short in the system. I would start by checking the trailer wiring connector on the truck and trailer for corrosion. If there is…

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Answer 4

Hello Julio, thanks for reaching out. The appropriate spring for your trailer will depend on the weight capacity of each axle. Ideally the springs will match the axle capacity. Like for example the 4-Leaf Double-Eye Spring #DX45CR is rated for 2,600…

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Answer 5

For the SAE AP2 99 DOT lens we know that the part #A2RB is the correct replacement.

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Answer 6

I have included a link to a video on adjusting self-adjusting brakes. Basically there is a device on the adjustment wheel on these brakes that prevents the shoes from adjusting back inward. You have to sort of move that out of the way to be able to…

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Answer 7

Self-adjusting brakes #AKEBRK-7-SA do not require that you travel in reverse for them to adjust. They can adjust themselves going forward or backward. Keep in mind that even self-adjusting brakes require 1 initial adjustment. You could just install…

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Answer 8

Normal operating temperatures for drum brakes range from 150-400 degrees F. During certain stopping conditions the brake heat can exceed 600 degrees. The effectiveness and stopping power of the brakes is significantly reduced at these higher…

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Answer 9

Before you choose brakes or bearings you should verify what's currently on your trailer. If it is a 3,500 pound axle part #AKEBRK-35-SA will likely fit if the trailer has electric drum brakes. Both sides are included and labeled. They're also…

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Answer 10

For standard 3,500 lb axles the correct bearing kit is the part #BK2-100 which comes with L44649 and L68149 bearings. Bearing Buddy Protectors #BB1980A-SS are the ones most commonly seen on 3,500 lb hubs. This is designed to fit a hub bore of 1.980…

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Answer 11

Thank you for providing the specs for the suspension components that you already have. Correct hanger spacing really depends on the components being used such as springs, hangers and equalizers. Most of the hanger spacing dimensions that we have are…

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Answer 12

Since your brake controller appears to be working - 3 of the 4 trailer brake assemblies work correctly - the issue is likely to be on the trailer side. The issue with one of your four brake assemblies locking up could be due to it needing adjustment…

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Troubleshooting Overheating Hubs on a Trailer With New Bearings and Grease

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