Should Trailer Bearings Spin on the Spindle they are Installed On

Published 05/16/2019

Question:

I would like to know if camper axle bearings should spin on the axle spindle shaft or not? 3 out of my 4 hubs show signs that one or both bearings in the hubs have spun, wearing off the numbers and leaving dark brown spots on the shaft and inner bearing races. the bearings and outer bearing races look fine otherwise. do I have the castle nut too tight or too loose?

asked by: Mike B

Expert Reply:

When installed properly the portion of the bearing that attaches to the spindle should not spin. Only the outer portion should be spinning. It's pretty easy to overtighten a spindle nut since they don't have to be very tight so that would be the most likely situation.

When our installers replace a trailer hub, there isn't a set torque spec used when tightening the spindle nut. The hub is placed on the spindle, making sure the inner and outer bearings are correctly seated. The spindle nut is then run down until you start feeling resistance. At that point, spin the hub and check for end play (wobble). If the hub still seems a bit loose, you can run the nut down a bit more.

As you'll see in the video I've linked to, tightening the nut is something you'll do by feel, not by a particular torque rating.

expert reply by: Jameson C