Should New Trailer Hub Be Hard to Turn by Hand

Updated 06/24/2019 | Published 06/22/2019

Question:

Is it common for the hub to be stiff when first installed

asked by: Chad

Expert Reply:

Trailer grease can be pretty thick and might make the hub slightly heavier feeling when turning by hand, but if your hub is difficult to turn by hand you most likely have the spindle nut tightened down too far.

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