You say these videos turn out harder than they should do. I am sure the majority of people doing this work also encounter the same issues, Which makes your videos some of the most helpful on the net. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Thanks mate, I think it is good to realise that some jobs can be tricky sometimes and it isn't just them. It's always nice to know you aren't struggling alone!
Your video shows what it's like in the real world where everything isn't new and doesn't just pop right apart. Real problems with real solutions. GREAT JOB - KEEP IT UP!
A trick my uncle showed me was to take a set of old bearing races and grind the outside of them a little on a bench grinder, till they slide in and out of a hub without grabbing. Keep these for helping to seat new races, as you don't have to ever tap them out - they just slide out super easy once the new race is seated.
I have to say first class, just spent 4 nights watching all your video posts better than watching tv, there is nothing you cant find an answer for thanks stu very entertaining and informative
Well, last year I built up and made kayak trailer and with the help from this video put in new hubs and bearings and made it from New Jersey to Florida, 3000 miles round trip. Well this year I did my big boat trailer. Twin axle that was used in salt water and was never maintained ( I am the second owner). After two years of re-doing the boat, I did the trailer. Went from old rusty drum brakes to stainless discs. New hubs and bearings. Replaced the drop down axles and spindles. Well, last year you mentioned to me something about the "rust gods". I now have some new respect about salt water and what it does to metal. The rust gods made me pay, but in the end they let me finish. Thanks Man !
The other trick if can't get the races out, run a bead of weld along tne races and tney just about fall out. Love your videos. I am a very experienced boat owner but love the great explanations. You are saving a lot of money for your watchers.
There’s no way I’m gonna destroy my hub by welding it , can’t get the race out I’m gonna leave it in there or spend a ton more money destroying it with a bunch of weld
Top man, it’s good to see that professionals get problems too. Most blokes only show you how smooth the job goes. We all come across problems in life it’s how we get over them that’s important. Cheers mate top channel . Col
Theres something so good about hearing how to do something by an Aussie for an aussie... thanks mate helped me change bearing over Chrissy holidays when everything's shut.
Very nice job of explaining how to remove/install bearing buddy and remove/install races. Great video for someone looking to do their bearings for the first time.
Great video, thanks heaps. I couldn't get the races past flush and I looked at buckets of US videos but yours was the only one that gave a practical description of how to do it. Thanks again.
Thorough and well demonstrated. I managed to change my bearings today thank you. I was a bit intimidated by the inner races but I followed your tap-tap-tapping method until they loosened. My hub had two round channels running in the same direction as the stub axle which allowed me to get my metal rod snucked in behind the bearing shell. It took a good ten minutes for the first to pop out and only two minutes for the second one. I would've given up earlier had I not been inspired by your video. Brilliant!
Great video , here's a trick I've learned from doing wheel bearing races on semis and trailers . Take your welder and put a bead on the race . You'll find it will fall right out as the bead cools it will pull the race looser .
Hello Stu, when I do the bearings, I put a very fine grease film, on the back of the bearing race. It makes it easier to replace the bearings at the next service. I also use the copper anti seize grease, on the wheel studs and the bolts that holds the brakes housing.
Threads such as these should never be lubricated. Makes them easier to come loose by themselves and torque specs are for dry threads. Otherwise severe over torquing will happen.
Showing people how to do this (with all the difficulties they WILL run into) is awesome. If you take the old race and grind/sand a tiny bit off the outer diameter of the old race, you will be able to easily remove it. No punch needed. GREAT VIDEO!
Very interesting to me personally. Every single step you did was just as my father taught me in the early sixties. He was big on treating wheel bearings with respect. We did multiple circuits of Australia towing trailers or vans. I followed in his footsteps as I aged. I can't recall either of us having a hot bearing.
The difference between a do it yourself and a seasoned mechanic is the ability to over come obstacles that come with dealing with corroded, frozen, stuck, or worse case- broke off parts, bolts. Many do it your selfers don't have the skill, knowledge, nor the mechanical devices to overcome. Thanks for showing what it takes and the patience you took with the frozen bearing sleave.
Exactly what I was gonna say I have saved myself a lot of trouble by welding a small bead around the races and it will sometimes just shatter and fall out.
Yet another sensational, accurate and informative video Stu - very well thought out and taught. I saw quite a few others that lack so much of the detail you clarified.
Great video Stu. What I've found works really well to get a new race in is to use an appropriately sized socket inside the race (just like the bearing carriage would fit in the race) and then a block of wood and a hammer. Much easier than trying to align the old race correctly to get it past the lip and saves you having to tap it out *again*. Granted, sockets aren't designed to take the impact of all those hammer blows, but I haven't had a problem yet and it gives the safety police something to wring their hands over.
Yep, that can be a good way to go it you have a socket big enough. Impact sockets are best but I've never broken a socket by hammering on it. Maybe just wear glasses to be on the safe side.
@@DangarMarine Thanks for posting this, you're my go to for all things to do with my trailer boat. One idea I saw somewhere I liked is cuting a slot in the old race to make it easier to remove after using it to push the new one all the way in, makes it much easier to remove the old one
An old trick for outer bearing races is to put them in the freezer while you take the hub apart and punch out the old outer races . When you go to fit the new races you can also preheat the whole hub before fitting the now frozen new bearing races. If you do this you will often find that the new outer race will almost fall in to the hub and need a very light tap to seat the outer race fully.
Thanks Stu! It's actually great to see a DIY video where the pro has trouble. Makes me feel better when things don't go to plan. It's also really helpful to get some ideas on what you can try when things get stuck.
Your tutorials are amazing. Just been working on my boat trailer and can't quite get the cotter pin in so think one of the races is out of place. I'll go take another look. Really appreciate these videos so helpful! Thanks from NZ
Just went through all the same hassles and trailer configuration as this. It was a nightmare and I can't believe I didn't see this vid until now! Would have saved me hours. Took me ages to work out I could use the old ring and a piece of timber to smash it in the last few cm
Thanks so much for this video. I have only ever done wheel bearings with a mate years ago and this is a great video for us amateurs. Excellent idea to use the old races to hammer the new ones in place. Thanks mate.
Fantastic video mate, and the things that you say go wrong or it should be easier than what we see just gives us amateurs some more confidence in ourselves. Thank you for taking the time to make this video, it greatly appreciated.
Great video. Nice to see a little struggle getting old bearings out. I’ve watched many fix it videos that made it look much easier than it ever is when attempting myself... great in-depth video! Thanks
This is a good descriptive video and one to follow for sure. If I could add one tip to other viewers though I suggest giving the old bearing races a quick touch up on the bench grinder to make the diameter a mickey whisker smaller than original size which helps to remove it again once the new one is seated. Keep them in the toolbox for future use.
part way through replacing my trailer wheel bearings when I got a bit stumped on how to get the seal into the hub. Googled and watched a shit super cheap video that was not much help until I found this video which pointed me in the right direction. I should have watched it before I started as it would have saved me some grief. Thanks for posting
Big thanks for all the videos you create! Very straightforward and easy to follow, as well as good troubleshooting tips for common problems that people might encounter. Your work is very much appreciated. Cheers!
Love your videos! Yeah, boat trailer wheel bearing replacement is my least favourite job but as you stress, critically important. I actually had a wheel fall off due to catastrophic bearing failure (completely shattered probably due to a corroded spacer). Fortunately it happened after launching the boat and driving back up the ramp - it's shocking and scary to see a wheel rolling back into the water from the rear view mirror. It's a tandem trailer so I still had 3 wheels to get the trailer parked and start the horrendous task of replacement in the car park at Berowra ramp in 40 degree heat. Fortunately it was one of the lazy hubs and not a brake hub. It happened shortly after I'd bought the boat & trailer and it taught me to be ultra attentive to all of the rolling stock. In fact it was so shocking that I rebuilt the trailer after that - including 4 new springs. The conjured image of one and a half tons of shattered fibreglass strewn across a road was too much for me. A few things I've learned to do to make the job easier is: 1) Use grease everywhere, like on the wheel stubs and nuts - nothing worse than frozen nuts when you are trying to remove a wheel. Yes, I do realise the double entendre! And no, they don't work loose as one might intuitively expect. 2) Grease the new races to facilitate easier pressing into the hub and it also makes removal much easier 3) When using an old race to drive the new race into the hub, just a single cut straight through the ring with an angle grinder makes removal unbelievably easy. Keep that cut race as a tool forever. 4) A cold chisel with the tip ground to a radius along the back of the blade so it sits nicely on the protruding edge of the race to be removed makes removal of stubborn races much easier. It's no longer much use as a cold chisel but very useful for race removal.
Thanks for video it was big help. When it came to getting out the old bearing outers there where two small slots cast into the hubs to allow a tool to be used to hammer them out . I noticed the one you had was well stuck so the slots helped. thanks again
Hi mate a good guide for the mechanicaly challenged ,not completely useless with spanners my self , but first time I've done wheel bearings on a boat trailer ,mine was a little different they were integral wheels(hub and wheel in one) same principles,only thing I did was clean intire in side of the wheel hub,to remove all traces of old Grease and contaminants,same thing with axle.thank you very much for your guidance.
Thanks this is very helpful as others have said thanks for not editing the hard bits so we all have some work arounds when we encounter the same issues
Stu, grind the outer circumference of the old bearing race a few thou. That way it will not stick in the hub and it is a lot easier to remove the old race after the new one is fully seated. Keep the old ones for next time. It is worthwhile drilling a couple of holes in the hub and into the bearing buddies for self tapping metal screws. Prevents them flying off at high speed and causing an injury. Also stops the discount shoppers at the boat ramp parking area from removing the buddies easily.
Hey Stu ! Thanks again. Did my bearings today. Not that bad. Getting that rear dust cover to set was a little tricky. All went well. i did your little dance for good luck before I did the job in the driveway before i did the job ! I owe you a beer, thanks ! Doug.
Hey Doug, nice work on getting your bearings done. I think people are mad if they attempt any sort of job without first doing a dance to appease the gods of corroded parts. :)
I was shown a trick to removing the outer races. Fire up your welder on a fairly high amp setting. Weld a bead around the middle of the race. As the weld cools it will contract the race is it will latterly fall out. Saves a lot of frustrations.
Great video. I just had to do this on a boat trailer I bought a month ago. Discovered the bearings were bad as I was backing in to the driveway when a wheel fell off. Just glad it wasn't going down the highway
Just stumbled across this channel being a boating "Tragic" I love it, every aspect! Re: life on or near the water. Regarding your comment "everything seems to be harder to do than it should" Just about sums life up in the real world, anything worthwhile is made sweeter if you have to struggle a wee bit harder to achieve. I love your tenacity, the way you punch on through. Cheers keep up the good work.
Great video thanks, very helpful as I had never changed my bearings on a boat with breaks. Apart from some rusted out bolts in the break calipers, it all, went smoothly
Mate I’m 46 and never had to change a bearing in my life, I just bought a tinny and the trailer is a bit sad so after watching your vid I decided to have a crack at the bearings!!!! Piece of piss! Thanks mate keep up the good work!
Hey Stu, love your show- especially after 10 pales Have learnt so many great tips and tricks watching your vids. I've found putting the hub in the wheel you too off is a great place to hammer the bearing races out of. Lots of love from Darwin x
Hey mate, glad you've been enjoying the vids. I like the idea of the wheel being your work bench, particularly by the side of the road. Never made it to NT. Rode my motorbike down the Birdsville track, but next time I'll head a bit further NW. Lots of love from Sydney! Stu
You should do a video on how to add a brake system onto a boat trailer for people that don't already have brakes on a trailer but would like to put brakes on it
Excellent video! Your last comment was very sobering. "make sure the grease you pump into the bearing buddies is compatable with the bearing grease and marine grade." My grease gun has general purpose grease. I will knock them off, clean them out and get the correct grease. Thanks.
Hi Mike. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, particularly if you are boating in fresh water. When you do get around to changing just make sure they are cleaned thoroughly before changing type of grease in case they aren't compatible.
Great video, I've seen people torch off the race or use a small cutting wheel on stuck races. Salt water makes everything more difficult, the torch is pretty essential to free up just about everything.
+alnbaba Yes, I have seen some races cut out, and it isn't such a bad thing to do as the new race will give the bearing a nice clean surface to run on. You are also right about the torch. It comes out almost every single day!
great video. Fact of the matter is, most folks don't do regular bearing maintenance and what you went through is the norm. Greeting from North Carolina
Great video found tip on prefilling the buddy good idea. Just a point if you cut through the bearing cup you are using to drive in the new cup with a angle grinder with a cutting disk to split the ring on the edge it will come out easy.
Great video, no one every explained how to tell if it is a Holden or Ford Bearing short of what the wheel stud pattern is it, now I know square 45 mm or round 40 mm. I will probably make it easy on myself and buy the hub and bearing together for a quicker and easier job. Things not going right is real world and great to see. Love you video's and I get lots out of them, Cheers
Maybe it's just me, but almost every time I do a DIY project it turns out being harder then it should be, so your videos are great for knowing what you are probably going to encounter with these projects.
hi mate, loving your vids, i have binge watched a few hours of them. i have a simple little trick that may work sometime, if you have a mig or stick welder and the outer races are stuck in the hubs, run a little weld around the races, it will shrink them when the weld cools just enough to make them easier to tap out. keep up the good work, i will be buying a t shirt
Hey Darren, yes, I've had really good success with that technique in the past. Some times they literally just fall out. Don't forget to send me a photo when your t-shirt arrives!
I enjoy your videos and this was another good one. As mentioned before, putting the bearing races in the freezer for a while will aid in the installation. I trailer my boat all over the Great Lakes in the United States to get to different dive sites. Whether I am going to a marina that's five miles away or three hundred, after I have driven a few miles I stop and feel the hubs. They should be warm, but not hot! If they are hot you may have a problem. Bearings always fail when you are in Timbukto, so it's worth while to check. I use bearing buddies and they work great. However, if your just getting on the freeway and hear a short whirring/buzzing sound, one of your bearing buddies has just parted company with your trailer. LOL
That certainly is a nice easy option. sometimes the inner sections of the bearings can get stuck on the axle (Murphy's Law), but it is generally a faster swap over.
Great series of videos. One tip while pumping grease into the Bearing Buddy...STOP before the spring is fully compressed. It is very easy to blow out the rubber seal if you pump in too much grease. Don't ask how I know this.
Unfortunately some of us have to do it twice before the lesson sinks in. :) Again, great videos. Just stumbled on them a few days ago while looking looking up something about knots, I believe. It's obvious you have a lot of knowledge and share it with a good, relaxed, clear style.
Stu.... I love the videos and have learned tons from them. This may be a tip your are familiar with already, but I use my wire feed welder to heat the races up by welding a bead on the inside of each race. This weld causes the thermal expansion and thus shrinks the race as it cools. Keep them videos coming................
HAH, Brilliant! Thank you Dangar for saving me a trip to my auto store to rent a race installer punch. I had the same idea of using the old race as a punch, But as you mentioned, I was thinking of using it the wrong direction. I slightly growned down the OD of the old race on the grind wheel so it would fall out easily after use.
Very helpful. Thanks! I also have trailer with brakes so this works perfect. It's good that you show all the stuff-ups because when I see that something should take 5 mins and ends up taking me 50, i wonder what i'm doing wrong..
Hi good video and when you are putting the new bearings race in put a cut in the back and front old races and then use them to put the new ones in and because you cut the old ones it has a Relf cut and come out very very easy keep a cut set at work and use 10 times a week
Glad I'm not the only one who has problems with that 'one thing" that just won't move. You are correct; it's sometimes easier to just buy a new hub with the outer races already installed.
You say these videos turn out harder than they should do. I am sure the majority of people doing this work also encounter the same issues, Which makes your videos some of the most helpful on the net. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Thanks mate, I think it is good to realise that some jobs can be tricky sometimes and it isn't just them. It's always nice to know you aren't struggling alone!
Your video shows what it's like in the real world where everything isn't new and doesn't just pop right apart. Real problems with real solutions. GREAT JOB - KEEP IT UP!
Thanks mate!
A trick my uncle showed me was to take a set of old bearing races and grind the outside of them a little on a bench grinder, till they slide in and out of a hub without grabbing. Keep these for helping to seat new races, as you don't have to ever tap them out - they just slide out super easy once the new race is seated.
I have to say first class, just spent 4 nights watching all your video posts better than watching tv, there is nothing you cant find an answer for thanks stu very entertaining and informative
Great video to encourage the amateurs among us to have a go and not to panic when the going get tough! Thanks for all the details you included.
Well, last year I built up and made kayak trailer and with the help from this video put in new hubs and bearings and made it from New Jersey to Florida, 3000 miles round trip. Well this year I did my big boat trailer. Twin axle that was used in salt water and was never maintained ( I am the second owner). After two years of re-doing the boat, I did the trailer. Went from old rusty drum brakes to stainless discs. New hubs and bearings. Replaced the drop down axles and spindles. Well, last year you mentioned to me something about the "rust gods". I now have some new respect about salt water and what it does to metal. The rust gods made me pay, but in the end they let me finish. Thanks Man !
Hey Doug, great to hear you've had great success with your trailer upgrades. Yes, the rust gods are formidable, but they can be defeated! :)
I think this has to be the best DIY video I have ever seen. Great work and thankyou.
Thanks mate, glad the video helped you. See you on (or under) the water one day maybe!
The other trick if can't get the races out, run a bead of weld along tne races and tney just about fall out.
Love your videos. I am a very experienced boat owner but love the great explanations. You are saving a lot of money for your watchers.
I have given that a go a few times since I made this video and I was amazed how well it worked. As you say, they practically fall out. :)
There’s no way I’m gonna destroy my hub by welding it , can’t get the race out I’m gonna leave it in there or spend a ton more money destroying it with a bunch of weld
Top man, it’s good to see that professionals get problems too. Most blokes only show you how smooth the job goes. We all come across problems in life it’s how we get over them that’s important. Cheers mate top channel . Col
Theres something so good about hearing how to do something by an Aussie for an aussie... thanks mate helped me change bearing over Chrissy holidays when everything's shut.
Thanks Dan, glad the vid helped you get the job done. :)
I’m sure someone has already said this before but put the new bearing races in put them in the freezer for about an hour they will slide right in
Very nice job of explaining how to remove/install bearing buddy and remove/install races. Great video for someone looking to do their bearings for the first time.
Glad it helped
Great video, thanks heaps. I couldn't get the races past flush and I looked at buckets of US videos but yours was the only one that gave a practical description of how to do it. Thanks again.
You're welcome mate, glad the video helped you. :)
Thorough and well demonstrated. I managed to change my bearings today thank you. I was a bit intimidated by the inner races but I followed your tap-tap-tapping method until they loosened. My hub had two round channels running in the same direction as the stub axle which allowed me to get my metal rod snucked in behind the bearing shell. It took a good ten minutes for the first to pop out and only two minutes for the second one. I would've given up earlier had I not been inspired by your video. Brilliant!
Thanks mate, glad the video helped you. :)
I think you did a great job. I do the bearings and races the same way
You have a very strong ability to tell a good story. Thanks for the tips.
Well done. Great narration. Not to much, not too little. Enjoyed your patience on the difficult removal!
Best hub and bearing install video I have ever seen. Great work Mate !!!.
Thanks 👍
Great video , here's a trick I've learned from doing wheel bearing races on semis and trailers . Take your welder and put a bead on the race . You'll find it will fall right out as the bead cools it will pull the race looser .
Hello Stu, when I do the bearings, I put a very fine grease film, on the back of the bearing race. It makes it easier to replace the bearings at the next service. I also use the copper anti seize grease, on the wheel studs and the bolts that holds the brakes housing.
Threads such as these should never be lubricated. Makes them easier to come loose by themselves and torque specs are for dry threads. Otherwise severe over torquing will happen.
Thank you. Fantastic video well thought through and great instructional video.
Showing people how to do this (with all the difficulties they WILL run into) is awesome. If you take the old race and grind/sand a tiny bit off the outer diameter of the old race, you will be able to easily remove it. No punch needed. GREAT VIDEO!
Very interesting to me personally. Every single step you did was just as my father taught me in the early sixties. He was big on treating wheel bearings with respect. We did multiple circuits of Australia towing trailers or vans. I followed in his footsteps as I aged. I can't recall either of us having a hot bearing.
Way more thorough then most of the other guys. Nice job!
Thanks George.
The difference between a do it yourself and a seasoned mechanic is the ability to over come obstacles that come with dealing with corroded, frozen, stuck, or worse case- broke off parts, bolts. Many do it your selfers don't have the skill, knowledge, nor the mechanical devices to overcome. Thanks for showing what it takes and the patience you took with the frozen bearing sleave.
If you weld a small part of the race it will shrink and come out easy. Love your channel!
Exactly what I was gonna say I have saved myself a lot of trouble by welding a small bead around the races and it will sometimes just shatter and fall out.
Thanks so much. I decided to get a new rotor which made the process pretty easy. 10 years dipping the boat trailer in salt water did it in.
Yeah, that is often the best way to go for sure. With many cars this day your only choice is to replace the whole hub if the bearings go.
Yet another sensational, accurate and informative video Stu - very well thought out and taught. I saw quite a few others that lack so much of the detail you clarified.
Great video Stu. What I've found works really well to get a new race in is to use an appropriately sized socket inside the race (just like the bearing carriage would fit in the race) and then a block of wood and a hammer. Much easier than trying to align the old race correctly to get it past the lip and saves you having to tap it out *again*.
Granted, sockets aren't designed to take the impact of all those hammer blows, but I haven't had a problem yet and it gives the safety police something to wring their hands over.
Yep, that can be a good way to go it you have a socket big enough. Impact sockets are best but I've never broken a socket by hammering on it. Maybe just wear glasses to be on the safe side.
@@DangarMarine Thanks for posting this, you're my go to for all things to do with my trailer boat. One idea I saw somewhere I liked is cuting a slot in the old race to make it easier to remove after using it to push the new one all the way in, makes it much easier to remove the old one
An old trick for outer bearing races is to put them in the freezer while you take the hub apart and punch out the old outer races . When you go to fit the new races you can also preheat the whole hub before fitting the now frozen new bearing races. If you do this you will often find that the new outer race will almost fall in to the hub and need a very light tap to seat the outer race fully.
Hey Ron. Yes! We have a freezer full of Land Rover suspension bushings at the moment waiting to get pressed in. ;)
Thanks Stu! It's actually great to see a DIY video where the pro has trouble. Makes me feel better when things don't go to plan. It's also really helpful to get some ideas on what you can try when things get stuck.
You're welcome Marty. Things always go wrong! Editing the hardship out it just hiding what it really takes to get most jobs done.
Your tutorials are amazing. Just been working on my boat trailer and can't quite get the cotter pin in so think one of the races is out of place. I'll go take another look. Really appreciate these videos so helpful! Thanks from NZ
Just went through all the same hassles and trailer configuration as this. It was a nightmare and I can't believe I didn't see this vid until now! Would have saved me hours. Took me ages to work out I could use the old ring and a piece of timber to smash it in the last few cm
Thanks so much for this video. I have only ever done wheel bearings with a mate years ago and this is a great video for us amateurs. Excellent idea to use the old races to hammer the new ones in place. Thanks mate.
Thank you very much for this video. By far the most detailed and comprehensive video I've seen about bearing replacement
Fantastic video mate, and the things that you say go wrong or it should be easier than what we see just gives us amateurs some more confidence in ourselves. Thank you for taking the time to make this video, it greatly appreciated.
+Peter Neal You're welcome Peter, I'm glad you enjoyed. And yes, it goes wrong for everyone, no reason to ever doubt yourself!
Been a few years since i done any bearings this was a great refresher Thanks !
Wow, awesome video mate. I spent a while looking through videos on here hoping to find something with such detail. Being Australian was a bonus :)
Thanks Matt, hope the video helped you. :)
Still my go to video to remind me about the tips and tricks especially for removing and installing the new races. Awesome video as always.
Great video. Nice to see a little struggle getting old bearings out. I’ve watched many fix it videos that made it look much easier than it ever is when attempting myself... great in-depth video! Thanks
This is a good descriptive video and one to follow for sure. If I could add one tip to other viewers though I suggest giving the old bearing races a quick touch up on the bench grinder to make the diameter a mickey whisker smaller than original size which helps to remove it again once the new one is seated. Keep them in the toolbox for future use.
That's a good tip, there are only a couple of sizes so as you say, well worth keeping them once they are made up.
@@DangarMarine Ever tried putting the cups in the freezer for an hour before installation, makes them shrink just that little bit.
Neseri2de I chuck them in the freezer the night before and also heat the hub on a little gas stove. super easy to get them in after that.
Great video!
I have done hundreds just like that! if you have a slide-hammer another way is use it to remove the races. I find it much easier!
part way through replacing my trailer wheel bearings when I got a bit stumped on how to get the seal into the hub. Googled and watched a shit super cheap video that was not much help until I found this video which pointed me in the right direction. I should have watched it before I started as it would have saved me some grief. Thanks for posting
Big thanks for all the videos you create!
Very straightforward and easy to follow, as well as good troubleshooting tips for common problems that people might encounter.
Your work is very much appreciated.
Cheers!
You're welcome. :)
Love your videos! Yeah, boat trailer wheel bearing replacement is my least favourite job but as you stress, critically important. I actually had a wheel fall off due to catastrophic bearing failure (completely shattered probably due to a corroded spacer). Fortunately it happened after launching the boat and driving back up the ramp - it's shocking and scary to see a wheel rolling back into the water from the rear view mirror. It's a tandem trailer so I still had 3 wheels to get the trailer parked and start the horrendous task of replacement in the car park at Berowra ramp in 40 degree heat. Fortunately it was one of the lazy hubs and not a brake hub. It happened shortly after I'd bought the boat & trailer and it taught me to be ultra attentive to all of the rolling stock. In fact it was so shocking that I rebuilt the trailer after that - including 4 new springs. The conjured image of one and a half tons of shattered fibreglass strewn across a road was too much for me.
A few things I've learned to do to make the job easier is:
1) Use grease everywhere, like on the wheel stubs and nuts - nothing worse than frozen nuts when you are trying to remove a wheel. Yes, I do realise the double entendre! And no, they don't work loose as one might intuitively expect.
2) Grease the new races to facilitate easier pressing into the hub and it also makes removal much easier
3) When using an old race to drive the new race into the hub, just a single cut straight through the ring with an angle grinder makes removal unbelievably easy. Keep that cut race as a tool forever.
4) A cold chisel with the tip ground to a radius along the back of the blade so it sits nicely on the protruding edge of the race to be removed makes removal of stubborn races much easier. It's no longer much use as a cold chisel but very useful for race removal.
Nice work DM - you show all the important tricky detail the others leave out! Thanks!
Thanks mate. :)
Thanks for video it was big help. When it came to getting out the old bearing outers there where two small slots cast into the hubs to allow a tool to be used to hammer them out . I noticed the one you had was well stuck so the slots helped. thanks again
You're welcome mate, glad the vid helped.
Hi mate a good guide for the mechanicaly challenged ,not completely useless with spanners my self , but first time I've done wheel bearings on a boat trailer ,mine was a little different they were integral wheels(hub and wheel in one) same principles,only thing I did was clean intire in side of the wheel hub,to remove all traces of old Grease and contaminants,same thing with axle.thank you very much for your guidance.
Thanks this is very helpful as others have said thanks for not editing the hard bits so we all have some work arounds when we encounter the same issues
Stu, grind the outer circumference of the old bearing race a few thou. That way it will not stick in the hub and it is a lot easier to remove the old race after the new one is fully seated. Keep the old ones for next time. It is worthwhile drilling a couple of holes in the hub and into the bearing buddies for self tapping metal screws. Prevents them flying off at high speed and causing an injury. Also stops the discount shoppers at the boat ramp parking area from removing the buddies easily.
How would you line them up, it wouldn't be cool to have new wholes each time
Hey Stu ! Thanks again. Did my bearings today. Not that bad. Getting that rear dust cover to set was a little tricky. All went well. i did your little dance for good luck before I did the job in the driveway before i did the job ! I owe you a beer, thanks ! Doug.
Hey Doug, nice work on getting your bearings done. I think people are mad if they attempt any sort of job without first doing a dance to appease the gods of corroded parts. :)
I was shown a trick to removing the outer races. Fire up your welder on a fairly high amp setting. Weld a bead around the middle of the race. As the weld cools it will contract the race is it will latterly fall out. Saves a lot of frustrations.
Great video. Good to see when things are a little difficult like needing to use the heat to show what problems that can occur. Thanks
Thanks Peter, a bit of heat sure goes a long way with stuck bearing races.
Love your steps to do the change but definitely would use the old brake pad to tap in the seal as it can make old dust/rust fall in
Just finished my first bearing replacement -thanks for the detailed video, helped a lot.
Really great video! Always wondered about how to do this, and your video took all the mystery out of it for me. Excellent job!
Thanks mate, glad the video helped you. :)
Great video. I just had to do this on a boat trailer I bought a month ago. Discovered the bearings were bad as I was backing in to the driveway when a wheel fell off. Just glad it wasn't going down the highway
The driveway is the best place to have that happen!
That happened with my dads boat....only we were on the slipway and just got the boat launched
This is a great video, rarely have I seen such a good explanation of any process. Thank you very much
that looked like a gravy job with biscuit wheels !! great job !!
Just stumbled across this channel being a boating "Tragic" I love it, every aspect! Re: life on or near the water. Regarding your comment "everything seems to be harder to do than it should" Just about sums life up in the real world, anything worthwhile is made sweeter if you have to struggle a wee bit harder to achieve. I love your tenacity, the way you punch on through. Cheers keep up the good work.
Great video thanks, very helpful as I had never changed my bearings on a boat with breaks. Apart from some rusted out bolts in the break calipers, it all, went smoothly
Thanks so much lots of information that makes the change for me a lot easier. Cheers from Canada.
Your welcome. :)
Excellent video sir. You are an outstanding instructor!
Mate I’m 46 and never had to change a bearing in my life, I just bought a tinny and the trailer is a bit sad so after watching your vid I decided to have a crack at the bearings!!!! Piece of piss! Thanks mate keep up the good work!
Thanks Michael, glad to hear the job went well. :)
Piece of piss?
Yall gotta learn to cuss!
You made it clear on how to push the Marine Grease through the bearing, to fill it properly.
THANKS Again.
Fantastic. Great info
Brilliant, well explained, very detailed. Thank you
Thanks mate, hope it helped you. :)
Hey Stu, love your show- especially after 10 pales
Have learnt so many great tips and tricks watching your vids.
I've found putting the hub in the wheel you too off is a great place to hammer the bearing races out of.
Lots of love from Darwin
x
Hey mate, glad you've been enjoying the vids. I like the idea of the wheel being your work bench, particularly by the side of the road. Never made it to NT. Rode my motorbike down the Birdsville track, but next time I'll head a bit further NW. Lots of love from Sydney! Stu
You should do a video on how to add a brake system onto a boat trailer for people that don't already have brakes on a trailer but would like to put brakes on it
Nice video, explains everything that needs to happen. The freezer trick below is a good one!
Excellent video! Your last comment was very sobering. "make sure the grease you pump into the bearing buddies is compatable with the bearing grease and marine grade." My grease gun has general purpose grease. I will knock them off, clean them out and get the correct grease. Thanks.
Hi Mike. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, particularly if you are boating in fresh water. When you do get around to changing just make sure they are cleaned thoroughly before changing type of grease in case they aren't compatible.
Great video, I've seen people torch off the race or use a small cutting wheel on stuck races. Salt water makes everything more difficult, the torch is pretty essential to free up just about everything.
+alnbaba Yes, I have seen some races cut out, and it isn't such a bad thing to do as the new race will give the bearing a nice clean surface to run on. You are also right about the torch. It comes out almost every single day!
great video. Fact of the matter is, most folks don't do regular bearing maintenance and what you went through is the norm. Greeting from North Carolina
Great job ! this was a lot of help for a do-it-yourselfer . Thanks
You're welcome Ronny, glad it helped you. :)
Ronny Cheezum N
Great vid, I’m going to be using this as a step by step in the next week or so in my shed,
Thanks mate, good luck with the job.
Oh those races were hard! I see why shops use a press now. Great video!
Great video found tip on prefilling the buddy good idea. Just a point if you cut through the bearing cup you are using to drive in the new cup with a angle grinder with a cutting disk to split the ring on the edge it will come out easy.
Nice honest video and no wasting time. If we meet one day I'll buy you a beer. Double thumbs up.
Thanks Nick.
Great video, no one every explained how to tell if it is a Holden or Ford Bearing short of what the wheel stud pattern is it, now I know square 45 mm or round 40 mm. I will probably make it easy on myself and buy the hub and bearing together for a quicker and easier job. Things not going right is real world and great to see. Love you video's and I get lots out of them, Cheers
Thanks Stu; I'm looking at the same job as soon as it's warmer outside. This is a good reference vid. for me.
Hey Angelo. Good luck with the job, trailer bearings certainly need a bit of TLC from time to time.
Maybe it's just me, but almost every time I do a DIY project it turns out being harder then it should be, so your videos are great for knowing what you are probably going to encounter with these projects.
hi mate, loving your vids, i have binge watched a few hours of them. i have a simple little trick that may work sometime, if you have a mig or stick welder and the outer races are stuck in the hubs, run a little weld around the races, it will shrink them when the weld cools just enough to make them easier to tap out. keep up the good work, i will be buying a t shirt
Hey Darren, yes, I've had really good success with that technique in the past. Some times they literally just fall out. Don't forget to send me a photo when your t-shirt arrives!
THATS SOME GREAT STUFF!!! THANKS ALL THE WAY FROM CALIFORNIA!!!
I enjoy your videos and this was another good one. As mentioned before, putting the bearing races in the freezer for a while will aid in the installation. I trailer my boat all over the Great Lakes in the United States to get to different dive sites. Whether I am going to a marina that's five miles away or three hundred, after I have driven a few miles I stop and feel the hubs. They should be warm, but not hot! If they are hot you may have a problem. Bearings always fail when you are in Timbukto, so it's worth while to check. I use bearing buddies and they work great. However, if your just getting on the freeway and hear a short whirring/buzzing sound, one of your bearing buddies has just parted company with your trailer. LOL
Forget this! I'll just buy a whole new setup with pre-pressed races and bearings and install a new one! Thanks for saving my rear!
That certainly is a nice easy option. sometimes the inner sections of the bearings can get stuck on the axle (Murphy's Law), but it is generally a faster swap over.
This has been great. I learnt a lot. Thanks for posting.
Thanks! Great detail from an expert.
Glad it was helpful!
Great series of videos. One tip while pumping grease into the Bearing Buddy...STOP before the spring is fully compressed. It is very easy to blow out the rubber seal if you pump in too much grease. Don't ask how I know this.
Good tip mate, we all learn the hard way some times. :)
Unfortunately some of us have to do it twice before the lesson sinks in. :)
Again, great videos. Just stumbled on them a few days ago while looking looking up something about knots, I believe. It's obvious you have a lot of knowledge and share it with a good, relaxed, clear style.
There is a small hole on the outside shell of the buddy. Grease will come out of the hole when enough is pumped in.
Thanks Stu - great video - I didn't know what I didn't know and I didn't know a lot. Cheers Phil
Don't worry, I don't know what I don't know either which is what gives me the confidence to make videos. ;)
Great video, very informative. Made the job easy!
Stu.... I love the videos and have learned tons from them. This may be a tip your are familiar with already, but I use my wire feed welder to heat the races up by welding a bead on the inside of each race. This weld causes the thermal expansion and thus shrinks the race as it cools. Keep them videos coming................
Hi Ben, I have heard that, but I've never tried it myself. Next time one is this stuck I'm going to give it a go!
HAH, Brilliant! Thank you Dangar for saving me a trip to my auto store to rent a race installer punch. I had the same idea of using the old race as a punch, But as you mentioned, I was thinking of using it the wrong direction. I slightly growned down the OD of the old race on the grind wheel so it would fall out easily after use.
A good practical video,we like your delivery Mister. Well done and thanks.
Thank you kindly
Very helpful. Thanks! I also have trailer with brakes so this works perfect. It's good that you show all the stuff-ups because when I see that something should take 5 mins and ends up taking me 50, i wonder what i'm doing wrong..
Great video! Thanks for the in-depth walk through.
Hi good video and when you are putting the new bearings race in put a cut in the back and front old races and then use them to put the new ones in and because you cut the old ones it has a Relf cut and come out very very easy keep a cut set at work and use 10 times a week
Glad I'm not the only one who has problems with that 'one thing" that just won't move. You are correct; it's sometimes easier to just buy a new hub with the outer races already installed.
Man, 10 out of 10 video. Best on the Tube
Bloody awesome video as usual... thanks Stu.
Great video. This answered a question I had about the back seal. I was worried I was going to damage a part that wasn't replaceable.