Cleaning your Trailer's Wheel Bearings

Your trailer should be connected to your towing vehicle on a flat surface and with the vehicles hand brake on. Before starting work on cleaning or adjusting your trailers bearings, ensure you have the following items:- Rags, Cleaning Solvent, Pliers, 10"/12" Adjustable spanner or Spanner/Socket to suit Castle Nut, Soft faced hammer, Screwdriver, Good quality bearing grease, New split pins and dust cap

1. Loosen the wheel nuts on the required wheel
2. Jack up the trailer so the wheel clears the ground
3. Remove the wheel nuts and wheel
4. Gently tap the dust cap off and remove split pin from the castle nut.
5. To reseat the bearings, tighten the castle nut until a slight binding is felt. Back off until the hub runs free, but without any free play.
6. Fit new split pin and replace dust cap.
7. To check and replace bearings, remove the castle nut and washer. Pull the hub off the axle and remove the seal and seal retaining washer.
8. The bearings consist of 2 pieces – the cone and cup, both parts need to be checked for wear or damage.
9. Remove the front end bearing from the hub
10. To remove the back end bearing, use a screwdriver to remove the seal wear ring from the hub.
11. Clean out the hub and both bearings with clean rags and solvent
12. Check for any cracks, wear or damage to all parts.
13. Holding the inner part of the bearing cones, turn the outside part of the bearing and feel for any tightness or roughness. If any abnormalities are felt, the bearing needs to be replaced.
14. Clean and check for any wear or damage on the axle. Slide the bearing cones over the axle, they should slide on snugly. If the bearing slides on the axle sloppily, the axle could be worn and may need replacing.
15. If the bearing needs replacement, both cup and cone must be replaced. Never replace only part of the bearing.
16. To remove the bearing cup, tap the cup out using a pin punch and hammer.
17. Fit the new bearing cups, pack the new cones with grease and place a good quantity of grease in the hub cavity.
18. Fit the back end bearing, tap on the seal wear ring. Fit the seal retaining ring and seal to the axle.
19. Slide the hub over the axle and fit the front end bearing cone. Fit the washer and castle nut, tighten the castle nut until a slight binding is felt. Back off until the hub runs free, but without any free play.
20. Fit new split pin through the castle nut and axle.
21. Smear grease around the inside of the dust cap and tap onto the hub using the soft faced hammer.
22. If you require clarification or assistance with reseating or replacing your trailers wheel bearings, please contact Prescott Trailers.