Bearing adjustment

[BruceB]

This may be a bone head question but it is niggling at me just in case.
I have just pulled two of the four wheel bearings on my De graaf to repack and check before toddling down to the meet next week.
There was no play at all in the bearings and a shoulder on the axle where the washer nut tightens up to as supplied and taken of today.
Now normally I would reset the bearing till its tight and back off just enough to feel the barest freeplay in the bearing then stick in the pin.
With these (they are taper bearings) I am starting to wonder, is the something different about de Graaf taper bearings or are they just too tight from the works?
I would have assumed being braked that some freeplay for the bearing warming up would have been even more important than my previous unbraked trailers?

[chris123]

Originally Posted by BruceB

This may be a bone head question but it is niggling at me just in case.
I have just pulled two of the four wheel bearings on my De graaf to repack and check before toddling down to the meet next week.
There was no play at all in the bearings and a shoulder on the axle where the washer nut tightens up to as supplied and taken of today.
Now normally I would reset the bearing till its tight and back off just enough to feel the barest freeplay in the bearing then stick in the pin.
With these (they are taper bearings) I am starting to wonder, is the something different about de Graaf taper bearings or are they just too tight from the works?
I would have assumed being braked that some freeplay for the bearing warming up would have been even more important than my previous unbraked trailers?

Strangely enough I was going to post the exact opposite experience with my unbraked De Graaf trailer

Having covered about 500 miles from brand new, I did my routine checks and found the wheel bearings had a lot of play in them.

Your method is pretty much the same as mine for setting up.

Cheers

Chris

[jyasaki]

Tighten the nuts finger tight. If you've had the races out, crank down a bit hard with a wrench qhile spinning the wheel to seat them, then back the nut off and tighten finger tight. If the cotter pins don't line up, go looser, not tighter.

Should be no to very little play once set, and you should check and readjust them after, say, 10 or 20 miles, especially if you had the races out.

jky

[astra]

When tightening the nut the washer behind the nut should be able to move with slight resistance ,hope that helps

[BruceB]

I am quite happy setting taler bearings, done them for years. It was if these were different in some way as my paranoia was getting the better of me when I opened the new hbs up for the first time.
All done and ready to take to the IOM Ribmeet, counting down the days now..........

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by BruceB

I am quite happy setting taler bearings, done them for years. It was if these were different in some way as my paranoia was getting the better of me when I opened the new hbs up for the first time.
All done and ready to take to the IOM Ribmeet, counting down the days now..........

Why not give Aurther a ring and see what he says?

[BruceB]

I did this morning and there is no difference between theirs and normal taper bearings, just being paranoid yesterday I suppose when I found them all tight

[Hightower]

Well I've been using mine for a year now and although I don't cover the miles like most that trailer here do, I did check for roughness/vibration and wheel play the other week and found none what so ever as you might expect. Other trailers I've owned have needed yearly replacements.

[BruceB]

Mine has probably only done 500 miles or so since new last August but I had to replace one inner bearing and seal today.
The rear seal wasn't very good and although no roughness or play was evident one of the inner bearings was on its way out and rusty.
It probably worth popping them off, checking and regreasing just in case.

[Markyboyo]

Hey bruce, how are you enjoying the boat? Hope you have managed to log up plenty of hours!

I took my hubs off a few days ago to find that other than a smear of pretty manky grease on the bearings there was no grease in the bearing buddies at all and obviously never had been!!

How well were your bearings greased up from De Graaff?

Mark

[Markyboyo]

Did you get your bearings from De Graff Bruce or did you order them online? How much? I need to get a set as a precaution!

[BruceB]

I bought a new bearing set when I picked up the boat, probably just buy them locally from now on.
I had plenty of grease in mine but then again I stick some in there now and again so not sure how much was there when new.
All I found was one bad rear hub seal which had let enough water in that I replaced one inner bearing out of four, the rest were perfect.
I have only done around 24 running hours since August, not had it out that much. Starting now though as we are going to Ribmeet next week, Ullapool in July and orkney in Aug with other smaller trip between these dates. Have you had time at home to get out much yourself?

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Markyboyo

Hey bruce, how are you enjoying the boat? Hope you have managed to log up plenty of hours!

I took my hubs off a few days ago to find that other than a smear of pretty manky grease on the bearings there was no grease in the bearing buddies at all and obviously never had been!!

How well were your bearings greased up from De Graaff?

Mark

I bought the bearing buddies after I purchased the trailer as I was going to make some up myself, but never got round to it. So can't comment on what De Graaff do. But I always inject grease at regular intervals just to make sure everythings hunky dory.

On the info sheet you were given by De Graaff, you should have all the info needed to order bearings etc without going back to De Graaff.

[Markyboyo]

I'll have a look at the sheet when I get home, I've been up the congo for the past few weeks and dont have it with me