The start

[argonaut]

Each year one of the key milestones is the annual trailer hubs service ... getting it ready for the new season.

I look forward to it as boat had covers put on at end of Nov., and apart from checking dehumidifier drain once a month, it is left alone in its boat shed pending the new season.

So today with forecast showing dry w/end decided time to start ...

Usual ... removal of hubs, disassembly of brakes & adjuster mechanism .... now cleaning the backplate can be a real messay and time consuming job .... last year I painted the backplates with 2-part epoxy paint :-



This made cleaning a lot faster ... the brake dust & grease crude simply washed off.

Then the wash out of all the old grease from hubs and within in the taper roller bearings ... .... re-grease, reassemble hub, fit new double lip grease seals ..... when I reassemble brake assembly take care to give linings a good clean.
I use Bearing Buddies and they certainly do a good job of keeping water out ...

Bearings were all fine so reused, using Bearing Buddies and changing grease seal annually (along with full degrease and reassemble ) is the way to go, never had brakes fail or bearings seize up on any of my boat trailers.

All back in place brakes adjusted - 2 hubs on starboard side done. ............. Port to be done next week.

[Ianfs]

A few years ago I painted my backplates and hubs with Hammerite, thinking it was good enough to be immersed in salt water. I posted what I had done whilst we still had the Sports Boat and Rib forum so it must tell you how long ago it was. However, at the time Argonaut advised that because it cured by evaporation rather than chemical cure, it would not be entirely water tight because of shrinkage and suggested that a two pack epoxy would work better. I ignored him and used the Hammerite but after a year it had rusted through and was useless. Consequently he was right after all, as usual!!

I then found this after a recommendation from a friend and having heard the information from Argo. I stripped the backplates hubs and parts of the trailer and painted it on, ..............
https://www.rust.co.uk/epoxy-mastic-rust-proofing-paint/c28117/

I have to say thank you, it works. It turned out that it was the same paint that Argonaut has then used to paint his trailer as in this post. In addition I've found it is the same Epoxy paint that the RNLI use on their Sea Tractors. I'm 2 yrs along and its still OK.

[argonaut]

Each year one of the key milestones is the annual trailer hubs service ... getting it ready for the new season.[/img]
............. Port to be done next week.

Another 2 Hrs and Port side also now complete ... so in total all 8 bearings fully washed out, regreased, hub fully cleaned and all brake assembly cleaned up OK, 4 new seals added.
The Epoxy painted backplates made cleaning a whole lot easier, all the crud just washed off by spraying with Brake drum cleaner.

Tip #1
It's a dirty smelly job, loads of petrol, grease, old brake dust & crud ......... I wear disposable gloves, or your hands will be ingrained with brake dust for days ... and I put a bucket under the backplate assembly with a carrier bag opened up in it ......... that way all the mess washes straight into the bag.

BTW - the standard seals were single lip seals, not very good, the replacements I found were double lip seals and they have a circumferential spring holding seals pressure onto the stub axle:




Tip #2 to avoid damage to seal, they must be pressed in at 90 degrees to be flush with rear of hub casting. A simple way if you don't have a hydraulic press to hand ... I pushed seal in place using my bench drill ... with a piece of wood between chuck and seal ......... presses in real easy with no risk of damage.


Tip #3... if you have Alko brakes fully remove the adjuster assembly, take the pad screw out, clean it and it's female threaded counterpart to make sure screw will turn freely ...grease the barrel before reassembly. ..that way after hub assembly when you adjust the brakes the ratchet will work easily.
The adjustment is a right ...pita ...due to position if the access hole being blocked by trailer beams (poor design )
I made an adjustment tool ..
Out of a 4" nail .. file to a screwdriver type point, put a bend in the last 3/4" ... works really well if adjuster has been cleaned & greased....








I'm assuming that if you are going to to do the job you will know how to set pre-load on taper roller bearings, whatever you do don't tighten up to remove all play - they must have end float or they will fail.

So another years start of prep done ..... a bit therapeutic really.