Trailer maintenance info

cbadmin · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 206

From: LadyLevitysMichael (Original Message) Sent: 10/25/2003 5:24 PM
Looking for trailer maintenance info? Magic Tilt Trailers makes good trailers and has an excellent site with gobs of trailer maintenance info. Found this site and wanted to share the bounty with all the C-Dogs. If one actually did all the work suggested a trailer could last a lifetime, but then again maybe all one would do in that lifetime is maintain the trailer. http://www.magictilt.com/maintenance.htm

Pat Anderson · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 11:14 am Post subject:

OK, we are back to thinking that it is drive from Fall City, WA to Page, AZ, towing Daydream. I am not very mechanical and trailer maintence since getting this puppy in Feb 03 has been flushing the brakes with the fresh water flush system after every salt water cruise and a shot of grease in each wheel a couple of times. I don't even know if I have too much or not enough or just the right amount of grease. Heading off on a 2500 mile round trip (this is in April 04), what do I need to do trailer (preventive) maintenance-wise to make sure I am not one of those forelorn things you see on every freeway with an axle blocked up? Is there a Wheel Bearings for Dummies book or web site out there somewhere? Can I do this myself with good step-by-step instructions? ("Not mechanical" means I have bought numerous books on rebuilding a VW engine, with instructions like "remove the frammis from the globulator," bear in mind I am making the names up here, which I would not know from any other part other than the fan belt or spark plug, with fuzzy black and white photos that do not resemble any area on my engine...and when I try, the bolt head either rounds or breaks off entirely). The EZ Loader book does not seem like much help to me, yes, I did read it. Or should I just take it somewhere, and if so, where? My local mechanic has a typical turn around time of somewhere around 8 months, and that is if you bug him weekly...

B~C · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 12:20 pm Post subject:

Pat, here's a link to a web site that has a good how-to artical www.rverscorner.com ,for some reason I couldn't link directly to the artical so you'll have to fish through the articals links

make sure you have plenty of paper towels on hand (Mike likes that paper towel part). Bearing replacement is a pretty easy process, some key steps are;

* Make sure the replacement races are seated. I use a brass punch to gently drive the race in, when it bounces when struck, you know the race has seated.

* Don't forget to back off on the adjusting nut, this nut should not be tight (it's a big nut but that doesn't mean it needs big torque) on trucks, a properly set up wheel bearing will have about .005-.008 inches of slop, clunk or end play. When tapered bearings heat up, they expand and have to have room to do so. One of the biggest causes of wheels flying off trucks and killing people is wheel bearings set up to tight, they heat up and fail when set up to tight.

* no need to remove the wheel and tire (assuming you have drum brakes) , just pop off the dust cap and go to digging, wheel, tire and drum will come off as one piece. You may need to back off the brakes by reaching through the backing plate with a screwdriver and rotating the star wheel adjuster.

enjoy

Flat Iron · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 12:37 pm Post subject: towing

Daydream-

I made the trip to Page, AZ from Sacramento, CA last Sept. 03'....a fairly long distance as is Fall City, WA.

My pre-prep work work was pretty basic stuff....a couple extra shots of bearing grease in each axle to bring the bearing buddys up to full max.

The only thing I would recommend is to take along a spare tail light....I had one burn out somewhere around Mesquite, NV and spotted it at a Flying J truck stop right at sundown. It was a simple 5-10min. swap out, no tools required.

Do a walk around at the rest stops....check wheel lug nuts for looseness...check hubs, they should be warm to the touch but not hot. Keep speeds between 50-55mph and you should do fine.

Dan and Jan on Flat Iron

PS...Don't forget a spare prop and prop wrench.....I didn't need them but....

B~C · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 12:43 pm Post subject:

As Dan says, you should be good to go, check the temp in the hubs whenever you stop. An extra set of bearings and a seal along with a few basic tools would be a good thing to throw in the truck also. You can replace bearings on the side of the road just as easy as you can at home.

Pat Anderson · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 1:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Where do I get the bearings and how do I know what to ask for? My cousin has worked for Napa all his life, so he is probably a good person to check worth first I guess.

TyBoo · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 1:50 pm Post subject:

Pat -

What flavor trailer did you get? If it is a King, they have a nifty little option for the spare tire carrier. You can get a complete hub assmebly, with the bearings already in it, to hang the spare on. Then it is a simple and ungreasy change if you should have to do it.

You probably have little to worry about. If the bearing grease has been kept up, and under the pressure the bearing buddies or whatever keep it, they will be good for many thousands of miles. Just the fact that you are considering it a few months early will probably ensure that you have everything set for a trouble free trip.

Pat Anderson · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 10:01 am Post subject:

It is an EZ Loader single axle. I asked C-Dory about a King, and they steered me to the EZ Loader...

Mr. Fisherman · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 3:39 am Post subject: Your link

Here is the link you were trying to post above. Good stuff...

http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/bearing1.html