Pat Anderson
New member
Anybody who remembers Powell 2009 will remember that we lost a hub on the road, and luckily we were with Jim Martinson, who called NAPA in LaGrande, who had a bag with a new hub, bearings and seals on the counter when we got there. On to the next rest stop, where Jim fixed us up to roll and our vacation was saved.
Returning from Friday Harbor Sunday evening two weeks ago, people passing us on I-5 are honking and pointing, and damn, I have another one smokin' on the boat trailer. Since Powell we have been very careful to grease the hubs but this time we had a blown rear seal, grease all over the back of the tire. So we pull over and I call Jim, he advises (wisely) to pull the rim and limp home with three wheels on the pavement.
So here we are, home with a disabled trailer pondering options. A little internet research, found the article I posted recently. I am determined to learn how to do this myself. Damn, if children can do it in Alaska, why can't I? Two nights ago, I pulled the hub. It went OK, parts of the bearings and seals were all over the inside but not stuck to the spindle. So here is what we have right now:



As I recall, Jim told LaGrande NAPA not much more than we needed a six lug hub and bearings and seals for a heavy duty trailer. I know he didn't know a part number, but somehow those parts were in a paper bag with my name on it when we got there.
So yesterday noon off to NAPA I go to get bearings and seals and whatever else I need, hell, how do I know what I need? I don't even really know what the damn parts look like, only saw them briefly while Jim was fixing us up in LaGrande. I am one better, I actually have the hub. So I plop it up on the counter and tell the guy I need the bearings and seals for a heavy duty trailer. He says, nope, I need either the bearing that came off or the part number. Crap. How the hell am I supposed to know the part number? And I threw the parts I removed in the garbage, which was picked up yesterday morning (I know, I know). At least I have the picture I took and maybe that will help, we shall see today.
So here I sit, trailer still disabled, can't buy parts because I don't know what to tell the guy I need. A ray of hope, there is a number written in pen on the bag from the LaGrande NAPA, I have no idea what it is but I am hoping it will help. It is 13HRMID. I Googled this, no luck, but I am hoping that it will turn out to be a part number that will help.
Next issue, the spindle is fairly well gouged up. Jim did quite a bit with a file and emery paper to make the other one smooth, and perhaps I could do that too, but I don't have a clue on how to replace a spindle if I need to do that. So how would I learn to do that if I had to? Or at this point do I just need to call the mobile trailer repair guy? I really, really, really want to do this myself so I will not be so damn helpless the next time I have a roadside bearing issue...
Thanks for whatever help you can give me here!
Returning from Friday Harbor Sunday evening two weeks ago, people passing us on I-5 are honking and pointing, and damn, I have another one smokin' on the boat trailer. Since Powell we have been very careful to grease the hubs but this time we had a blown rear seal, grease all over the back of the tire. So we pull over and I call Jim, he advises (wisely) to pull the rim and limp home with three wheels on the pavement.
So here we are, home with a disabled trailer pondering options. A little internet research, found the article I posted recently. I am determined to learn how to do this myself. Damn, if children can do it in Alaska, why can't I? Two nights ago, I pulled the hub. It went OK, parts of the bearings and seals were all over the inside but not stuck to the spindle. So here is what we have right now:



As I recall, Jim told LaGrande NAPA not much more than we needed a six lug hub and bearings and seals for a heavy duty trailer. I know he didn't know a part number, but somehow those parts were in a paper bag with my name on it when we got there.
So yesterday noon off to NAPA I go to get bearings and seals and whatever else I need, hell, how do I know what I need? I don't even really know what the damn parts look like, only saw them briefly while Jim was fixing us up in LaGrande. I am one better, I actually have the hub. So I plop it up on the counter and tell the guy I need the bearings and seals for a heavy duty trailer. He says, nope, I need either the bearing that came off or the part number. Crap. How the hell am I supposed to know the part number? And I threw the parts I removed in the garbage, which was picked up yesterday morning (I know, I know). At least I have the picture I took and maybe that will help, we shall see today.
So here I sit, trailer still disabled, can't buy parts because I don't know what to tell the guy I need. A ray of hope, there is a number written in pen on the bag from the LaGrande NAPA, I have no idea what it is but I am hoping it will help. It is 13HRMID. I Googled this, no luck, but I am hoping that it will turn out to be a part number that will help.
Next issue, the spindle is fairly well gouged up. Jim did quite a bit with a file and emery paper to make the other one smooth, and perhaps I could do that too, but I don't have a clue on how to replace a spindle if I need to do that. So how would I learn to do that if I had to? Or at this point do I just need to call the mobile trailer repair guy? I really, really, really want to do this myself so I will not be so damn helpless the next time I have a roadside bearing issue...
Thanks for whatever help you can give me here!