Hi,
I got home to my left rear hub squealing like a kettle. The hub center measured 210F and it appears as though the water in the hub had pushed some of the grease out of the back of the hub at temperature
I took the wheel off and spun the hub. It spins smoothly but I can hear the brake dragging. Brake pad and disc wear looks fine. I suspect the brake reservoir is overfilled. I pumped new grease into the hub and it did not appear empty.
The question is - can I trust the seal?
First, the pads always drag on the rotors with disk brakes. There is no spring or any mechanism to retract the pads so they ride on the rotors unless fluid pressure is applied. It is possible that a bad caliper or brake line restriction could cause excess pressure on the pads
Are your hubs EZLube or Bearing Buddy? Either way, something isn’t right.
Last edited by CatFan; 02-23-2023 at 11:01 AM.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
nothing else matters.
Heat kills the seals. Calipers stick. Very common. Replaced mine on a 08
What year trailer and when was the last maintenance done on the calipers and bearings? Has the trailer sat for a while without use?
That much heat is either dragging brakes or a dead bearing. At a minimum I would pull the hub and inspect/repack the bearings and replace the seal. If the trailer sat for a while, you could have some corrosion on the hub and you'll get extra heat while that is wearing off. When I get mine out in the spring I usually take it up the road a mile or so to wear that off, then after it cools back down take a little longer one and check temps.
If you know you had water in the hub, I would personally rebuild that with new races, bearings, and seal. You would probably be fine if you caught it right away, I just tend to be extra cautious.
I would apply some grease designed for brake components to the slider pins on the caliper.
If you had steam escaping which actually made noise you have a heap of trouble, and are lucky to have made it home. Unless you carry a thermometer with you it had time to cool somewhat before you read it.
I endorse listening to bearings when one spins the wheel, it will pick up bearing issues most times but it's no guarantee. Since you took the wheel off and just spun the hub, there wasn't much or any friction present at that time.
Have you had the caliper off lately and maybe twisted the flex hose, if equipped, putting it back on?
If the hub without the wheel spun freely, I'd say you have a brake issue, but will soon have a bearing issue. I M H O if the hub is overheated and you back the trailer into water it will cool rapidly and suck water into the hub and bearing assembly.
Time to get to work.
Water. It needs to come apart. Cj
2002 X19 200HP OX66 HO Vmax,HPDI lower, it lives, thanks Hydro Tec.
Replace both bearings and the seal on that side, replace the seal and repack on the other side. If one seal failed the other one will not be far behind it. When in doubt throw them out. Make sure you put a thin smear of grease on the sealing surface on the spindle when reassembling the hub.
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