Kitty Hawk wheel bearings

MasterMike

MasterMike

D22
Does anyone know if trailer wheel bearings and races are a pretty standard size when replacing? Specialty trailer store? Auto parts store?

I hear some grinding, so I think I'll replace when I repack them. Perhaps a few too many fast miles and a few dunks in salt water. I have newish bearing buddies, but have not topped them off in over a year.
 
They are a standard size that you can purchase at West Marine, Boaters World or any auto parts store. I just replaced mine and brought a bearing and race to the store to make sure I got the right size. They had lots in stock. While you're at it, install bearing buddies to keep your bearings well lubed.
 
Yeah - they're standardized around the axle shaft diameter - but it's best to take them apart and search for the part number you find on the current bearings. Don't forget to get new grease seals, too.

I highly recommend etrailer.com. Great prices, fast shipping, and they have EVERYTHING.
 
I didn't write down the bearing numbers, but it is fairly common. I just went to a NAPA auto parts store and he cross-referenced the numbers stamped on the old bearings. Originals said China...new ones say Mexico.

The inner and outer bearing are the same, so you don't have to keep them straight (but verify this on your individual trailer). The bearings come with new races. You pop the old ones out with a punch or flat screwdriver, being careful not to score the bore surface. Clean everything, press the new races in, pack the new bearings with grease, install new seals. ALWAYS install new seals (there was a bit of water inside my hubs and the inner bearings were completely shot and the race scored). Use waterproof high temp bearing grease.

"Bearing Buddies" don't do much except push a little more grease into the outer bearings, and make it harder to get in there and adjust or repack. I put them back on, but will take the whole thing apart once a year from now on.

Total cost of four bearings, two seals, and grease was $48.
 
Do you think that your large wheel conversion helped the age of the bearings compared to the stock Kittyhawk wheel size?
 
Not really - the larger diameter should make the bearing spin slower at a given speed. But I did take some long trips (1000+) at freeway speeds and dunk it in salt and fresh water many times.

It looked to me that the bearings were original, so 12 years old now. It got very little use until I bought it. When I bought it in CO, I had a trailer shop re-pack the bearings and add the bearing buddies, since I was heading 1000 miles on mystery bearings. I proceeded to pull it all over the NW assuming I had fresh grease and everything inside was in good shape.

Now that I have had it apart, I see that they merely popped on the bearing buddies, squirted a little new grease in (of a non-matching type), and never even took anything apart. Meanwhile the old seals were failing and I got water into nearly dry bearings.

I was almost that guy you always see on the side of the freeway with his trailer up on a jack.

So take those bearings apart yourself and check them!
 
Most people take their bearings apart and repack them every other year, and I bet they don't put 2-3k on their trailer every year or use the trailer as a dolly. I wouldn't worry about different colored grease in the bearing either, that just means they switched brands mid job. I think you'll find if you use your grease gun more often, your bearing buddies will serve you better. Had them on my santana 20 trailer and they were a big help.
 
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