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rtaylor0830
04-16-2017, 03:08 PM
I took my keystone carbon 357 on its 1st trip everything seemed fine, when I got to the campground I felt the hubs and two of them were very hot and two were not as hot. These are self adjusting brakes is this normal.

ctbruce
04-16-2017, 03:57 PM
Some clarifying questions:
1. Which side(s)?
2. Which wheels?
3. What were you hauling and was the load balanced side to side?

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Tbos
04-16-2017, 03:58 PM
It doesn't seem right to me. I would think they'd all be about the same temp.


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Buck1032
04-16-2017, 04:05 PM
I can not really comment on your issue, but I have been using a laser thermometer for a few years now to check my wheel and tire temps at ever stop. I have noticed that on really warm or hot days with direct sunlight on one side of the camper my temps would be as much as 20 to 30 degrees higher on the direct sun light side. It was the same on my TV, shaded side was cooler.

sourdough
04-16-2017, 04:09 PM
Further info would be very helpful. See posts 2 and 4; that info is needed to try to figure out the problem.

66joej
04-16-2017, 05:13 PM
I can not really comment on your issue, but I have been using a laser thermometer for a few years now to check my wheel and tire temps at ever stop. I have noticed that on really warm or hot days with direct sunlight on one side of the camper my temps would be as much as 20 to 30 degrees higher on the direct sun light side. It was the same on my TV, shaded side was cooler.

^ Same here. depends on the direction of travel in relation to the sun. Mine were also 20 degrees higher on the sunny side.

rtaylor0830
04-16-2017, 05:15 PM
Some clarifying questions:
1. Which side(s)?
2. Which wheels?
3. What were you hauling and was the load balanced side to side?

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Front axle wheels on both sides seemed hotter ,is there a temperature the hubs should be within

66joej
04-16-2017, 05:31 PM
Heavily loaded on the tongue?

sourdough
04-16-2017, 05:44 PM
Front axle wheels on both sides seemed hotter ,is there a temperature the hubs should be within


I've never seen anything that gives a temp parameter for a trailer tire. I think that is going to depend heavily on the tire, load etc.

If you think there is something going on you really need to get the infrared temp gun to see exactly what's going on. I used my hand on one trip and figured out it didn't tell me much.

With ambient temps about 70, give or take, my tires/wheels run about 120-125 degrees. One side or the other will go up dramatically with exposure to the sun or hot roads. I look for variations between tires/wheels and make sure my bearings are in good shape.

bsmith0404
04-17-2017, 04:14 AM
First, you say the hubs so I'm assuming the tires were not hot just your front two hubs. For me what needs to be clarified is your definition of "very hot". I check my tire and hub temps by hand as well, thinking about getting the infrared gun, and have never felt a 'hot" hub. When I check them, they are warm, but never to the point that I could not comfortably leave my hand on the hub for any length of time. If they are getting HOT, you either have a brake or a bearing issue. It could be hat the brakes were just a little over adjusted and they will wear in or there could be a bigger problem.

ChuckS
04-18-2017, 05:32 AM
It's hard to say how hot without the ability to measure the temp... and no, their should not be enough of a temp change even on the side that was in the sun while towing to warrant a temp change of 'very hot'

I run a TST system so I am not guessing what temps and pressures are...I know..

I'll concur with another's post that either the brakes or bearings on that axle have an issue and need visual inspection before you have a major problem...

JRTJH
04-18-2017, 06:25 AM
Harbor Freight has a infrared thermometer (actually two different kinds) available with a "discount coupon" for anywhere from $17.99 to $19.99" depending on the newspaper or magazine you find the coupon in. I have one that I use at every stop, it's something to do while the engine and turbo cool down after towing. I find that my hubs run "around the same temp" as my tires and that the "sunny side" of the trailer and truck are about 15-20 degrees warmer than the "shady side". That said, I use the thermometer to check for differences between wheels. If one wheel is 50* hotter than the other on the same side, something's not right and needs checking... Whether it's a bearing, a brake shoe, a bad spindle ??? that'll show itself with the inspection, but the "quick walkaround with the red light" only takes a couple minutes and gives a good indication of how the spindles and hubs are performing.

Note: Pointing the "red light" at the outer part of the brake drum (through a hole in the wheel) will give a better indication of the brake temperature. Pointing the "red light" at the inner circumference of the brake drum/spindle area will give a better indication of the bearing/spindle performance. Pointing the "red light" at the tire will give "some indication" of how the tire is doing, but pressure is probably more important than surface temperature of the sidewall of the tires. For me, hub and drum temperature gives more information about the axles/spindles/bearings/brakes.

After walking around checking all the wheels, the truck is cooled down enough to shut down and go do whatever motivated the stop......

sourdough
04-18-2017, 06:42 AM
For me, the infrared temp gun has been very beneficial. It eliminated the worry of always "guessing" if my hand was "reading" the temp right :), going back and forth between two tires because I thought one might be hotter than the other....not any more. Just point, click and read. Much nicer IMO.

Desert185
04-18-2017, 08:19 AM
Harbor Freight has a infrared thermometer (actually two different kinds) available with a "discount coupon" for anywhere from $17.99 to $19.99" depending on the newspaper or magazine you find the coupon in. I have one that I use at every stop, it's something to do while the engine and turbo cool down after towing. I find that my hubs run "around the same temp" as my tires and that the "sunny side" of the trailer and truck are about 15-20 degrees warmer than the "shady side". That said, I use the thermometer to check for differences between wheels. If one wheel is 50* hotter than the other on the same side, something's not right and needs checking... Whether it's a bearing, a brake shoe, a bad spindle ??? that'll show itself with the inspection, but the "quick walkaround with the red light" only takes a couple minutes and gives a good indication of how the spindles and hubs are performing.

Note: Pointing the "red light" at the outer part of the brake drum (through a hole in the wheel) will give a better indication of the brake temperature. Pointing the "red light" at the inner circumference of the brake drum/spindle area will give a better indication of the bearing/spindle performance. Pointing the "red light" at the tire will give "some indication" of how the tire is doing, but pressure is probably more important than surface temperature of the sidewall of the tires. For me, hub and drum temperature gives more information about the axles/spindles/bearings/brakes.

After walking around checking all the wheels, the truck is cooled down enough to shut down and go do whatever motivated the stop......

This is the only way to diagnose what the OP is experiencing. Feels hot? Define hot. After a few days of checking all the points described above, it is easy to spot a trend that things might be going bad or maybe just normal indications. Infrared guns should be in every tool kit.

Dave W
04-18-2017, 08:32 AM
I picked up one of those cheap HF infrared heat gadgets last fall with a 20% off coupon and an on line 'special' for about 10 bucks. I haven't had a chance to use it on the 5er hubs yet but tested it on the S&B furnace flue gas stack against a known accurate thermometer and doggone if it isn't real close - +/- a couple degrees.

Those hot hubs - I would probably jack up one wheel to at least see if the brakes are dragging beyond a light scuff. If not, then I would consider pulling that brake drum and give the bearings a look. Watching a wheel complete with drum, brakes and spindle pass you is not what is considered a fun day -

flybouy
04-19-2017, 11:23 AM
Front axle wheels on both sides seemed hotter ,is there a temperature the hubs should be within
All the suggestions on getting an IR thermometer are spot on. No excuse given the cost now days. The only thing from this that sounds suspicious is that it 's axel common not side common. That said, without a non subjective measurement no one can really do any more than guess. Get the thermometer, keep it in the drivers door or center console and get in the habit of measuring all (including the TV) rims/tires. I do this even though I have a TPMS on the camper. It takes seconds and the important thing to note is not the temperature as much as the deviation between measurements.