Potential of damage to brake components with failed wheel bearings?

[MarkEHansen]

I just inspected and repacked the wheel bearings on my trailer and am now curious about what would happen in the event of a bearing failure while on the road.

Wouldn't the bearing failure result in the hub no longer being aligned with the axle/spindle? And if the hub is allowed to move "out of alignment", wouldn't the brake drum then pull on and possibly/likely destroy the brake shoes and other components mounted to the backing plate?

What is a typical "look" of a bearing failure? How do you normally see that a bearing is having problems? Will we notice it before the wheel starts wobbling or worse?

Appreciate any insight/experience.

[chuckster57]

We had a GD Imagine puled from the factory to our dealership in Bay area. Then it went to Sacramento and back to Livermore. It was PDI'd for sale and while moving it to the wash rack the DS front tire went all cockeyed. Pulled the wheel and drum and found the inner bearing was never installed. LOTS of damage and NOTHING was out of wack looking even when we moved it and turned it real sharp. Spindle was the only part salvaged.

[MarkEHansen]

Thanks, Chuckster. That may be an extreme case. I guess I'm wondering if there is any value to being prepared to replace failed wheel bearings on the road if I don't also have a replacement brake assembly (one each for the left and right side)?

[chuckster57]

Yeah it was and extremely rare. If I was going to plan for that type of repair on the road, I would keep a set of bearings, seals and a backing plate assembly for each side.

[MarkEHansen]

Sorry, Chuckster, I think I wasn't clear. In a typical failed bearing case, would one expect to have to replace the brake assembly along with the bearings?

By the time you can "notice" you have a problem with the wheel bearings, is the brake assembly on that wheel going to be toast?

[bobbecky]

Several years ago, we had an outer bearing fail. I had done my annual repack and brake inspection a couple months earlier, so even the failed bearing was still well greased. I also had a full set of bearings and races on board along with grease and tools to replace the bearings and races. The entire brake assembly was destroyed, and I had to cut everything off of the backing plate. Even the part of the hub that the seal is driven into was damaged, so could not install a seal. We were back on the road in less than two hours, minus a working brake on that wheel and no grease seal. I ordered a new drum/hub assembly, new brake/backing plate assembly and various other parts to be sent ahead to a relative’s house, and replaced all the parts when we got there. Fortunately, the seal area that was damaged on the hub only scraped on the tapered part of the spindle, so the axle was still good. I suppose, if the damage was worse, the entire axle would have to be replaced. My next annual maintenance included all new Timken bearings because I did not trust the Chinese bearings that were originally used.

[chuckster57]

Sorry, Chuckster, I think I wasn't clear. In a typical failed bearing case, would one expect to have to replace the brake assembly along with the bearings?

By the time you can "notice" you have a problem with the wheel bearings, is the brake assembly on that wheel going to be toast?
I would say it depends. If the inner bearing and/or seal fail then yes it usually takes out the shoes. The drum can often times be cleaned and reused.

[sourdough]

The damage from "bad" bearings can be lots of things from what I've seen. Bought a large pop up from my dad many, many years ago. He told me he had taken care of everything including the tires and wheels (single axle). Me, I didn't check. Took it on a long trip and never checked a thing - happy in my ignorance. Driving to the camp spot on a remote forest service road the trailer bumped, looked back and one side had dropped and the tire/wheel was rolling off the side of the road (thankfully into the mountain and not into the ravine).

The spindle had been cut off by a frozen bearing due to lack of lubrication. Spent until late in the evening putting the trailer on jacks then removing the axle. Next day (Sunday) a shop thankfully came and opened up and replaced the spindle. I now run Timkens on any trailer I have and stay on top of wheel mtce.

[travelin texans]

With theses things ANYTHING is possible!
If it gives you piece of mind, have the skill & tools, then carry a couple backing plates with sets of bearings along.
Better to have & not need than to need & not have......

[JRTJH]

I lost a roadside rear axle wheel/hub this past summer. We had just turned into a campground, stopped to register and were pulling back onto the road, over a slight speed bump. We were only going about 3-4 MPH when I noticed the "bulging tire" in the side mirror and immediately stopped. I had to jack the axle to get the wheel/hub/tire assembly out of the wheelwell where it was wedged tightly.

The spindle outer bearing/retaining nut threads were damaged, the front bearing/cage was literally strewn across the parking lot as I pulled the hub out from under the trailer and the inner bearing was also completely destroyed. The "wobbling hub" completely destroyed both brake shoes and the magnet as well as bent the backing plate beyond repair.

After several "consultations" with repair services, I finally replaced the entire axle assembly, kept the hub/bearings/brake assembly on the curb side (it was new in April) and replaced everything on the road side with new parts.

I've seen (on boat trailers without brakes) a hub come off the spindle with no damage, then again, a hub come off and score the spindle beyond repair.

I'd suppose both "no damage" and "total loss" are possible, depending on the situation.


Even though this might look like a "problem" when you consider that we had just exited I-75 after towing at 65-70MPH for over 200 miles and were only going 3-4 MPH at the time, even though it was "damage" with a "glass half full" perspective, this could have been catastrophic rather than an inconvenience..... Yeah, we were triple towing and had the slingshot on the trailer behind the Cougar, so at "highway speeds" who knows what damage might have happened.....

[skids]

(snip) Pulled the wheel and drum and found the inner bearing was never installed. LOTS of damage and NOTHING was out of wack looking even when we moved it and turned it real sharp. Spindle was the only part salvaged.

That is so inexcusable!

[gearhead]

With a bearing failure anything is possible. I've never had a failure on automotive equipment, but have seen many failures on refinery rotating equipment.
Not that it will prevent anything, but keep a laser thermometer with you. At every stop shoot it on the hub between the wheel spokes, and the tires.
Keep spares to rebuild one side completely...seal, bearings (prepacked), and a hub/drum. You can make it without 1 brake working.
I have a complete assembly out in the garage for a 5200# axle if anyone's interested.

[idcruiserman]

We lost a wheel due to bearing failure. We had just come over 8500 ft pass into Alamogordo NM, and a person warned us a wheel was smoking. Thankfully it happened while were doing 30MPH in town and not while coming down the big hill. The spindle was salvaged. Had to replace everything else.

[goodellj]

I had a wheel bearing fail once when we were in PEI, Canada. I had just stopped and done a 'walk-around' inspection of the trailer about 40 miles before, and did not see or smell anything. When we pulled into the campground a fellow camper noticed that the wheel was wobbling and smoking!

We made it to our campsite and when I tried to back in, the wheel fell completely off! I made it in with one wheel on that side. The hub, drum, bearings, spindle, and brake were all a total loss and required replacement. An emergency repair service welded a new spindle onto the axle and replaced all the needed parts with new.

I case you are wondering, the repair held up well. I am now much more attentive to my bearings and check the temps with an IR laser gun thermometer at every stop. At the time of the failure, we had about 5,000 miles on the bearings.

24921

[larryflew]

We had a failure on Kansas turnpike years ago. Needed axle re-bent for alignment and all new end with everything.

[WDPatterson]

Several years ago, we had an outer bearing fail. I had done my annual repack and brake inspection a couple months earlier, so even the failed bearing was still well greased. I also had a full set of bearings and races on board along with grease and tools to replace the bearings and races. The entire brake assembly was destroyed, and I had to cut everything off of the backing plate. Even the part of the hub that the seal is driven into was damaged, so could not install a seal. We were back on the road in less than two hours, minus a working brake on that wheel and no grease seal. I ordered a new drum/hub assembly, new brake/backing plate assembly and various other parts to be sent ahead to a relative’s house, and replaced all the parts when we got there. Fortunately, the seal area that was damaged on the hub only scraped on the tapered part of the spindle, so the axle was still good. I suppose, if the damage was worse, the entire axle would have to be replaced. My next annual maintenance included all new Timken bearings because I did not trust the Chinese bearings that were originally used.

I agree with your assessment. It's a wise move to anticipate putting a new set of bearings on a trailer when you first buy it. Unless you take those wheels off, and look at what you have, you're rolling the dice. Cheap Chinese bearings do not have the same quality as bearings we have here in the states.

[RET.LEO]

Grease on brakes = new brakes