I bought this trailer to transport my mobility scooter... been shopping & burning fuel (misleading ads... hating the lieing SOBs! Did they think I wouldn't see the rust?) So this one was cheap, $200... because the seller honestly stated it needed work. It has a drop in plank at the rear, no ramp, tilt trailer.

When I arrived, he had his compressor out but couldn't get one tire to hold air... dry rotted anyway... so I bought 2 New tire/wheel assemblies at Harbor Freight $105 & he put them on. Trailer lights were there but not working... I high-tailed it. Near an hour drive, highway through major urban area... tried to use the truck signals & leave enough room & did not make the aquaintance of any fine LEOs.

I did not think to take the set of spare trailer lights I made up to move a covered wagon some years ago... (the wagon's fitted trailer had been hidden in a pasture & I knew better than bother with the lights at the last minute... why did I not remember?) I'll rewire the trailer with plastic conduit while the deck is off.

Most of the rotted deck was still there when I arrived home. Rotted plywood over the rotted & termite eaten planks... I optomistically stopped at Home Depot & bought new PT planks. I have some green cuperinol & I'll give the decking some additional treatment before installing.

The trailer after...

I brushed & scraped the rotted wood out of the channels. There is some scaling that was hidden by the wood... everything exposed is good. I'm thinking the sides add a lot of strength to the trailer. I'm thinking the hidden areas might be a good place to learn about POR15. The exposed areas probably just use paint.

The decking minutes later...

Notice my little plastic stool, a place to sit... My legs were pretty done, so I cleaned up my tools for the day.

I'll have to grind the welds off the strap that hold the planks down... I wonder if I should have it welded back or bolt it down? The latest PT is not as good as before & I'm concerned that the holes might be a place for rot to start... but bolted through with carriage bolts would make servicing much easier for me.

Well, here's todays picts.

Half of the bearing & seals are already in the hub so not returnable.  Cheap SOG that I am...  I'm going to try the salvage. 

You sound a lot like me. Cheap SOB and don't like to give up! Many years ago I was at a truck terminal in Denver for a company I used to drive for. Me and a couple of other drivers went to a bar that had some girls that dance. About a year later I was back there and went to the same establishment. Soon as I walked in one girl kept staring at me. Finally she walked over to me and said "I remember you!" I looked at her and said Oh yea? She said "Yea you were in here about a year ago" and I said yea, so why do you remember me? She said "You're that CHEAP SOB!" True story.......

OK, things returning to normal after Rendezvous Camp (and my week long commute)...  leaving wife to put away everything she took.  Because of the problem with the Dodge, I'm going to have the front end shop fix any / everything to new spec. or better.  I'm waiting on a call back on the track bar 3rd gen track bar conversion.  So that left me free to get back on the little trailer.

 

I swapped the grinding wheel for a flap sander disc from Home Depot & gently started on the scored area.  Then I got down in a position bending over a small stool (don't get any ideas) to do the underside.  I was about the test with the bearing & the disc was winding down when it just nicked the knuckle.  Bled like a pig!  

Inside, get it washed & eventually the blood loss stopped.  Cleaned up the blood on the railing, door knobs, safety goggles & shirt (Ooops, new shirt I actually like). 

Nope, bearing no go.  Inspected with a mirror.  Seemed like it needed more 5 o'clock & 7 o'clock.  Touched it. & the bearing goes on now.  It took surprisingly little buffing to seat the bearing inner race...  I don't want to remove too much.

I sprayed it down with WD40 & bagged it until I get back.  This was the hang up. 

 

Next to grease the bearings, install in hub & install seal (ARFF!  ARFF! that's a seal).  I'm going to wait because every time I wiggle the finger it starts bleeding again.  (And I don't want blood in the bearing grease.)   

Edited June 1, 201410 yr by flagmanruss

Just put of curiosity, are you taking an aspirin a day? Ever since I started that it takes a lot longer for the blood to quit. Anyhow, CONGRATS on getting the bearing seated!! WOO HOOO!! That means you are winning!

I am taking a baby aspirin a day and Ginko Biloba both of which act as blood thinners.  If I'd known I was gonna nick my knuckle with the grinder...  I'd have skipped the blood thinners...  LOL!!  

 

Putting the bearing on was just a test fit...  but if it wouldn't go on naked, it wouldn't go on with the hub.

 

After greasing, the bearing cage must be seated in the hub & then the seal.  Never Seize on the axle where the bearing will ride.  Put the hub on the axle. 

Yeah!!  Reassembling! 

 

I wonder what the other side is like?  But I have the parts now & I know how to attack it.  I'd really like for the other side to be just a simple parts replacement. 

I have the hub back on, as full of waterproof bearing grease as possible (same as I would use on a boat trailer).  Can't get the imitation bearing buddy to start...  the point of filling the hub is to eliminate as much of the air bubble as possible so when you pump grease into the outside...  it forces some through into the inside bearing...  which won't (and didn't happen previously) because the inner bearing had failed. 

Undoubtedly the Imitation BB is made in China on metric machines...  I've run into tolerances problems before.  I've bagged the hub for the night (again). 

 

EDIT:

Miked the hub ID 2.00" & BB OD 1.98"...   with a sharp machined edge.  I'm thinking of cutting an edge bevel via Mr Southbend. 

Thinking of using a gear puller on the hub to push the BB on.  

I might have to discard the Imation BB & go buy the real thing.   

Edited June 1, 201410 yr by flagmanruss

The only problem with filling the hub up completely with grease is that it will push some grease out of the seal when it warms up some. If you pack the bearings by hand you shouldn't need to put any in the hub.

True but since I'm not running brakes on this little trailer, some grease out the back is of no consequence...  and lubes the seal.  Bearing Buddies do nothing for the inner bearing if the hub is not full.  Very difficult to push grease through the outter race, fill the hub then the inner bearing.  I'd rather this does not need to be serviced for the rest of my lifetime!  LOL!  

 

I haven't got the BB on the hub yet. 

Edited June 2, 201410 yr by flagmanruss