Bob,
First, make sure you have new marine seals (Not NAPA Auto) with a double lip on the seal. One small lip turned each direction on the seal face itself where it mates to the spindle.
1. Remove the Cotter Pin that hols the nut cap on.
2. Thread the nut off slowly and be sure it does not have burrs on it. Check for burrs so you can remove them before re-assembly
3. The outer bearing and washer (pending you have one) should slip out the front when you wiggle the wheel.
If you have disc brakes you will have to remove the caliper from the rotor.
If you have drum brakes, you may (may not) have to spoon the adjuster away from the hub backing the shoes off.
4. The hub assembly will come off with the tire. That is fine!
5. Now lay a piece of cardboard under the wheel with the rear seal down.
6. Slowly tap that rear seal out of the hub assembly. Working it from side to side. While folks have reused a seal you are not supposed to. They will not last.
7. Remove the rear bearing. (Inner larger)
8. Clean out the hub assembly and remove all the grease with a rag. You do not necessarily have to clean the internal hub, though it is the proper method. If your grease is contaminated we would clean it well, which may require removal from the wheel.
9. Check the races in the hub for pitting. And check the spindle for damage.
10. Look at your spindle and check the seal seat to verify if you have a separate part the seal rides on and the condition of that back portion of the spindle.
11. Clean the bearings well. Check them for wear and tear. Dry them well and blow or clean them out. Now you are prepared to reassemble.
12. Pack the bearings with your palm of your hand and pack the grease with one hand and press the grease into the bearings with the palm of your hand before re-installation.
13. Now place the rear bearing into the hub assembly and you are ready to press the NEW seal back into the hub. You can tap it carefully into place with a block of wood or a shot mallet.
14. Now that you have the new seal in the hub you are prepared to pack the grease into the hub assembly filling that cavity between the bearings.
15. You are now ready to replace the hub on the spindle. Do so placing the outer bearing easily into the front of the hub. Make sure you hand packed this bearing also.
16. Replace the front washer, nut and outer cap (if one is required). Do not tighten the nut down all the way. Tighten it down while spinning the hub and seating the bearings. You should tension the outer bearing nut and then back it off slightly and reinsert the cotter pin. The outer nut should not be fully tight, just taught and secure. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN, as you WILL BURN A BEARING!
17. You are now ready to replace the Bearing Buddy Cap. Which should be starred with a screwdriver or chisel point. Taking the back side of the cap and starring the inside portion outer lip with little nicks. These ( 8 ) little nicks across from each other will retain the bearing cap.
18. Tap the bearing cap into place holding it square with a block of wood pressed firmly against it. Then tap the block and take caution to watch it insert square. You may have to start it tapping into place before you put the block on the cap and hit it firmly.
19. Reassemble the brake caliper, and replace pads if necessary, usually not on disc. Reseat drum brake pads if you have drum brake pads after reassembly.
* You should replace the drum brake pads if they are required and also replace seals in the wheel cylinders. The brakes may be the hardest part and they may be required to be rebuilt. Which often requires a front master cylinder kit if the fluid is rusted. It has also required a full master cylinder replacement.
The brakes do not heat up and boil or warm the fluids as your vehicle does. Thus when a trailer sits it builds moisture that never evacuates the fluids. This moisture causes rusting in your lines and cylinders. The fluid absorbs a high concentration of water and that moisture again is the culprit.
The bearings are not hard, and unless your system has failed due to fluid and moisture contamination you should not require a disc rebuild or replacement. So the job should be fairly simple and not long.
If you have a brake requirement on rebuilding, then you are into more time. Overall for a novice it should be a 3 to 4 hours job with a brake rebuild. Without a brake job it should be 1 to 2 hours.
For grease we prefer the red low lithium based grease, though other colors work fine, and Valvoline #616 is good.
http://www.valvoline.com/…rease-gear-oil/grease/66
BCB
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