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Member
Posts: 5
Location: central Kentucky | OK, what exactly happens when your bearings go out? We have an old homemade trailer and our local trailer dealer/shop told us the bearings were from an old Dodge car (from perhaps 1950's) and they couldn't repack them. We're trying to decide what to do. How dangerous is this?
Also, could we replace the bearings and wheels all together? Would this be expensive? (It's a ~40 year old trailer that we bought for $300 from a friend, and it's in pretty decent shape other than the bearings.)
Thanks,
M.D. 16 |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
 
Location: Kansas | Bearings going out-NOT GOOD! You wouldn't believe the chewing out I got from my mechanic when it had been two years since mine had been greased. Think it drags your wheel down the highway without it turning-ugly. |
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Regular
Posts: 54
Location: Danielsville,Ga. | Originally written by Foxhollowfarm on 2006-01-16 4:02 PM
OK, what exactly happens when your bearings go out? We have an old homemade trailer and our local trailer dealer/shop told us the bearings were from an old Dodge car (from perhaps 1950's) and they couldn't repack them. We're trying to decide what to do. How dangerous is this?Also, could we replace the bearings and wheels all together? Would this be expensive? (It's a ~40 year old trailer that we bought for $300 from a friend, and it's in pretty decent shape other than the bearings.)Thanks,M.D. 16 If you are planning to haul horses in it,Junk this trailer ,your FRIEND should have,forget the 300. and start over. |
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Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Danielsville Georgia | Does the trailer have brakes that work?Or ?
Edited by hounddog 2006-01-16 6:34 PM
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Regular
Posts: 93
Location: Cherokee, Ia | This is NOT a "good thing", and I speak from experience. Last fall, after driving 700miles down to Shawnee Forest, then 250 back to Springfield IL, my rear wheel on my 3-horse steel gooseneck was smoking (BIG TIME!). We had greased and repacked the bearings the previous year, but must have worn out anyway. My tire literally "fell off" after we loosened the lugnuts slightly: the hub housing was inside the tire, and fell off with it. Metal on metal! Thank god we caught it before I took off the remaining 500 miles. It took hauling the trailer into the city(tow), 400 bucks for a new hub, bearings, etc.I was lucky they could find the parts(1991 model) Junk this trailer, a new axel, bearings, and labor are going to cost you way more than this junker is worth!! We maintained our trailer yearly, but it STILL can happen! And you trailer owners who think you have"sealed hub/bearings" Take it in and get them checked yearly anyway. The mechanic said that all that held my tire on while on the interstate, was the weight of my horse riding over the rear axel!!!No matter how good you think this deal was, be safe, not sorry later! |
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Member
Posts: 5
Location: central Kentucky | No. It used to have hydraulic brakes, but they've been dismantled. |
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Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Danielsville Georgia | Eaither another trailer or look into getting entire new axels with electric brakes put up under it.Now NEW axels with electric brakes is NOT real costly IF mounting/installing them is not real time consuming.Call a trailer manufacture and I don't mean per se horse trailers.Ones that build untility trailers,car haul trailers etc.theres one near me.they sell axels/brake assemys and install on wekends when production line not running etc.Get prices from them and then judge what to do is what I'd do. |
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Expert
Posts: 2689
| Hi and welcome.
Just about ALL horse trailers are GVW over 3,500 lbs and just about ALL States REQUIRE brakes on trailers with GVW over 3,000 or 3,500 - I forget which.
Requirements aside - Ya really DO NOT want to be towing an unbraked trailer with live horse(s) in it.
Get on line to NorthernTool, browse their catalogue for brake sets and whole axle sets. Click on this for a start:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatDsp?storeI...
Look for 3,500 lb axles, I wouldn't mess with the 2,000 lb ones, you'll need two and probably the dual axle equaliser hardware as well.- - WITH BRAKES on BOTH axles.
This should give you some idea of whether or not it is worth putting money into theis trailer or just cutting your losses.
A lot will depend on how handy you are, what tools you have, how much help you can get, how inclined you are to take on a "project" trailer.
At ~40 years old - I'd be looking for other stuff, e.g. what is rotten or rotted through ? Floor, springs, hinges, it could be a long and expensive list.
Good Luck and sorry to rain or your dream (-:
Edited by Reg 2006-01-17 10:37 PM
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Member
Posts: 5
Location: central Kentucky | Thanks for all the answers. Everyone is telling me what I was hoping you won't say, but I'm glad you did.
Thanks! |
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old bearings in trailer
