On Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:55:24 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote:

Steve B wrote:
I took off my wheel bearings when I bought my boat, and repacked them. They
probably have 150 miles on them since that.

IF I JACK UP MY TRAILER AND JUST SPIN THE WHEEL, what should I feel? Should
there be ANY movement where you can take the 3 and 9 o'clock positions and
wiggle back and forth?

Should not move.

Agreed.


When I take the cap, key, and nut off, and put it back on, just how tight do
I put the nut? Should I tighten it at all with a large ChannelLock, or just
to where I can get the key in the next groove in the nut?

Remove nut, repack/whatever, Replace on axle and tighten the nut while
turning the wheel/tire combo. You want to tighten the nut until the
bearing play is gone, then a bit more so it gets just barely hard to
rotate the tire, then back off the nut to the first available slot and
install the cotter pin. What you are trying to do is eliminate free play
and preset the load on the bearing as well.

With Fords, it was torque to 25 foot pounds, then loosen and retighten
to 25 inch pounds. The nut was a standard hex but the cover was
castellated, so you could install it and the cotter pin without moving
the nut.


Since this is a boat I would actually install bearing buddies and not
worry about repacking as long as you give them a shot of good grease
when you use the trailer. The BB units apply light spring pressure to
the grease and keeps water out.

Those are good, but people forget to check the wheel bearing play when
they're on there.

--
Fear not those who argue but those who dodge.
-- Marie Ebner von Eschenbach