Newly assembled trailer: one hub warmer

[Diamondpilot]

While I agree too much grease could be a problem I am guessing I have packed about 500 bearings in my time. Everything from trailers to farm equipment to airplane components. I have never had any fail with grease in them. The ones I have had fail were due to a lack of grease or contaminants.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

I agree.. only time I've ever seen too much grease cause an issue was when it pushed a seal out.

I wonder.. when he said single bearing.. I wonder if it is a cone bearing or not.. I'd love to see a pic of that HF hub... when he said one bearing almost made me think of those caged 'lawnmower' style bearings...?

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have assembled one of the folding HF trailers and it had a normal setup with a seal, inner bearing and race, outer bearing and race, thrust washer, castle nut with cotter pin, and dust cap with a zerk.

My guess is he only had to install one bearing, the outer. The inner bearing and seal were pre assembled.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

gotcha. I've never messed with one of those do-it-yerself trailer kits... I was hoping it was a normal setup, and not one of those cheapy sealed/caged non taper ball bearings that the low speed wheels on small carts used.. etc... I've seen those with single bearing setups.

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

gotcha. I've never messed with one of those do-it-yerself trailer kits... I was hoping it was a normal setup, and not one of those cheapy sealed/caged non taper ball bearings that the low speed wheels on small carts used.. etc... I've seen those with single bearing setups.

soundguy

Well, it could have changed. I put one together back in 2003 for a customer. I was actually quite surprised how well it went together and how tough it was when complete. It was the perfect fit for his son who he gave it to because of its ability to fold up and roll right into the garage out of the way.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

I think for a homeowner with a small car and a class 1 or 2 hitch that needs to haul some trash cans to the dump.. or a rider lawnmower.. etc.. or maybee bring a medium sized furniture/appliance home.. it's probably a great deal.

soundguy

 

[IslandTractor]

I think for a homeowner with a small car and a class 1 or 2 hitch that needs to haul some trash cans to the dump.. or a rider lawnmower.. etc.. or maybee bring a medium sized furniture/appliance home.. it's probably a great deal.

soundguy

I pull it with an SUV but the real benefit is that it folds up and stores easily inside on the side of the garage. It has 2 inch casters that i will replace with 3 inch but it does roll and is manageable by one male Capacity is about 900-950 net which is fine for dump runs or collecting Craigslist bargains without the hassle of going to and dealing with Uhaul.

The only real downside I have found so far is that once you put a deck on the bed you must crawl underneath to install and undo four bolts that secure the trailer in it's unfolded position. I may have to figure out a more convenient locking mechanism.

 

[Soundguy]

any possibility for studs and wingnuts?

soundguy

 

[Travelover]

any possibility for studs and wingnuts?

soundguy

Mine must be slightly different . It uses a carriage bolt and a nut. I just keep a HF socket dedicated to that nut handy so I can quickly attach it when I set it up.

 

[IslandTractor]

any possibility for studs and wingnuts?

soundguy

Not sure if that would work The configuration is as follows: the tongue, axle and storage wheel frame are permanently attached to the front half of the bifolding deck. The rear deck is attached by a hinge just above the road wheels and when in use folds down flat against the rear two feet of the frame. To keep the rear deck flat, there is a carriage bolt on each side about a third of the deck rearwards that bolts laterally into the frame. There is another bolt positioned vertically right near the hinge. If you imagine cargo on the rear deck strapped to both front and back you can see that both the lateral and vertical bolts are needed to resist folding without putting too much pressure on the relatively thin gauge hinge.

The lateral bolts could be easily replaced with a locking hitch pin. Unfortunately it is the vertical bolt near the hinge that requires tightening to be effective and there is just no way to reach around the fender/ wheel and storage wheel structure to reach it blind. I am thinking that maybe a solid latch outboard on each side near the hinge might replace the vertical bolts on each side. Anything to take the pressure off the hinge when there is weight on the back of the trailer would work. The lateral bolt acts as a pivot so the vertical bolt is needed especially if the load is mostly on the rear or tightly strapped from front to back.