Dexter Axle Easy Grease Trailer Hub and Drum Assembly Pre Greased 8-201 Not under warranty unless installed on a Dexter Axel spindle Buyer beware

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

So my trailer has 3,500 miles on it and is 3 months old.

While south bound on I 80 I noticed some sway then bam hub separated from wheel and tire flew off at 65 mph. Luckily it did not kill a young family or myself trying to cross freeway to retrieve it.

My Trailer manufacturer submitted a warranty claim with distributor and was told that due to different variables like lack of grease or possible over tightening there is no warranty after installation.

So any of you road warriors heard of outer bearing failure on Dexter brake hubs?

 

[WillySwan]

Wow! I'm so glad to hear that no one was injured. That could have gone much worse.

I'm having a hard time visualizing how the outer roller bearing could fail in a manner that would result in wheel separation. If it were a bad bearing, the typical failure would be for the bearing to seize and lock up the wheel. Do you have any photos of the failure? Without seeing details of the failure, I would strongly suspect some type of assembly error led to the spindle nut coming off.

There are two methods of securing the spindle nut on a Dexter hub. The most common is a castellated spindle nut held in place with a cotter pin. The other method is a spindle nut retainer. Do you know which was used on your hub?

 

[NatersXJ6]

I wouldn’t be surprised to hear of a trailer bearing failing and losing a wheel. The defined failure point usually happens long before the wheel comes off. You might have missed the failure, if you were on I80 at presumably high speed, it might have gone quickly to your perception. Did you ever grease them? I would hope that a manufacturer would just replace the unit themselves on a relatively new trailer, but there are probably many facts and opinions to consider.

 

[EPO]

Oh man, very sorry to hear this. Any trailer damage?

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

So I have Timbren 3500HD. I purchased trailer in Jan 2023 and drove it home. 2,600 miles. Needed more ground clearance so my local rv mechanic swapped the Spindles to get 6 more " of height. He is an awesome mechanic who did not have to break into hub or grease the bearing. Also torque nut with Carter pin to spec and backed off a touch so wheel spun freely.

I just felt abnormal sway pulled over and checked lugs. Got back on road for 5 miles at 65mph. Then thunk wheel gone. Sparks flying then fire on hub then wheel with tire and half the break hub cruising down the left lane and landed 2 000 yards down the meridian in Friday afternoon traffic.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

Oh man, very sorry to hear this. Any trailer damage?

Hey EPO thanks. No damage to frame that is obvious. These guys make a beefy chassis. Will keep a close eye for cracks

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

I wouldn’t be surprised to hear of a trailer bearing failing and losing a wheel. The defined failure point usually happens long before the wheel comes off. You might have missed the failure, if you were on I80 at presumably high speed, it might have gone quickly to your perception. Did you ever grease them? I would hope that a manufacturer would just replace the unit themselves on a relatively new trailer, but there are probably many facts and opinions to consider.

I assume as soon as I felt that sway that was the failure point. It just wasn't that bad. Maybe drove 5 miles until it flew off

 

[gendlert]

Based on the pics, looks like the spindle nut is still there, and your wheel and the hub face literally wore down the spindle and nut together to be able to come off. That tells me the front face of your hub came loose, which was probably the sway you felt, then at 65 mph it didn't take long to go right through the spindle. Am I seeing that right? Lugs and nuts are still intact on the wheel?

I'm glad to hear you're OK and no one was hurt. That's scary stuff!

 

[gendlert]

Based on the pics, looks like the spindle nut is still there, and your wheel and the hub face literally wore down the spindle and nut together to be able to come off. That tells me the front face of your hub came loose, which was probably the sway you felt, then at 65 mph it didn't take long to go right through the spindle. Am I seeing that right? Lugs and nuts are still intact on the wheel?

I'm glad to hear you're OK and no one was hurt. That's scary stuff!

If that's the case, at initial inspection you wouldn't have seen anything wrong. From the front of the wheel, it would look like all of the nuts were there, and the trailer only dropped about 1/4-1/2" with that failure, so not an obvious change. The follow-up question would be why on earth the hub face came off.

 

[loup407]

I had a similar experience with a new trailer, that had a Timbren 3500HD axle. Happened to notice smoke billowing from one wheel (65mph). Pulled over to see axle nut, cotter pin gone, outer bearing loose on axle shaft and wheel riding loose on axle shaft. I imagine another quarter mile and I would have lost the wheel. My trailer manufacturer replaced the entire assembly, overnight, mid-pandemic. The replacement has at least several thousand miles on it, with no problem, but I’m lots more diligent in lubing and inspecting before trips. My assumption is the axle/hub wasn’t assembled or lubed properly when the trailer was built, but I don’t know for sure.

 

[FordGuy1]

I have seen many of these failures and have had two that were just like the pics. I had a friend of mine tell me the first thing you do on a new trailer is throw away the cheap bearings and install Timkin, and use good grease. Ever since I have done this, my trailer bearings never need adjustment, and the grease stays nice and clean.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

Thanks FordGuy1. Do the ones you have seen fly off the spindle and almost kill someone ?

Any idea if any pre packed brake hubs come with Timken bearings?

 

[NatersXJ6]

Those bearings do not appear to be greased at all. You had an assembly failure. That should have so much grease paste in it that you can’t identify individual parts. I suspect that if your mechanic wasn’t so great and had actually taken the hub off, you would have seen and prevented this. You need to pull the other wheel immediately.

I would be willing to bet that the technical fail point was within the first 20 miles and after that you’ve always been riding on the spindle nut and not known it.

To prevent in the future, I recommend carrying a low cost laser thermometer in your trailer gear and making a habit of shooting when bearing temps while you pump fuel.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

Yes that is the plan. Could the heat and fire burnt the grease away?

 

[NatersXJ6]

In my experience, heat and fire do not burn away grease without leaving. A bunch of asphalt-like tar and junk behind.

You can do a home experiment. Try to burn a blob of grease off of something with a blow torch. It won’t go well.