Repacking wheel bearings

[tld]

How much can I expect to pay to have wheel bearings repacked on a single axle utility trailer? Any typical scams people try when doing this?

 

[kjung17]

Just repacking bearings should not cost you more than 1 hour of shop time. Add 1/2 hour each for additional axles. Most places will likely do the bearings pretty cheap and hope they find additional repairs.

 

[Craig Clayton]

Why not learn to do it yourself. Remember to use a NEW cotter pin every time. It is against the law for a mechanic to reuse a cotter pin. Use EP1 grease rated for wheel bearings every auto supplier has cases of this grease

Craig Clayton.

 

[RoMad]

I have never paid to pack wheel bearings, but it is very easy to do. I would think ~$20 labor for both sides would be a fair price at a small mechanics shop. You will probably need to buy a set of inner dust seals as they need to be removed for the repacking. They are pretty inexpensive.
What to watch for; When you drop it off tell them if you need any parts you want the old ones, that way they will not be able to charge you for something they didn't do.
If you don't have an independant mechanic you trust, ask your friends or neighbors who they use. Most people know someone they trust.
good luck.

 

[RoMad]

Remember to use a NEW cotter pin every time. It is against the law for a mechanic to reuse a cotter pin.
QUOTE]

Are you sure it is against the law to reuse the cotter pin? I guess i could be in big trouble since I never change the cotter pin unless it breaks or I lose it.

 

[kjung17]

Why not learn to do it yourself. Remember to use a NEW cotter pin every time. It is against the law for a mechanic to reuse a cotter pin. Use EP1 grease rated for wheel bearings every auto supplier has cases of this grease

Craig Clayton.

All cotter key applications or just axles? Is that a Canadian thing?

 

[Craig Clayton]

I will give a short story about cotter pins, I know the story to be true. At gentlemen brought his classic type rear wheel drive car into a small garage and asked the mechanic to inspect his front brakes and check the bearings. The mechanic did the work and the gentleman was about in the shop waitng for his car. The mechanic said I am finsihed and you owe me say $65.00 and the gentleman said fine but first let me show you my ID. He was a DOT inspector and the mechanic reused the cotter pins in the front wheel bearings, needless to say there was a handsome fine.
My father taught me how to do bearings and he was a licenced mechanic.

 

[sld]

That cotter pin breaks and you are in a world of hurt.

Cheap insurance to just replace it.

Funny thing is, when you go to remove a stubborn one, you can't get it to break for nothing.:laughing:

 

[kjung17]

It's kind of like o-rings. Just replace it. It's not worth risking a failure. Completely agree with you Craig, Just thought it was common sense. Not law.:confused3:

 

[wrenchturner]

My father taught me how to do bearings and he was a licenced mechanic.

Since when do mechanics have to have a license?

 

[Transit]

There are a number of repacking tools on the market, easy to use, see JC Whitney.

 

[Mahindra One]

I bought an old stock trailer and drove it to the ranch (about 175 mi). On the final stretch, a dirt road, about 2 miles from my place, one of the wheels (tire, wheel and hub) fell off due to a failed cotter pin. I go along with the replacing advice. If that wheel had come off on the interstate it could have been a very scary situation.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have never paid to pack wheel bearings, but it is very easy to do. I would think ~$20 labor for both sides would be a fair price at a small mechanics shop. You will probably need to buy a set of inner dust seals as they need to be removed for the repacking. They are pretty inexpensive.
What to watch for; When you drop it off tell them if you need any parts you want the old ones, that way they will not be able to charge you for something they didn't do.
If you don't have an independant mechanic you trust, ask your friends or neighbors who they use. Most people know someone they trust.
good luck.

I do this type of work and if you are finding someone to do it for $20 you better get everything you own down there and get it done. I charge $25 per wheel and am the cheapest around.

Thats includes cleaning the bearing and inspecting it. About 1 hour per axle.

I always replace the cotter pin and the inner seal.



Chris

 

[wvpolekat]

It is against the law for a mechanic to reuse a cotter pin.

Must be a Canadian thing. I would be shocked if there were any laws even remotely like this in the US other than relating to removing emissions equipment.

DOT here would also have no jurisdiction to write a ticket to an auto repair shop. Not sure who would without a lawsuit from a customer. Unless it was an emissions or state inspection issue.

Since when do mechanics have to have a license?

They don't. At least nowhere I am aware of. Only exceptions I know of are buses and state inspections.